Bat Fest 2014 – 10th Anniversary

The Festival hours were from 4pm to midnight, with the bats coming out and the bands playing later in the early evening… so my husband and I chose to arrive around 7 pm — which was perfect! The Fest was still in full effect, the heat had diminished (warm, but not hot), and who in the hell wants to stay in one place for 8 full hours anyway?! Unless you’re bat sh*t crazy! I’m crazy for bats, but 103 — no thanks!
Reserved parking at TXDOT, easy entrance (no line), picked up the VIP package included 10^th anniversary Bat Ts (really cool)…and then strolled the SoCo bridge — entirely closed down. It was awesomely odd to be drinking, eating, and rocking on the roadway we’ve driven over so many times! It wasn’t until Blue October came on that I remembered we were on a bridge. Stage right, could see gals sitting on the rails, lots of frustrated people trying to force a path through the pack. Stayed for one song and we decided to deflect for less crowded areas.
Lots of fun booths. Various vendors with goodies to sell (dog treats, hats, etc.), food trucks (Heros Gyros, Chi’Lantro; huge line), and the usual fair food stalls present (e.g., funnel cake, corn dog, fried Snickers, tator-​twists, etc.). Beer and wine for sale — $ 6 for a 16 oz Bud — not too bad. A few people were sporting some «bat-​ness» — present company included, but not as many as I would have hoped. And, there was this really cool animated «Bat Bike» (see pic). More bat stuff please! I want Bat-​on-​a-​freaking stick next time! [OK, it can be chicken, but please give it a fun name]
Went down to the Austin Statesman lot to peruse more booths, consume more brews, and get ready for A Flock of Seagulls to come on. Managed to go backstage and chat with frontman Mike Score — REALLY nice guy! — snap a selfie, get an autograph (on my arm-​yeah, that’s gonna be there for a few days), enjoy a few comp beers and a vodka with the roadies, and get to use the VIP only A/​C restroom which was just fine.
Overall, a great night! Had tons of fun! Didn’t spend a million dollars like can be easily done at many fests. Got some rock star treatment without dropping an extra dime! Bat-​tastic! I’ll be bat… back…next year!

I usually avoid large gatherings of people, especially when it’s 103 degrees outside. But the fact that my «Favorite Band Ever» was playing the Fest convinced me to brave the temps and crowds. I bought myself a VIP ticket which included a meal, two drinks, front row access, and a t-​shirt. The best perk included was the reserved parking in the TDOT lot. Short walk with no hassle!
The festival itself seemed pretty well executed. Lots of stuff for kids, vendors, food, and good music. A few people even dressed in bat costumes. The prices were, of course, absurdly ridiculous. It was $ 10 for general admission and the food and drinks were waayyy expensive. A can of beer was $ 8, I think. Lemonade was $ 4. It can be expected at a fair type venue.
My meal was provided by Serrano’s. It was a horrific glop of mess. It was supposed to be my choice of tacos or a salad. I arrived well within the serving time, but the food was wilted and yucky. The cheerless server didn’t ask what I wanted, just plopped some melted looking salad into a paper bowl and handed it to me. The chicken on top was not even seasoned. The toppings offered were some runny salsa and grated cheese that had melted into blobs resembling huge bird poops. By the time I found a place to sit and eat, the runny stuff had started leaking out onto everything. Ewwww. I didn’t eat it.
I gave my drink tickets away, buy saved about $ 100 by getting all the free water I wanted. The portapotties in the VIP area were disgusting, as most are. Why can’t they put a light in there? At least you could see what you were dealing with.
The front row access made up for the heat and bad food. The concert with Blue October was so rockin’ that the bridge actually bounced and swayed! Made me wonder for a sec if the weight capacity was exceeded. Had a good time, but probably wouldn’t go again because of the heat. Maybe they could have it in March when the bats arrive?