SXSW 2011: Rooney, The Strokes, Alexander, RYE RYE, and BBQ!

Posted: March 29th, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Natty Fame, NEW!, No WAY!, Now That's Natty, So Fierce, Steppin' Out | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | No Comments »

We decided to spend our spring break this year in Austin for SXSW, a week long festival featuring the hottest, newest, and best in music, film and interactive (aka technology). We had an awesome time meeting up with old friends, making some new ones, and getting our clothing to some musicians!  We didn’t get a pass for SXSW official events, but there were so many shows going on, so many people to meet, so many free things to eat and see, we had plenty to do. Just to give you an idea of some of the shows we stumbled across while wandering around Austin: Rooney, Mr. Heavenly, Rye Rye, Foo Fighters, The Strokes…the list keeps going!

We got a proper Texan welcome right after arriving at the airport with some amazing steak!

Our first show we went to was Rye Rye!

Here’s a pic of Rye Rye performing at an event for Fast Company in a custom made NP Outfit!  The top features our new triangles design from our Summer 2011 line.

The leggings had neon yellow mesh triangles on the sides. (a lot of work making them but sooo worth it!)

Check out these glowing ice cubes in our free drinks. Score!

And here’s a pic of Rye Rye and me after her set.

Here’s a pic of the leggings while they were being sewn together.

 

This was an amusing sight we came across while we were chilling in the park.  Nothing like exercising with your pets!

This group reminded us a lot of Kraftwerk.  They were definitely German and very talented!

Also managed to stumble across Mr. Heavenly, the new band with Michael Cera of Arrested Development and Nick Diamonds of Islands, as well as guys from Man Man and Modest Mouse.  Let’s just say the girls were getting rowdy…

Here’s a pic of some Austin BBQ we had to gear up for some more shows! mmm meat…

And for some more hearthrobby goodness, we saw Rooney play an amazing show.

Here’s a pic of the lead singer Robert Schwartzman

And here’s a pic of myself with the bassist Brandon Schwartzel after I gave him NP shirts for the whole band. Nothing like some NP!

The last full day we were in Austin,  we swung by Rachel Ray’s Greenhouse (yes as in foodnetwork…) to hang with our friends from Andrew Charles, Hilfiger’s awesome new line which focuses on branding through musicians.  It officially debuts in fall 2011, so stay tuned!

We heard Alex Ebert perform with his new group, Alexander.  He’s also in Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, and Ima Robot.

We gave him a shirt after the show and got a pic!  He’s hiding but it’s him!

And in our most ambitious product placement schemes ever, we saw The Strokes play at Ladybird Lake Shore Stage in front of 30,000 people.  I arrived super early for the show, made sure to be towards the front, and kept pushing through till I was at the front and center. Didn’t get shirts to The Strokes though because of a 10 ft gap between the crowd and stage, crazy crowd, and overzealous security. But we ended up RUNNING INTO TWO OF THEM, FABRIZIO AND NIKOLAI, LEAVING A BAR at 2 in the morning that same night!!! SUCCESS!  Fabrizio was fighting with his girlfriend Binky (I liked him better with Drew!) but I gave Nikolai Fraiture the bassist a shirt! We didn’t manage to get a pic though, hopefully one turns up soon!

Our final meal of the trip before we went to the airport-Elevation Burger, the In n’Out esque chain of Austin!