You know you’ve done SXSW right when you come home with blisters, a sunburn, and a head cold. The five-day music festival in Austin, TX is a non-stop tidal wave of concerts, panels, and parties that pour out of every nook and cranny of the city. Music blasts from bike shops, churches, warehouses, street corners and beneath blooming acacia trees. Thousands of people from every corner of the globe come to play, listen to, and discover new music. The air smells like frying sausages and hot pizza. The sun bleaches everything pale gold. Everyone – and I mean everyone – is painted with tattoos. Your feet ache from walking miles across Austin in thick leather boots. Your hair is a mess and your clothes are dusty by evening, and you sleep maybe 5 hours a night if you’re lucky.

But you don’t mind.

SXSW is a feast for the senses and a herald into spring. The festival attracts a kaleidoscope of people – old people, young people, fiddle players, publicists, post-punk feminist rock stars, hippies (there are still hippies, right?), and lil’ ol’ me. I was at SXSW for work, but made time for some exploring, shows I’d been aching to see, and breakfast tacos every morning. It was 80 degrees every day – a vast improvement from the 40 degree weather in DC – and I wore skirts all week.

As  a general rule, you will never see and hear all of the music you want to. Inevitably, the showcases of two artists you want to see will overlap and you’ll make sacrifices – some you regret, and some that pay off. Before leaving for Austin, I made a gargantuan list of artists to check out in Austin, and although I saw about a dozen shows a day, I only made it through a mere quarter of that list.

You will stand in a lot of lines. Many times, you’re standing in line to get in another line to get into a hot show or buy a wristband into a showcase. Don’t make a schedule, because you won’t stick to it. Flexibility is god.

So now, the Big Question: Who was your favorite? Who was the best?

Stevie Nicks, hands-down. I didn’t see her show with David Grohl, but I sat in on her interview with NPR’s Ann Powers, and let me tell you – Stevie is a fairy queen of the highest order. She spoke with clarity and strength. She radiated power and magic.

The best part of the interview was this exchange:

Nicks: It was Pattie Boyd, [who] was [the sister of] Jenny Boyd, who was Mick’s wife. We met Stevie Winwood and all these really famous people. And I said to Chris, you know, we can never be treated like second class citizens here. So when we walk into the room, we have to walk in with a big attitude. Which does not mean a snotty conceited attitude. But it means like we have to float in like goddesses, because that is how we want to be treated. And we will never not be invited to the party, because we are women.

Powers: Good for you. All women out there listen to that.

Nicks: You know what, it works.

Powers: It’s still important. All men, listen to that about your female band mates.

Nicks: It worked. It always worked. So, our boys never went anywhere without us. And we were always invited to the party. But it was because we demanded that from the very beginning. ‘Cause you know, you can’t just, like, be a wimp and then a year and a half or two years later decide to not be a wimp anymore. Because people will always treat you like a wimp once they have decided that’s what you are. So you can never, ever be that. You have to be strong and tough and intelligent and smart and kind of plan out what you’re going to say and know who you are. So that people will get that right away. Because then they’re always going to be great to you. And they’re always going to treat you with respect. And that’s what you want, because then they listen to you. And then they listen to your songs. And then they give you a chance. Otherwise, you get nowhere.

Word, Stevie.

More from Austin is coming… stay tuned.