RECAP: FLOOD bEAT in Austin, Texas

We’ve touched down! After threats of rain all week, our first day in Austin, Texas, had clear skies and hot temps. Broken up into two parts, bEAT was one part laidback panel brunch and one part bustling backyard party featuring a ton of our favorite Innovative Leisure DJs and one very special performance by BADBADNOTGOOD with surprise guest Ghostface Killah.

The morning at Weather Up started with cold drinks—a bloody mary and mimosa bar experience curated by Kristine Kittrell (Weather Up) and Rene Ortiz (Launderette/Fresa’s)—and a decadent breakfast. It was everything we wanted from our first meal in Austin and more. As guest munched on crab cakes, shrimp, and other delicious treats, industry professionals engaged in two very intriguing panel discussions about how to create a great company culture and what the future of great branded content is.

After the panel was cleared, it was time to get into the groove with special DJ performances and more. The Do-Over DJs (Haycock & Strong) kicked things off strong with old-school tracks and contemporary jams. Wooden Wisdom (Elijah Wood & Zach Cowie) followed with a vinyl-only DJ that featured an eclectic blend of international music and infectious beats. The legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff was the only person who could come on after and blow the tent’s roof off, and that he did. He spun mega-hits by Stevie Wonder and Kendrick Lamar among others to get the packed crowd to an elated frenzy. The stage was then set for the upbeat and intricate sounds of jazz quartet BADBADNOTGOOD. The group ran through a set of old tracks, unreleased new pieces, and more. As the sun was setting and the night was coming to a close, the Canadians parted the crowd for their very special guest Ghostface Killah. The Wu-Tang rapper, who released a collaboration album with BADBADNOTGOOD, performed some tracks off of 2015’s Super Soul before jumping into Wu-Tang classics “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” and “C.R.E.A.M..”

Special thanks to Haufe, Innovative Leisure, Serato Pyro, Do 512, The Do-Over, and adidas. Check out photos from the night below, and stay tuned for special coverage of this year’s FLOODFest SXSW.