SXSW question

So for anyone has gone before,
If I can get one, is it worth trying to get a bracelet, or should I go for the badge?

…Or…

Is it possible to skip both those options amd get into shows by just paying individual covers and going to free daytime shows?

There's plenty of free stuff to do starting at noon every day, and many of the showcasing bands also do free events during the daytime. But it's virtually impossible to get in to most showcase venues by paying cover, unless you pick a club, get there when it opens, and stay the whole night. In recent years it's even difficult to club-hop if you have a badge, and for the more popular shows wristbands and some badges are often left waiting in vain. That said, you can usually find somewhere without a line, if you're open to seeing acts that aren't the hot buzz band. Gone are the days when you could hear 4 or 5 bands per time slot, there are just too many lines now, even for badge-holders.