This is the final year for the Illmore, the coolest unofficial South by Southwest after party you probably weren’t invited to. Since its inception in 2011 as a private house party (which may or may not have taken place in the rented-out home of an unsuspecting former Austin American-Statesman editor), the Illmore has been the hot spot for late night hip-hop during the South by Southwest Music festival. A collaboration between Scoremore Showsand illroots.com, the party has treated a select group of attendees to up close and personal concerts from the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Diplo, A$AP Rocky and Future.
Though specifics about the party are generally kept under wraps — the lineup remains secret til right before the shows — over the past few years thousands have clamored to get on the list. This year’s event is set to go down at Saengerrunde Hall and Scholz Garden on March 17-19. The venue is a German social center that’s over 130 years old and includes a beer garden, a dancehall and a bowling alley.
Making a break with South by Southwest week party tradition, organizers are offering paid ticketing to the event. “This year we are extending the opportunity to guarantee entry at SXSW’s most exclusive after-party for three nights in a row,” organizers said.
A limited number of three-day V.I.P. wristbands will be released for $99 a pop at an undisclosed date and time. Follow the Illmore’s social media accounts (@theillmore) for information on the sale. Organizers don’t offer specifics, but say the tickets will be a small-batch release and “will continue to increase in price as the event approaches.”