| EVENT REPORT 03.23.09 3:46 PM |
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| Fort Nights |
| Levi's and The Fader returned to Austin last week with the newest incarnation of their pop-up concert venue and consumer playground, the Levi's/Fader Fort. |
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FROM AUSTIN, TEXAS There was no finer example of South by Southwest’s knack for remaining seemingly recession-proof this year than the Levi’s/Fader Fort. A cross between a heavily sponsored Woodstock and a post-apocalyptic hipster commune, the joint venture between the denim maker and the magazine earned some of the festival’s biggest buzz, due to its elaborate setup and poorly guarded secret cameo by Kanye West.
Organized by The Fader marketing division Cornerstone Promotion—and produced by Lacy Maxwell Productions—the fort took over an entire field, sandwiched between a warehouse and defunct railroad tracks. Sheets of old metal and plywood haphazardly erected around the perimeter kept details of the playground secret from the long lines waiting for free admission, letting only the sound of artists like Little Boots, Peter Bjorn & John, and Jadakiss slip through the cracks. |
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PHOTO GALLERY |
 | The entire perimeter of the Levi's/Fader Fort was lined with sheets of old metal, plywood, and subtle (and not-so-subtle) branding for Levi's.
Photo: Benjamin Sklar for BizBash |
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 | Several installations, including a bike made out of old stereo equipment, mimicked the images from the fort's invitation, which went out just a week before SXSW.
Photo: Benjamin Sklar for BizBash |
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 | Entry to the fort wasn't as easy as walking through the massive archway; guests had to respond online the week before the festival and then line up for wristbands.
Photo: Benjamin Sklar for BizBash |
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 | As the fort's main sponsor, Levi's set up a pop-up shop for new and customized denim that guests had to pass through as they entered.
Photo: Benjamin Sklar for BizBash |
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 | Artists were on site, making silkscreens of custom posters for guests looking for souvenirs.
Photo: Benjamin Sklar for BizBash |
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 | Using primarily industrial materials in the decor, piping fashioned into the letters B-A-R hung from a tree near one of the fort's watering holes.
Photo: Benjamin Sklar for BizBash |
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 | Levi's jeans makers worked in a room beside the pop-up shop to fashion customized styles.
Photo: Benjamin Sklar for BizBash |
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 | The fort included plenty of old neon signs, which lit up in the evening during the last of the day's performances.
Photo: Benjamin Sklar for BizBash |
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 | Producers used an old garage for a blogger lounge, topping the building with additional signage.
Photo: Benjamin Sklar for BizBash |
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 | Media and performers escaped from the fort's crowd in a fenced pavilion behind the stage.
Photo: Benjamin Sklar for BizBash |
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The fort kept its doors open for all four days of the music portion of the festival, and guests passed time between sets drinking free Budweiser, shopping in the pop-up stores from Ray Ban and Levi’s, and interacting with the many installations, like a giant couch-shaped swing made from old tires. Attendees looking to get out of their dirty clothes were even encouraged to strip down and take advantage of a complimentary laundromat.
—Michael O'Connell
RELATED TOPICS
Levi's, The Fader, Ray-Ban, South by Southwest
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