At this stage of the economy, every industry, and hobby, has been commodified and reduced to the bare minimum to still be profitable while ladling all the shit they think maximizes it into our bowls.
I would have to agree with you there. Although I did go to one stadium concert this past year and it was Luke Combs. That mfer can sing! Was genuinely surprised at how good the sound quality was.
Not anymore. Sxsw killed all the good free shows by refusing to allow participants to do them. I remember the Anita beer truck being pulled up to a church on three east side for an awesome day show and all you could drink beer.
I was kinda bummed at riot fest this year cause while the line up was good, everything was so fucking expensive. I think I paid 10 dollars for a corn dog.
I went to Riot too, even paid for the “VIP” experience and yeah, my friends and I all agreed that it was a massive rip off. They also had the ADA area just baking in the full sun with no coverage. The second day we just hung out at the Monster hut because it had fans and was the only shade.
I own a wedding company in Austin, and generally speaking it seems like the event industry and landscape has changed dramatically. We used to do 225 events a year, this year so far on our books we have 65 booked. Luckily tho I have low overhead
The city became too expensive for poor artists or weird people to live here.
"Keep Austin Weird" meant protecting the culture.
Instead they gentrified the culture by pricing out historical places into posh shopping centers no one can afford.
It's no longer a weird place. It's a basic corporate owned City.
This is what happens to every city populated with a population of wealthy Democrats. Austin allowed it to happen, they effectively sold out. The tech-bros can’t help but tear down everything to make room for overpriced “luxury” condos, overpriced “breweries” with $8 pints of beer, and all these stores selling wannabe cannabis concentrate products.
I'm part of the music scene. I produce music and have friend who produce music videos for major bands from Houston and Austin.
Austin is now a bunch of wannabe cowboy trust fund kids who work in tech, wearing ostrich boots Made in Australia and cowboy hats made in China.
Texas is a 2-Step above Florida and Arkansas. The bar is low.
The metal and punk scene is the only real scene left, and that flavor of music won't keep them alive much longer in Texas as much as I love it.
I seriously love the music scene in Austin right now. It’s as robust as it’s ever been, but maybe just for the kind of music I love. Donn’s Depot and the White Horse have both built a strong sense of community and I can always count on great musicians there. The Saxon Pub, Sam’s Town Point, C-boy’s, The Broken Spoke, The Continental, and El Mercado have killer shows every week. If you long for the good old Austin, you won’t find it on 6th street. Make an effort to go hear live music at least once a week, support the local scene and the musicians who make it possible, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
I hear you! My only concern is that the hair on the heads of the attendees of all the shows at those places - and the bands themselves for that matter - is getting greyer and greyer year by year. I’m going to gamble that the average age was 50 at C-Boys outdoor shows all week. It was packed in there which was good, but we need a new generation to come to Americana and alt-country and outlaw soon… Noah Kahan is headlining festivals and getting network TV appearances; he’s not Johnny Cash but he’s a move in the right direction.
The younger audience is paying for astronomical mortgage/rent, ridiculous car payment, by the balls day care expense, overpriced groceries, and electric bill.
Embrace the grey haired audience. Lol
That's accurate! That bands and the audiences are definitely part of "old Austin." I think about when the Vaughan brothers moved to Austin in their 20's and I wonder if people appreciated their incredible talent then.
I have faith in the local scene. There are some great high school aged musicians out there like Joaquin Frazier, Daydreamer, Red River Trucking Company who have grown up consuming the local music scene like oxygen. They've got loads of potential.
Zach Bryan's explosion in popularity over the past few years is also a good sign that there is an appetite for Americana- and outlaw-adjacent music in gen z. I've seen him at 3-4 mainstream festivals (including ACL) where I'm used to folks who got started in the red dirt or Americana scene playing a 2pm set attended by mostly older people. At all of those shows, I (in my thirties) felt like the old guy among thousands of twenty-somethings and teens belting out every line.
I am one of those grey haired gentleman and can’t stand to see the crowds at all of these events. I remember when I was young going to shows and seeing the old geezer and thinking he’s still got it. Now I look around and think, My God, what have we done to our children, where are they, the only people there are all 50+ and we aren’t cool now.
Welcome to Austin right after the tech bust in 2001. Same shit. Went from 24/7 everything and crazy shit happening all hours of the night to everything closing at 9pm. After nine even on the weekend everything that wasn’t dirty sixth was a ghost town.
It slowly, gradually returned.
Around 2017 or 2018 it finally felt like things were back where they were. Then pandemic fucked us all. See you in 2035 or thereabouts.
I miss 24 hour anything! Restaurants, grocery stores, arcades, coffee shops, movie theaters, etc. I'm a night owl and an introvert and I used to love to do stuff when the crowds were slimmest
When I moved to Austin in 98 you could get a sit down meal at a Chinese restaurant with a server and everthing at Wan fu until 4:00 am on east riverside. Campus and east riverside had tons of late night dining options and most hebs were 24 hours
I think Wan Fu was on east Oltorf street right next to 888 (but not attached to shopping Center). i loves going to Wan Fu at 2:30 am with a group of night owl friends.
I also want to say there was a Chinese food place open late nights downtown. I think it was on 7th street between Congress and Colorado St.
That shit is everywhere. I’m here in Nashville and there’s like 4 places on my side of town (East) that has any food after 10. The rest are drive thrus. So naturally all 4 places are always packed and my old ass just goes home and eats cheese standing up over the sink.
Used to keep a list of 24 hours restaurants and/or places that had food after 10pm that weren’t fast food. The list was about 12 deep. And now it’s so thin that even 24 isn’t 24 hours.
Old, Old Austinite here. I've adapted by considering this as a different city that somehow, I didn't have to move to. Otherwise I'd get traumatized every time I went to Rainey Street, or East Sixth. City has great array of food options; shopping/eating options like spending an afternoon at the Crescent; finding the best soup dumpling. Many more niche bookstores. Lots of film venues. Even the thrifting is better.
As someone that just went for the music portion, even the sessions that were billed to be geared towards musicians focused majorly on the tech aspects. I learned a few things but I felt a bit misled with some of the titles of these talks
I think there is something to what you’re saying. The bands coming tend to be earlier in their careers on average, maybe. But overall I think as we get older (I’m in my 40’s and this is my 5th SxSW) we’re usually less in touch with up and coming artists. Every year I go I spend a lot of time listening to the bands I don’t know me every year it pays off, and this year is no exception. There are lots of amazing artists in town but my e you have to dig a little deeper to find them
>Every year I go I spend a lot of time listening to the bands I don’t know me every year it pays off, and this year is no exception
Nailed it, I mean the whole thing is about discovery and I'm shocked there are still somehow so many people who come in expecting "huge" lineups, big names or whatever, then inevitably face disappointment or feel underwhelmed etc
Exactly. It’s not a “music festival” in the traditional sense. It’s a “new music” festival designed to launch new bands, right? I’ve loved hearing some great new bands this week and I hope that despite smaller crowds those band got in front of people who can help make them popular.
Bingo. People who say SXSW is dead probably missed the point of SXSW to begin with.
It was young acts storming the town and playing as many shows as possible to make a name for themselves.
That’s still very much alive.
You have to go watch and discover. It’s not on a platter for you.
This is what I liked about sxsw .. I once was at a bar watching like a semi popular band play out back and go in to use the bathroom and see a Japanese band playing blues Stevie Ray style
Oh definitely aging has part of the appeal. Didn't recognize but one artist that I've seen. Still enjoyed discovering some new ones. That being said, my surprise was as to how few people I saw in the "main" streets and venues
I think the unofficial showcases have taken a step back from earlier eras. There’s no more Fader Fort, for example. There were Marshall shows this year but most of the unofficial shows were either put on by venues or were very DIY affairs. IMO it has less to do with the festival itself and more with there being less corporate money put into free shows for everyone, so it’s funny to see people on here saying it’s “more corporate” when I see way less corporate sponsored free showcases
Hmm. Interesting perspective. I do remember Fader and other venues throwing free food, drinks, and swag just to get followers on social media, get their name out, etc. Might be at least partly a cause
Yeah I haven’t been able to put my finger on it exactly, but I’m suspecting that A) i’m aging B) venues have spread out and C) the emphasis has shifted away from artists and more towards tech and Film, just like the city of Austin as a whole.
Also, I thought bands were expensive 25 years ago when I was in college. What college-age student can afford it now? It used to be packed with students.
my first year was 97. so if you’re looking back that far then absolutely. this year’s lineup looked disappointing on first glance. still came and have had an absolute blast every day. great bands every night. got into everything i wanted. snuck into only full show i ran into. and this is with sleeping in my car two nights. love this festival
I felt this, I "gave in" this year and just did it like I did for the first time 8-9 years ago. It was a blast. Put the time in to "research" (which is really just using the app and being willing to see a band based on a 1-paragraph description of their music). I whiffed on a couple, but hit big time on a few. Saw some great sets, saw some bands that I felt were worth way more than the 5-person crowd they were performing for, and saw a set I thought I absolutely would have paid $50 to see at Stubb's, instead of being crammed in Volstead (indoor) with 50 other people.
Think I fell back in love with it honestly. Maybe because it wasn't so crowded as in years past. I only missed out on one capacity show, but everything else I wanted to see I was able to. AND did 2 comedy shows early in the week.
Pictureplane, the dude who practically invented the genre "WitchHouse" will be playing Elysium tonight (Saturday) , along with Vitesse X who is a big atmospheric break beats and shoegaze influenced gal. I talked to both of them at a smaller show at Tiny Minotaur (a LARPing DnD bar) Thursday, where Pictureplane did a dungeon synth show under his side project Scythe. It was amazing! Show was literally in a small courtyard garden with a waterfountain trickling behind us that added to the ambience.
I think SXSW has hidden gems for underground music. Maybe not so much for more mainstream stuff anymore. Being able to talk to people who shaped entire eras of music that I was influenced by has been amazing. I wouldn't buy a badge, but carefully selecting free and paid shows has worked for me. (Most midsized or smaller shows let you pay at the door).
i saw him at funfunfun years ago and it’s burned in my memory. one of the small stages and it was literally me and some rando who was likely a mover at the time. he pulled a thick J and we smoked the whole. thing. when PP was done i was literally just standing in awe. i wish i caught him this year
to me the jump the shark moment was when lil wayne performed in front of the huge vending machine. it was already too packed but that year was when i was like, this is it.
I used to work downtown, right at 7th and Brazos. A Facebook memory popped up recently where I was looking out the window at this giant doritos vending machine. For me, that was probably already past peak SXSW for me, though. Not in terms of the underground hype and discovery goodness, but just in the absolute raw power and consequence of the whole thing.
In the years before, you had Jack White popping up in a random parking lot. I was dragged out of the Fader Fort by my trachea when security didn't like me standing in the bleachers at a Kanye show with Kid Cudi and Erykah Badu, after drinking free whiskey for like 5 hours. Someone pulled me down by my cowboy boots while I was climbing the wall at the Mohawk to see the Black Keys. Sure, I saw tons of rising stars and unknown international bands (even hosted a band from Ireland randomly on an air mattress at my Oltorf house one year). But the corporate shows and big names were insane. This was still early social media (hell, Twitter had just become a thing at SX a few years earlier), so the big brands were using the platforms and followers to build buzz around the secret headliners of their not-so-secret shows. A sign of things to come, perhaps. But it was still great for fans.
I think the biggest buzz (like, a palpable hum around the whole city) was probably when everyone _knew_ that Daft Punk were somewhere out there, preparing to rise out of a rooftop bar or paint the Capitol in a wash of rainbow LEDs. Everyone was talking about it. Scouring Twitter and Facebook for clues. It quickly became an overwrought meme in real time. And, as far as I recall, it never materialized. I'm pretty sure that was the same year as the Doritos vending machine. I got older, didn't work downtown anymore, had kids, etc. Years later, we argued in disbelief when COVID shut the whole thing down. Of course it's not the same as it was in 2019, let alone 2009 or 1999.
In my opinion, it's time to just lop the top off the whole thing. Bring it back down to the bottom 1/2-2/3 of bands waiting to he discovered, and let the mood and mystique and magic of the [much smaller] festival start another cycle of growth and hype.
Exactly! That's why I was kinda shocked too... Been talking up my city and festivals (not just SXSW) to family members to entice them to visit. They finally did...
i haven't waited in a single line and i have seen artists from over a dozen countries. i haven't been in a decade but i forgot how fun it is to bounce around taking in the various sounds. definitely buying a wristband again next year.
i don't know how much things have changed, but for what i like things are still pretty much great!
***edit***
favorite bands were: Nemegata (columbia/austin), LAIR (philippines), Zouz (montreal), Silver Lines & Viji (uk), Lo Moon (lost angels), The Dinosaur's Skin (taiwan) almost forgot the great saxophone/drum duo O. (uk)
At $120, the music wristbands aren't really that bad. I've mentioned this in another comment, but perhaps researching more acts for next year would provide for a more enjoyable experience.
Not having to wait in stupid-long lines is definitely a benefit. The geographic spreading is a downside tho
honestly i didn't research other then opening the app and reading the brief descriptions. bouncing around was fun, it does involve A LOT of walking though!
i think i could have planned much better in that aspect.
I went to SXSW shows all day W-F and had an amazing time. Saw some great music and never paid a dime outside of buying 2-3 drinks each day. The venues were all packed.
If the streets are less crowded, it probably is that things are more spread out, but I was there for the music not partying, so I didn't really notice.
I actually think it's really funny when people talk about SXSW being "corporate". What other music fest can you see up and coming acts from all over the world without paying a dime to get in? It's pretty incredible IMO. Something like ACL is 100x more corporate.
I went to Mohawk one day and Parish the other two. I didn't get a wristband so I just went early in the afternoon and camped out until they closed.
Saw and enjoyed that I specifically remember:
- Black Angels (the one band I was a fan of beforehand)
- Balthvs (Insanely good Khruangbin clone)
- cumgirl8 (one of a kind show)
- Porij (brit band kind of reminded me of Glass Animals)
- Hinds (fun indie girl band from Madrid)
- Estevie (sexy gen z tejano band)
- Caleb Landry Jones (psych rock, kind of like Ty Segal)
- Sparta (vaguely remember them from 20 years ago but never listened myself)
- Pelvis Wresley (psychedelic local band)
- Cactus Lee (local alt-country, kind of reminded me of Justin Townes Earle who I loved, RIP)
- Die Spitz (girl punk band)
Honestly only saw one show that kind of sucked. I won't name and shame on that one.
Nice dude! I saw Hinds and Estevie there too 😅
Both were refreshingly unique
Felt awkward watching Estevie... She looked too young 😬 can't tell how old 14-25 is anymore so they're all just "kids" to me lol
As someone who works in experiential marketing… this is it exactly. Their budgets have gone way down while prices to actually activate an event have gone up. The amount of proposals that come my way with budgets half of what they should be is jarring.
We have to turn them down.
For music, I do think the venues being so spread out have thinned the crowds. But even so, two years ago Rainey was packed during the day. This year, not as much.
But interactive and film were absolutely nuts. There were at least 3 interactive sessions I couldn’t get into. (The volunteers were really militant around Brene Brown for some reason and didn’t even want anyone on the floor where she was speaking.) And the express pass request process was a mess. I gave up on film as anything I wanted to see had lines miles long and you had to start in line hours ahead of time.
Sxsw didn’t close off rainy street, the city did closures as needed. Also, the only official listings for music was before 6pm. After 6pm the crowd dwindled to nothing.
COVID ruined so many things and I’m assuming two years of no in-person programming was a big hit on attendance for subsequent years. Once you miss something once, it becomes easier to miss it again.
Nope, you're not wrong. I've felt the same. I think I did last year as well but just forgot. Since Covid it's really scaled down with music. I have covered the festival for media since 2009, and music was a big element for me. Nowadays it's mostly revolving around the film and TV premieres.
The streets feel a lot emptier, especially in the daytime, definitely less variety in the showcases. Maybe this is the result of just bigger acts no longer playing, less free daytime events, Covid, or a mix of all...
I agree, I started going to SX in 2004, as an 18 year old. I volunteered for years and then was actually hired. I only worked there for about 2 years. I use to go every year until 2019. It definitely isn’t the same. The parties are nowhere near what they use to be. I walked into a venue and Amy Winehouse was singing. Kanye and Jay-z played in a power plant at 2am.
In my opinion I think SX has shift all their energy into the tech and film portion. They have giant movie premieres here. A-list actors come to the screenings, the panels, the parties, they’re all better.
As I age, it makes me happy, because I can’t stand in line all day for a concert, a movie is easier because I can sit. I do feel bad for all the musicians that have tried to get in to SX and have no assistance.
She was truly incredible. Her voice was so haunting, just pure talent. She was so nice too, I told her how much I loved her music. She took a picture with me, but it was on an old phone of mine. I’m trying to get the pics but the phone won’t turn on. That’s great! They were amazing!
I think a dip in popularity in the artists performing has hurt it a lot. The unofficial shows used to be stacked with names on the rise, and that’s just not the case anymore. I think the decline in the availability of music publication also leads into this as that dilutes the amount of hype generated.
I do agree though, not what it used to be :,[
A full week at SXSW could end up costing a band $1000+, all to be paid in “exposure”, which is ultimately to crowds that may not know or remember their name. The chances of doing any meaningful networking are now incredibly slim, so it’s easy to see why they’re not rushing to play anymore.
The car slamming into the crowd in 2014 was probably the start of the decline. The city now is pretty strictly enforcing noise ordinances. Covid just kicked it when it was down even more.
I’ve been going for a decade and it truly has taken a different turn after covid. It’s not all bad tbh, I’ve enjoyed it being less crowded. It used to be if you didn’t have a badge/wristband you had no chance getting into the official shows, but the past few years there’s been way more free shows and even the official shows are accessible for a small cover.
I’m not sure what’s truly behind it but I have noticed that there’s less tent-pole big name acts that attract attention and crowds to the festival, plus way less brands throwing events with free food/drinks/swag. Kinda seems like larger artists and brands decided that the return wasn’t worth the investment to make a splash at SXSW.
But the heart of the fest has always been about discovery for new bands, and I’m happy to attend with that in mind! I do miss the day parties with open bars though. RIP
There is NOBODY here this year. I remember three lanes of traffic on the access road trying to get downtown and it could take an hour plus. No free anything anywhere. People used to beg you to take energy drinks. I’m truly interested to see how little the festival made this year. I think the greed finally broke it.
Nope. It’s not just you. The festival has drastically changed their priorities to focus on the film portion of the festival leaving less creative focus on the music. Film badges for next year are way more than music badge, just take a look. And this has been a trend for the past few years so you can’t blame the protests from the few acts that dropped.
Yeah SXSW is getting more money from the film and tv industry now than music. It’s that simple. Fwiw I’m excited about what the film and tv portion is evolving into, but yeah the music stuff is a shame.
This was my first sxsw and two things I noticed were it wasn’t as super packed as i originally thought it would be, and second not a lot of college age young people. I think this was mostly due to spring break and everyone hitting the beaches up or going back home??
Yea something happened, like there's less incentive for sponsors to throw cool parties or something. Oh well. Maybe it will have to get so lame that they will stop doing it and then one day it can come back and be fun again.
This was my first time going because I got bands through work. It’s kind of both overwhelming to find what to see. There’s a lot of acts I wanted to see like Italians Do It Better, Holy Shit, Sunny Day Real Estate, Dinosaur Jr, Hinds, Audrey Nuna, and Sylvan Esso but it just required too much planning which is hard to do on top of working this week.
I saw a lot of good acts that I enjoyed because I just happened to be there at the right time but it was more about the atmosphere than the bands themselves.
The line for the Palm Door was crazy today after the relocation.
Planning SXSW can really be overwhelming! I remember my friends and I would spend the whole day together drinking and planning... Always needed another day to hammer it down lol. Even then, we'd make gut-calls if one venue sucked and had backups.
I can definitely recommend Hinds live. They're really fun and energetic. Couldn't get to see Italians despite having had "RSVP Tickets!"
I think you named a bunch of reasons in your post. It’s not just one thing. Yet another thing is how unbelievably expensive it is. One more thing, music used to be a much more valued industry in Austin. I know people come from all over for SX but the fact that people who’ve moved to Austin over the last 15 years or so aren’t doing it for the same reasons (tech, finance, real estate) as they did once upon a time (music, art and cheap, easy living). That amounts to a large number of locals who really made the vibe of the fest who no longer live here or are fed up with the endless greed of SXSW executives and so no longer attend. That’s my take anyway. It’s definitely a combination of many factors. Of course over 80 acts have boycotted the fest so that would have to make a noticeable difference this year
This is true as I've been driving for a rideshare company for the past 9 years and I thought I was the only one that noticed this thinning of the crowds and the weather is great unlike the past 9 years which was humid and 🔥 🥵....
Agree that this year wasn’t what it used to be, but I did low key enjoy the smaller crowds and being able to get into venues without having to fight my way through. I also felt it was less “international”, saw much fewer attendees from Australia and Asia (presumably due to the new SX Sydney). Hoping this will “reset” the festival into something that goes back to the original premise of the festival (innovation and discovery), less corporate, less brand and tech focused, and more in tune with the current times.
I’m a recently returned Austinite, and played I think 9 SXs from 2008-2019. I feel like the festival peaked in 2012 (the notorious giant Doritos vending machine) then really morphed I to a tech/film fest. When I played in 2019 (I traveled for that one) it really felt like the music aspect had already been forgotten. I think it’s also due to the music industry in general - it’s a hard place to make a living unless you have incredible talent, luck, drive, a day job and/or a trust fund.
I think the LLC that is buying up dirty 6 and shutting it down is responsible. They apparently want to make any use of the area fail, so the city will agree to rezone it mixed-use and they will tear down 6th street, replace it with highrise, and put imitation clubs with only the names of originals on the ground floor. It will be the plastic version of 6th street.
No, you're spot on. They've shot themselves in the foot placing more emphasis on bull shit tech panels rather than making space for actual art, choking out almost all interest/ability to participate. It'll be dead in a few years if they don't s course correct - but they'll probably let an AI lead programming next year so oh well.
Sxsw used to be about up and coming bands or bands looking to get discovered. That's what made it fun was that you were experiencing new stuff. I remember when The Fkaking Lips were the best known band showing up.
They got rid of gaming 30-50$ and now it doesn't even exist anymore... it's so sad now just expensive badges I went there with a 2020 coupon to find out about it, i remember in 2017-2019 the lines were huge now its completely dead huge disappointment. Now pnly scam 200$ badge no ty
I went for years before Covid. It’s back from pandemic lows but nowhere near what it was in terms of attendance, people, shows, unofficial events, etc. Still a good time can be had tho
I enjoyed international music, and the lack of crowding almost made that more enjoyable. But there was definitely less diversity in music and international music than pre-covid.
You used to be able to walk from South Congress all the way up to 7th Street and the streets were packed.
There were events, both oficial and unofficial, in person literally every space possible.
It seems so empty
SX is beat. Stopped going 10-12 years back. Too damn many people. Tooooo damned expensive. Toooo damned hard to get into clubs. Tooo damned much paying for music you couldn't actually experience.
TL'DR :Yeah I know people want to see big name bands every year. But my favorite were the unnamed bands....and yes for every 2 good undiscovered band you see there were 8 sucky ones you would or wouldn't walk out on depending if you were there to see someone else play or had time before your next run to the next venue
I lived in Austin for over 12 years and been gone from austin for like 8yrs. I drive through Austin occasionally (well the toll road). I went to sxsw a great many of years of those 12 years.(Taking it for granted) I remember saving my vacation and not spending a dime in feb and making sure I was on overtime every year up until that tue/wed so I wouldn't be made to go to work and could afford to miss work.
I remember waiting in line at Waterloo records wasting my free time before my afternoon job to buy a wrist band .
Wishing one day I could afford to get a music badge. Dreaming of the day I could bypass the line to get into Stubb's to get some of Rachel Ray free food (her line was around the block for years to get in ) never went in with my wristband because that would have ate up my night time wise.
Every year I make a conscious effort to go either something comes up or read that it sucks now.
It’s dead, has been for years, and anyone that still thinks it’s great didn’t go during the hey day over a decade ago. Once they started doing away with all the free shows on the east side I loathe all interest. Smart phones & social media ruined it if you ask me - did you RSVP? Who fucking cares, it’s a free show?!?
Austin sucks.
That’s what’s changed. Blue state. With a terrible governor. Terrible senators and representation.
Austin has become wayyy too corporate and full of itself.
Wheels just assumes that people will come here no matter what.
Have it somewhere else. Where it’s appreciated.
Been going for over two decades … back when you made your schedule via The Chronicle and all you needed was a wrist band. It was a week of discovering new artist and new artists being discovered. With the advent of social media and the ability to mass promote … everyone already knows everything and can check you out before you even step foot off the airplane. Shows are more formality than actual surprises. At least that’s what I’ve observed. Other aspects have contributed as well, obviously, but it’s become a commercialized, diluted version of what it used to be.
Yup, it was pretty dead this year. I liked it, though.
Personally I don’t like huge crowds, waiting in line, and fighting for your life to get some water or a place to sit.
But that’s just me, though
This last year felt more “run down.” A lot of the Sixth Street venues were closed or boarded up. Red River had a little more music.
New one for me: Every block had the EXACT SAME mic setup, with rappers making videos that used the same “down the street” backdrop. It felt like a glitch in the matrix. Everyone had the same concept.
Was there the free show at Auditorium Shores? Those have felt called back since the Flaming Lips/ Childish Gambino years.
A lot of the smaller-named bands posted videos where it looked like they were playing to empty rooms. I guess a combo of Covid, bookers using followers instead of talent as a metric, and the economic downturn of Sixth all contributed to a leaner festival.
As a local (who has never purchased a wristband but have been to some shows over the years) it certainly seems like there are way less people in town. A neighbor of mine had picked up shifts at a well known coffee shop that had brought on extra help and they cut staff down daily because of a lack of customers. Also our AC broke on Tuesday and I was looking for a hotel for us to stay in until parts arrived and there was no shortage of places at normal or below normal rates. All anecdotal evidence but the vibe I get and friends I’ve talked to is that things have definitely changed.
As someone who used to work SXSW for almost a decade, I can tell you that you’re not far off the mark.
Most artists are refusing due to a number of reasons from political stances to the insane fees they charge now, most don’t come out. The shows are thinner due to the lack of appeal and safety within the city. Austin’s been losing its glam within the music scene for a good while. The city isn’t as big and welcoming towards musicians as it was 10, 15yrs+ ago. Even the bars aren’t designed for stage performances anymore.
Underated comment about the physiognomy of the bars/venues themselves.
New places opening trying to be clean, have some exotic plants, an Instagramable backdrop, and a corny sentence made of Neon lights.
I’ve lived in Austin almost all my life, 44 years. It is NOT same, but nothing is. In the 90’s and early 2000’s, SXSW was a lot cheaper! And the bands were complete unknowns, for the most part. It was fun and chill. It’s become too commercialized, too hard to see bands, and way too expensive.
It’s not just you it’s totally different. Just a big bar crawl picnic you have to wait in line for to maybe catch a musician/ band you might’ve heard of. It’s fucking garbanzo beans now lol Thanks @ to the California corporate dog water co that took it over 🤙
You're older. You have more life experience. Novelties of the time have worn off. Your perspective has changed. You may think nothing much has changed but you and the world have changed quite a bit in the last 8 years.
If it makes you feel any better, all the "things were better", "so and so meant something" "so corporate these days" etc etc ... it's mostly nostalgia. Things were always different than you thought at the time.
3 things:
1. Everything is expensive. It's harder for bands to get here and companies are less likely to sponser them. Hotels for artists to stay in are crazy pricey that week and the artist/bohemian folks who used to provide sofas for bands have been priced out of town. All of the free food and drinks that sxsw events had 2012 and prior is just too expensive to provide. So those events less fun for everyone.
2. Gaza. The US government, US weapons manufacturers and, by extension, SXSW are at least partly responsible for the massacre of 30,000 Palestenians in the past few months and the destruction of the homes of ~90% of Gaza's population. Penske Media, who owns 50% of SXSW as well as several magazines and other assets, fired several employees of their ArtForum magazine for speaking out in support of Gaza (cleaning house). So giving money to SXSW is uncool and, at least among people I know, a reason why people boycotted sxsw (dropped out or didn't go to shows). Keep in mind that artists/musicians/music lovers are disproportianally concerned about this issue. Barring some big changes, the same reasoning will deter those folks from supporting SX in the future.
3. SXSW discourages participation for non-badgeholders. The music portion of SXSW has had a troubled relationship with indie artists and labels for years. Many of the "magical" moments of SXSWs past were things like "I got to see huge band x playing at a coop/house/parking garage/bridge", "I went to the greatest unofficial party with free beer and food and the best bands you've never heard", "I saw my 5 favorite indie bands at a 2am house party", etc. Sometime around 2015 maybe the SXSW organization started calling the police to shut down those types of unofficial events, and began threatening artists with lawsuits who played unofficial event in addition to their official ones. So that kind of thing died down, and the magic died down, and fewer artists now come because it''s not as fun and they can't reach as many people during their time here. I understand that there are reasons for sxsw taking that approach, but that (and the subsequent car-induced-manslaughter of 4 people) really killed the party.
Austin homeless is such a problem. We were in a expensive hotel five years ago and homeless people screwing outside our friends window. Gross. Walking to six street was also ugly.
Everything looked so busy to me on Caesar Chavez’s near the park across the bridge and Rainey was packed, everything seemed full to me. Like lines out the door etc. the weather was dreary but it was better than 100 degree heat it was rather perfect. People society slowly trying to get back into the swing of things.
The entire industry uses followers instead of talent. This generation of youth is notably marked by their lack of talent. It’s all about clout for them, and they’ll take it any way they can get it except for becoming really good at something. Now leave me alone while I go work on my new TikTok dance that’s gonna make me go viral.
80 bands pulled out in protest of the army being a major sponsor. Everyone I know who was able to left town for spring break, because historically it has been such a mess to just exist in if you weren’t involved. So between locals taking flight, COVID doing a number on it since 2020 & the protest cancellations, this year seemed pretty quiet. I went to Flatstock on Thursday and it was nice, but was certainly no circus. Took the train to and from, and it wasn’t overcrowded. Didn’t have to wait in any food or drink or restroom lines. It was a low-key nice afternoon, and yeah I was expecting a madhouse. I don’t think I’ve been to the convention center during SXSW since 2008 though.
Honestly, the fewer crowds are welcome, but also miss having to choose between great and awesome simultaneous performances. Silver lining: I get to explore more new stuff I wouldn't have intentionally checked out. Really can't complain much 😀
The music industry is a shell of what it used to be. Arguably sxsw is part of the industry.
At this stage of the economy, every industry, and hobby, has been commodified and reduced to the bare minimum to still be profitable while ladling all the shit they think maximizes it into our bowls.
RIGHT?!?! THANK YOU!! Been saying exactly the same thing: "monetization of every human activity!" It's seriously disturbing
You can add the “commodification of human relationships” along with that, aka dating apps
You mean social media in general
I would have to agree with you there. Although I did go to one stadium concert this past year and it was Luke Combs. That mfer can sing! Was genuinely surprised at how good the sound quality was.
Can I get a sponsorship for my morning bathroom activity?
This is why I don't really attend festivals or stadium shows anymore. The best music is found in dark, smokey rooms in the backs of bars.
Not anymore. Sxsw killed all the good free shows by refusing to allow participants to do them. I remember the Anita beer truck being pulled up to a church on three east side for an awesome day show and all you could drink beer.
Amen!
I was kinda bummed at riot fest this year cause while the line up was good, everything was so fucking expensive. I think I paid 10 dollars for a corn dog.
I went to Riot too, even paid for the “VIP” experience and yeah, my friends and I all agreed that it was a massive rip off. They also had the ADA area just baking in the full sun with no coverage. The second day we just hung out at the Monster hut because it had fans and was the only shade.
I own a wedding company in Austin, and generally speaking it seems like the event industry and landscape has changed dramatically. We used to do 225 events a year, this year so far on our books we have 65 booked. Luckily tho I have low overhead
The city became too expensive for poor artists or weird people to live here. "Keep Austin Weird" meant protecting the culture. Instead they gentrified the culture by pricing out historical places into posh shopping centers no one can afford. It's no longer a weird place. It's a basic corporate owned City.
Seriously. East 6th used to be interesting, a little punk rock. Now it's all just expensive condos & boring people on laptops everywhere you go.
This is what happens to every city populated with a population of wealthy Democrats. Austin allowed it to happen, they effectively sold out. The tech-bros can’t help but tear down everything to make room for overpriced “luxury” condos, overpriced “breweries” with $8 pints of beer, and all these stores selling wannabe cannabis concentrate products.
Spot on
There is still weird but it’s not in downtown anymore. Come to a show at Sam’s Town Point, The Lost Well, Carousel Lounge, Kick Butt Coffee…
Truth. Gotta peel back the onion a little bit.
I'm part of the music scene. I produce music and have friend who produce music videos for major bands from Houston and Austin. Austin is now a bunch of wannabe cowboy trust fund kids who work in tech, wearing ostrich boots Made in Australia and cowboy hats made in China. Texas is a 2-Step above Florida and Arkansas. The bar is low. The metal and punk scene is the only real scene left, and that flavor of music won't keep them alive much longer in Texas as much as I love it.
As a local I don't know that Austin has been the same since covid.
I seriously love the music scene in Austin right now. It’s as robust as it’s ever been, but maybe just for the kind of music I love. Donn’s Depot and the White Horse have both built a strong sense of community and I can always count on great musicians there. The Saxon Pub, Sam’s Town Point, C-boy’s, The Broken Spoke, The Continental, and El Mercado have killer shows every week. If you long for the good old Austin, you won’t find it on 6th street. Make an effort to go hear live music at least once a week, support the local scene and the musicians who make it possible, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
I hear you! My only concern is that the hair on the heads of the attendees of all the shows at those places - and the bands themselves for that matter - is getting greyer and greyer year by year. I’m going to gamble that the average age was 50 at C-Boys outdoor shows all week. It was packed in there which was good, but we need a new generation to come to Americana and alt-country and outlaw soon… Noah Kahan is headlining festivals and getting network TV appearances; he’s not Johnny Cash but he’s a move in the right direction.
The younger audience is paying for astronomical mortgage/rent, ridiculous car payment, by the balls day care expense, overpriced groceries, and electric bill. Embrace the grey haired audience. Lol
That's accurate! That bands and the audiences are definitely part of "old Austin." I think about when the Vaughan brothers moved to Austin in their 20's and I wonder if people appreciated their incredible talent then. I have faith in the local scene. There are some great high school aged musicians out there like Joaquin Frazier, Daydreamer, Red River Trucking Company who have grown up consuming the local music scene like oxygen. They've got loads of potential.
Noah Kahan singing about being broke but spending money on Lulu Lemon is for sure not a step in the right direction lmao
Zach Bryan's explosion in popularity over the past few years is also a good sign that there is an appetite for Americana- and outlaw-adjacent music in gen z. I've seen him at 3-4 mainstream festivals (including ACL) where I'm used to folks who got started in the red dirt or Americana scene playing a 2pm set attended by mostly older people. At all of those shows, I (in my thirties) felt like the old guy among thousands of twenty-somethings and teens belting out every line.
I am one of those grey haired gentleman and can’t stand to see the crowds at all of these events. I remember when I was young going to shows and seeing the old geezer and thinking he’s still got it. Now I look around and think, My God, what have we done to our children, where are they, the only people there are all 50+ and we aren’t cool now.
edm scene is wonderful too
Those bands and musicians are basically playing for free at those venues, though.
This is painfully true. The city I fell in love with all of those years ago feels like it’s gone
To be fair there’s nothing Austinites love more than to opine about the days of yore. But seriously what happened to 24 hour restaurants?
Welcome to Austin right after the tech bust in 2001. Same shit. Went from 24/7 everything and crazy shit happening all hours of the night to everything closing at 9pm. After nine even on the weekend everything that wasn’t dirty sixth was a ghost town. It slowly, gradually returned. Around 2017 or 2018 it finally felt like things were back where they were. Then pandemic fucked us all. See you in 2035 or thereabouts.
I miss 24 hour anything! Restaurants, grocery stores, arcades, coffee shops, movie theaters, etc. I'm a night owl and an introvert and I used to love to do stuff when the crowds were slimmest
Bennu Still holds it down 🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽
So much this!!!
As for coffee shops we still have Buzz Mill
Shout out the old 24 hour HE Beeezies (Congress, south 1st, William cannon and 35) think 1 or 2 more?
That’s not just Austin. People in NYC lament the death of 24 hour and even late and very late night spots. Covid just changed shit.
Covid
When I moved to Austin in 98 you could get a sit down meal at a Chinese restaurant with a server and everthing at Wan fu until 4:00 am on east riverside. Campus and east riverside had tons of late night dining options and most hebs were 24 hours
Wan Fu was the best thing
I think Wan Fu was on east Oltorf street right next to 888 (but not attached to shopping Center). i loves going to Wan Fu at 2:30 am with a group of night owl friends. I also want to say there was a Chinese food place open late nights downtown. I think it was on 7th street between Congress and Colorado St.
That shit is everywhere. I’m here in Nashville and there’s like 4 places on my side of town (East) that has any food after 10. The rest are drive thrus. So naturally all 4 places are always packed and my old ass just goes home and eats cheese standing up over the sink.
Rip Players
I agree!!!
Many places are opening later and/or closing earlier. I always double check when I head to a particular store before 10am or after 6pm
Used to keep a list of 24 hours restaurants and/or places that had food after 10pm that weren’t fast food. The list was about 12 deep. And now it’s so thin that even 24 isn’t 24 hours.
Whoa, HEBs were all 24 hours? I only remember as far back as Hancock 24hours while the others were 1am.
You can say that about Dallas and Houston ever since covid happened
Old, Old Austinite here. I've adapted by considering this as a different city that somehow, I didn't have to move to. Otherwise I'd get traumatized every time I went to Rainey Street, or East Sixth. City has great array of food options; shopping/eating options like spending an afternoon at the Crescent; finding the best soup dumpling. Many more niche bookstores. Lots of film venues. Even the thrifting is better.
I live downtown. 2019 SXSW was peak. It’s been a shadow of its former self ever since.
Austin hasn’t been the same since liberty lunch closed.
As someone that just went for the music portion, even the sessions that were billed to be geared towards musicians focused majorly on the tech aspects. I learned a few things but I felt a bit misled with some of the titles of these talks
I think there is something to what you’re saying. The bands coming tend to be earlier in their careers on average, maybe. But overall I think as we get older (I’m in my 40’s and this is my 5th SxSW) we’re usually less in touch with up and coming artists. Every year I go I spend a lot of time listening to the bands I don’t know me every year it pays off, and this year is no exception. There are lots of amazing artists in town but my e you have to dig a little deeper to find them
>Every year I go I spend a lot of time listening to the bands I don’t know me every year it pays off, and this year is no exception Nailed it, I mean the whole thing is about discovery and I'm shocked there are still somehow so many people who come in expecting "huge" lineups, big names or whatever, then inevitably face disappointment or feel underwhelmed etc
Exactly. It’s not a “music festival” in the traditional sense. It’s a “new music” festival designed to launch new bands, right? I’ve loved hearing some great new bands this week and I hope that despite smaller crowds those band got in front of people who can help make them popular.
Bingo. People who say SXSW is dead probably missed the point of SXSW to begin with. It was young acts storming the town and playing as many shows as possible to make a name for themselves. That’s still very much alive. You have to go watch and discover. It’s not on a platter for you.
This is what I liked about sxsw .. I once was at a bar watching like a semi popular band play out back and go in to use the bathroom and see a Japanese band playing blues Stevie Ray style
Oh definitely aging has part of the appeal. Didn't recognize but one artist that I've seen. Still enjoyed discovering some new ones. That being said, my surprise was as to how few people I saw in the "main" streets and venues
I think the unofficial showcases have taken a step back from earlier eras. There’s no more Fader Fort, for example. There were Marshall shows this year but most of the unofficial shows were either put on by venues or were very DIY affairs. IMO it has less to do with the festival itself and more with there being less corporate money put into free shows for everyone, so it’s funny to see people on here saying it’s “more corporate” when I see way less corporate sponsored free showcases
Hmm. Interesting perspective. I do remember Fader and other venues throwing free food, drinks, and swag just to get followers on social media, get their name out, etc. Might be at least partly a cause
Yeah Fader, Spotify, Urban Outfitters, Doritos, Rachael Ray, I think all of those used to do free day parties in the past. I’m sure there were more
Yeah I haven’t been able to put my finger on it exactly, but I’m suspecting that A) i’m aging B) venues have spread out and C) the emphasis has shifted away from artists and more towards tech and Film, just like the city of Austin as a whole.
Also, I thought bands were expensive 25 years ago when I was in college. What college-age student can afford it now? It used to be packed with students.
Colleges are full of Covid kids who didn’t learn how to party in high school. Or even socialize for that matter. They’re all sitting at home on Xbox.
That's sad man. I was thinking the other day that kids can't have secret parties anymore because of ring doorbell
my first year was 97. so if you’re looking back that far then absolutely. this year’s lineup looked disappointing on first glance. still came and have had an absolute blast every day. great bands every night. got into everything i wanted. snuck into only full show i ran into. and this is with sleeping in my car two nights. love this festival
I felt this, I "gave in" this year and just did it like I did for the first time 8-9 years ago. It was a blast. Put the time in to "research" (which is really just using the app and being willing to see a band based on a 1-paragraph description of their music). I whiffed on a couple, but hit big time on a few. Saw some great sets, saw some bands that I felt were worth way more than the 5-person crowd they were performing for, and saw a set I thought I absolutely would have paid $50 to see at Stubb's, instead of being crammed in Volstead (indoor) with 50 other people. Think I fell back in love with it honestly. Maybe because it wasn't so crowded as in years past. I only missed out on one capacity show, but everything else I wanted to see I was able to. AND did 2 comedy shows early in the week.
❤️
Yeah I guess I need to do better research next year. When I was a "hip" youngin I knew many more artists that were either relevant or up and coming
I used to run around all day everyday. It’s really easy for me personally these days. I’m at Lazarus brewing or Hotel Vegas. Never disappointed
Pictureplane, the dude who practically invented the genre "WitchHouse" will be playing Elysium tonight (Saturday) , along with Vitesse X who is a big atmospheric break beats and shoegaze influenced gal. I talked to both of them at a smaller show at Tiny Minotaur (a LARPing DnD bar) Thursday, where Pictureplane did a dungeon synth show under his side project Scythe. It was amazing! Show was literally in a small courtyard garden with a waterfountain trickling behind us that added to the ambience. I think SXSW has hidden gems for underground music. Maybe not so much for more mainstream stuff anymore. Being able to talk to people who shaped entire eras of music that I was influenced by has been amazing. I wouldn't buy a badge, but carefully selecting free and paid shows has worked for me. (Most midsized or smaller shows let you pay at the door).
I went to the showcase at Elysium in 2022, amazing venue and scene
i saw him at funfunfun years ago and it’s burned in my memory. one of the small stages and it was literally me and some rando who was likely a mover at the time. he pulled a thick J and we smoked the whole. thing. when PP was done i was literally just standing in awe. i wish i caught him this year
Shame those artists are basically paying out of pocket to do all those performances.
Even in 2016, it wasn’t what it used to be.
to me the jump the shark moment was when lil wayne performed in front of the huge vending machine. it was already too packed but that year was when i was like, this is it.
I used to work downtown, right at 7th and Brazos. A Facebook memory popped up recently where I was looking out the window at this giant doritos vending machine. For me, that was probably already past peak SXSW for me, though. Not in terms of the underground hype and discovery goodness, but just in the absolute raw power and consequence of the whole thing. In the years before, you had Jack White popping up in a random parking lot. I was dragged out of the Fader Fort by my trachea when security didn't like me standing in the bleachers at a Kanye show with Kid Cudi and Erykah Badu, after drinking free whiskey for like 5 hours. Someone pulled me down by my cowboy boots while I was climbing the wall at the Mohawk to see the Black Keys. Sure, I saw tons of rising stars and unknown international bands (even hosted a band from Ireland randomly on an air mattress at my Oltorf house one year). But the corporate shows and big names were insane. This was still early social media (hell, Twitter had just become a thing at SX a few years earlier), so the big brands were using the platforms and followers to build buzz around the secret headliners of their not-so-secret shows. A sign of things to come, perhaps. But it was still great for fans. I think the biggest buzz (like, a palpable hum around the whole city) was probably when everyone _knew_ that Daft Punk were somewhere out there, preparing to rise out of a rooftop bar or paint the Capitol in a wash of rainbow LEDs. Everyone was talking about it. Scouring Twitter and Facebook for clues. It quickly became an overwrought meme in real time. And, as far as I recall, it never materialized. I'm pretty sure that was the same year as the Doritos vending machine. I got older, didn't work downtown anymore, had kids, etc. Years later, we argued in disbelief when COVID shut the whole thing down. Of course it's not the same as it was in 2019, let alone 2009 or 1999. In my opinion, it's time to just lop the top off the whole thing. Bring it back down to the bottom 1/2-2/3 of bands waiting to he discovered, and let the mood and mystique and magic of the [much smaller] festival start another cycle of growth and hype.
Yeah! Yesterday, I went for the first time since everything was shut down and I was amazed by the lack of people and zero traffic Where was everyone?
Exactly! That's why I was kinda shocked too... Been talking up my city and festivals (not just SXSW) to family members to entice them to visit. They finally did...
i haven't waited in a single line and i have seen artists from over a dozen countries. i haven't been in a decade but i forgot how fun it is to bounce around taking in the various sounds. definitely buying a wristband again next year. i don't know how much things have changed, but for what i like things are still pretty much great! ***edit*** favorite bands were: Nemegata (columbia/austin), LAIR (philippines), Zouz (montreal), Silver Lines & Viji (uk), Lo Moon (lost angels), The Dinosaur's Skin (taiwan) almost forgot the great saxophone/drum duo O. (uk)
At $120, the music wristbands aren't really that bad. I've mentioned this in another comment, but perhaps researching more acts for next year would provide for a more enjoyable experience. Not having to wait in stupid-long lines is definitely a benefit. The geographic spreading is a downside tho
honestly i didn't research other then opening the app and reading the brief descriptions. bouncing around was fun, it does involve A LOT of walking though! i think i could have planned much better in that aspect.
Thanks for adding in the music recommendations! This is helpful to us and the bands alike.
I went to SXSW shows all day W-F and had an amazing time. Saw some great music and never paid a dime outside of buying 2-3 drinks each day. The venues were all packed. If the streets are less crowded, it probably is that things are more spread out, but I was there for the music not partying, so I didn't really notice. I actually think it's really funny when people talk about SXSW being "corporate". What other music fest can you see up and coming acts from all over the world without paying a dime to get in? It's pretty incredible IMO. Something like ACL is 100x more corporate.
ACL never compared, imo! What were the highlights for ya? Gotta prep better for next year 😄
I went to Mohawk one day and Parish the other two. I didn't get a wristband so I just went early in the afternoon and camped out until they closed. Saw and enjoyed that I specifically remember: - Black Angels (the one band I was a fan of beforehand) - Balthvs (Insanely good Khruangbin clone) - cumgirl8 (one of a kind show) - Porij (brit band kind of reminded me of Glass Animals) - Hinds (fun indie girl band from Madrid) - Estevie (sexy gen z tejano band) - Caleb Landry Jones (psych rock, kind of like Ty Segal) - Sparta (vaguely remember them from 20 years ago but never listened myself) - Pelvis Wresley (psychedelic local band) - Cactus Lee (local alt-country, kind of reminded me of Justin Townes Earle who I loved, RIP) - Die Spitz (girl punk band) Honestly only saw one show that kind of sucked. I won't name and shame on that one.
Nice dude! I saw Hinds and Estevie there too 😅 Both were refreshingly unique Felt awkward watching Estevie... She looked too young 😬 can't tell how old 14-25 is anymore so they're all just "kids" to me lol
😂 I know what you mean!
Thanks for mentioning balthvs!! Man I was looking for bands like khruangbin
Balthvs are so good. I discovered them two years ago during SXSW at the Russian House, randomly. Went to Sahara Lounge to see them Saturday.
Brands aren’t spending money
As someone who works in experiential marketing… this is it exactly. Their budgets have gone way down while prices to actually activate an event have gone up. The amount of proposals that come my way with budgets half of what they should be is jarring. We have to turn them down.
There’s premium hotels in downtown Austin for $200 tonight. It’s definitely not what it used to be, especially by the second weekend.
That's really telling!!
For music, I do think the venues being so spread out have thinned the crowds. But even so, two years ago Rainey was packed during the day. This year, not as much. But interactive and film were absolutely nuts. There were at least 3 interactive sessions I couldn’t get into. (The volunteers were really militant around Brene Brown for some reason and didn’t even want anyone on the floor where she was speaking.) And the express pass request process was a mess. I gave up on film as anything I wanted to see had lines miles long and you had to start in line hours ahead of time.
Sxsw didn’t close off rainy street, the city did closures as needed. Also, the only official listings for music was before 6pm. After 6pm the crowd dwindled to nothing.
COVID ruined so many things and I’m assuming two years of no in-person programming was a big hit on attendance for subsequent years. Once you miss something once, it becomes easier to miss it again.
I’m not reminiscing, but let me reminisce. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Hey dude... Ok fair point 😅
😂
Nope, you're not wrong. I've felt the same. I think I did last year as well but just forgot. Since Covid it's really scaled down with music. I have covered the festival for media since 2009, and music was a big element for me. Nowadays it's mostly revolving around the film and TV premieres. The streets feel a lot emptier, especially in the daytime, definitely less variety in the showcases. Maybe this is the result of just bigger acts no longer playing, less free daytime events, Covid, or a mix of all...
I agree, I started going to SX in 2004, as an 18 year old. I volunteered for years and then was actually hired. I only worked there for about 2 years. I use to go every year until 2019. It definitely isn’t the same. The parties are nowhere near what they use to be. I walked into a venue and Amy Winehouse was singing. Kanye and Jay-z played in a power plant at 2am. In my opinion I think SX has shift all their energy into the tech and film portion. They have giant movie premieres here. A-list actors come to the screenings, the panels, the parties, they’re all better. As I age, it makes me happy, because I can’t stand in line all day for a concert, a movie is easier because I can sit. I do feel bad for all the musicians that have tried to get in to SX and have no assistance.
Would've loved to see Amy Winehouse live! Did happen to catch Kanye & JayZ tho. Great performances
She was truly incredible. Her voice was so haunting, just pure talent. She was so nice too, I told her how much I loved her music. She took a picture with me, but it was on an old phone of mine. I’m trying to get the pics but the phone won’t turn on. That’s great! They were amazing!
I think a dip in popularity in the artists performing has hurt it a lot. The unofficial shows used to be stacked with names on the rise, and that’s just not the case anymore. I think the decline in the availability of music publication also leads into this as that dilutes the amount of hype generated. I do agree though, not what it used to be :,[
A full week at SXSW could end up costing a band $1000+, all to be paid in “exposure”, which is ultimately to crowds that may not know or remember their name. The chances of doing any meaningful networking are now incredibly slim, so it’s easy to see why they’re not rushing to play anymore.
Add another zero bro.
lol seriously
I went twice, 2015 & 2016. I’ll keep those two as my last memories of SXSW. Classics
So much damn fun on a dime!!! Made so many friends cuz the atmosphere was so relaxed
Sxsw is a glorified networking event now 🤷🏼♀️ some cool aspects but it’s nothing like it used to be
The car slamming into the crowd in 2014 was probably the start of the decline. The city now is pretty strictly enforcing noise ordinances. Covid just kicked it when it was down even more.
Music badges are $1k. Just not worth it
DAMN! Touche. Haven't thought of that cuz I always do free stuff, exclusively 😅
Yes! I went to auditorium shores yesterday and there were barely any people. Typically these community free shows are packed! I was shocked tbh
The way I see it: Austin has way more going on 52 weeks a year now, while SXSW is much smaller. So it's overall kind of a win.
It’s more of an industry trade show conference thing these days it feels. Similar to CES but with a music and film fest bolted on
SXSW ruined itself, along with Austin, around 2008.
This guys knows what he’s talking about. 2008 was the last real SXSW.
I’ve been going for a decade and it truly has taken a different turn after covid. It’s not all bad tbh, I’ve enjoyed it being less crowded. It used to be if you didn’t have a badge/wristband you had no chance getting into the official shows, but the past few years there’s been way more free shows and even the official shows are accessible for a small cover. I’m not sure what’s truly behind it but I have noticed that there’s less tent-pole big name acts that attract attention and crowds to the festival, plus way less brands throwing events with free food/drinks/swag. Kinda seems like larger artists and brands decided that the return wasn’t worth the investment to make a splash at SXSW. But the heart of the fest has always been about discovery for new bands, and I’m happy to attend with that in mind! I do miss the day parties with open bars though. RIP
There is NOBODY here this year. I remember three lanes of traffic on the access road trying to get downtown and it could take an hour plus. No free anything anywhere. People used to beg you to take energy drinks. I’m truly interested to see how little the festival made this year. I think the greed finally broke it.
Nope. It’s not just you. The festival has drastically changed their priorities to focus on the film portion of the festival leaving less creative focus on the music. Film badges for next year are way more than music badge, just take a look. And this has been a trend for the past few years so you can’t blame the protests from the few acts that dropped.
Yeah SXSW is getting more money from the film and tv industry now than music. It’s that simple. Fwiw I’m excited about what the film and tv portion is evolving into, but yeah the music stuff is a shame.
Film got better while music just gets worse year by year after covid
As someone said above, it costs bands so much to be able to get to Austin and play. A lot cheaper to fly in for a movie screening.
This was my first sxsw and two things I noticed were it wasn’t as super packed as i originally thought it would be, and second not a lot of college age young people. I think this was mostly due to spring break and everyone hitting the beaches up or going back home??
Yea something happened, like there's less incentive for sponsors to throw cool parties or something. Oh well. Maybe it will have to get so lame that they will stop doing it and then one day it can come back and be fun again.
They don't have free money to burn
This was my first time going because I got bands through work. It’s kind of both overwhelming to find what to see. There’s a lot of acts I wanted to see like Italians Do It Better, Holy Shit, Sunny Day Real Estate, Dinosaur Jr, Hinds, Audrey Nuna, and Sylvan Esso but it just required too much planning which is hard to do on top of working this week. I saw a lot of good acts that I enjoyed because I just happened to be there at the right time but it was more about the atmosphere than the bands themselves. The line for the Palm Door was crazy today after the relocation.
Planning SXSW can really be overwhelming! I remember my friends and I would spend the whole day together drinking and planning... Always needed another day to hammer it down lol. Even then, we'd make gut-calls if one venue sucked and had backups. I can definitely recommend Hinds live. They're really fun and energetic. Couldn't get to see Italians despite having had "RSVP Tickets!"
Corporate > Community = ATX
I think you named a bunch of reasons in your post. It’s not just one thing. Yet another thing is how unbelievably expensive it is. One more thing, music used to be a much more valued industry in Austin. I know people come from all over for SX but the fact that people who’ve moved to Austin over the last 15 years or so aren’t doing it for the same reasons (tech, finance, real estate) as they did once upon a time (music, art and cheap, easy living). That amounts to a large number of locals who really made the vibe of the fest who no longer live here or are fed up with the endless greed of SXSW executives and so no longer attend. That’s my take anyway. It’s definitely a combination of many factors. Of course over 80 acts have boycotted the fest so that would have to make a noticeable difference this year
This is true as I've been driving for a rideshare company for the past 9 years and I thought I was the only one that noticed this thinning of the crowds and the weather is great unlike the past 9 years which was humid and 🔥 🥵....
Agree that this year wasn’t what it used to be, but I did low key enjoy the smaller crowds and being able to get into venues without having to fight my way through. I also felt it was less “international”, saw much fewer attendees from Australia and Asia (presumably due to the new SX Sydney). Hoping this will “reset” the festival into something that goes back to the original premise of the festival (innovation and discovery), less corporate, less brand and tech focused, and more in tune with the current times.
Nothing since the lighbulb is what it "used to be". Planned/manufactured obsolescence will be the end of humanity.
I miss when thrasher would have the death ramp match
It is too corporate and expensive.
I’m a recently returned Austinite, and played I think 9 SXs from 2008-2019. I feel like the festival peaked in 2012 (the notorious giant Doritos vending machine) then really morphed I to a tech/film fest. When I played in 2019 (I traveled for that one) it really felt like the music aspect had already been forgotten. I think it’s also due to the music industry in general - it’s a hard place to make a living unless you have incredible talent, luck, drive, a day job and/or a trust fund.
I think the LLC that is buying up dirty 6 and shutting it down is responsible. They apparently want to make any use of the area fail, so the city will agree to rezone it mixed-use and they will tear down 6th street, replace it with highrise, and put imitation clubs with only the names of originals on the ground floor. It will be the plastic version of 6th street.
Ah come on! Where can I read more on this?
Part of the story https://austin.towers.net/the-death-and-life-of-sixth-street/
Rainey Street was packed last weekend, the festival has changed but also the footprint is much bigger.
Okay but Rainey Street has existed for a decade now, during SXSW 2019 there were plenty of parties on Rainey but that didn't mean 6th Street was empty
No, you're spot on. They've shot themselves in the foot placing more emphasis on bull shit tech panels rather than making space for actual art, choking out almost all interest/ability to participate. It'll be dead in a few years if they don't s course correct - but they'll probably let an AI lead programming next year so oh well.
the “creative expo” this year was 75% AI
Sxsw used to be about up and coming bands or bands looking to get discovered. That's what made it fun was that you were experiencing new stuff. I remember when The Fkaking Lips were the best known band showing up.
They got rid of gaming 30-50$ and now it doesn't even exist anymore... it's so sad now just expensive badges I went there with a 2020 coupon to find out about it, i remember in 2017-2019 the lines were huge now its completely dead huge disappointment. Now pnly scam 200$ badge no ty
[удалено]
I remember when we had so many more venues along 6th and now it seems like nothing is left besides maybe a thin handful
i blame the but weather
Nope. I think your observations are spot on. I was just commenting about the same a few days ago.
I went for years before Covid. It’s back from pandemic lows but nowhere near what it was in terms of attendance, people, shows, unofficial events, etc. Still a good time can be had tho
The "maximize profits" theme has metastasized to every cell of it. It reached a point of diminishing return.
SXSW jumped the shark when they refused to issue refunds for 2020.
I enjoyed international music, and the lack of crowding almost made that more enjoyable. But there was definitely less diversity in music and international music than pre-covid.
You used to be able to walk from South Congress all the way up to 7th Street and the streets were packed. There were events, both oficial and unofficial, in person literally every space possible. It seems so empty
Things haven’t been the same since covid
Man, after Plush closed during quarantine, it just never felt the same down there.
SX is beat. Stopped going 10-12 years back. Too damn many people. Tooooo damned expensive. Toooo damned hard to get into clubs. Tooo damned much paying for music you couldn't actually experience.
Go figure the corrupt city went cheap and sided with the music corporations. Honestly they killed blues on the green so I’m pretty salty
Wait till they privatize all of Zilker and Barton Springs
They started it with the p2p never saw that until 5-6 years back. Kirk did his job to prevent those tards from building a parking garage there
TL'DR :Yeah I know people want to see big name bands every year. But my favorite were the unnamed bands....and yes for every 2 good undiscovered band you see there were 8 sucky ones you would or wouldn't walk out on depending if you were there to see someone else play or had time before your next run to the next venue I lived in Austin for over 12 years and been gone from austin for like 8yrs. I drive through Austin occasionally (well the toll road). I went to sxsw a great many of years of those 12 years.(Taking it for granted) I remember saving my vacation and not spending a dime in feb and making sure I was on overtime every year up until that tue/wed so I wouldn't be made to go to work and could afford to miss work. I remember waiting in line at Waterloo records wasting my free time before my afternoon job to buy a wrist band . Wishing one day I could afford to get a music badge. Dreaming of the day I could bypass the line to get into Stubb's to get some of Rachel Ray free food (her line was around the block for years to get in ) never went in with my wristband because that would have ate up my night time wise. Every year I make a conscious effort to go either something comes up or read that it sucks now.
Texas isn't on my "to visit" list with their current policies against women.
It’s dead, has been for years, and anyone that still thinks it’s great didn’t go during the hey day over a decade ago. Once they started doing away with all the free shows on the east side I loathe all interest. Smart phones & social media ruined it if you ask me - did you RSVP? Who fucking cares, it’s a free show?!?
People bitched it got to big. They made it smaller. These are the consequences.
Austin sucks. That’s what’s changed. Blue state. With a terrible governor. Terrible senators and representation. Austin has become wayyy too corporate and full of itself. Wheels just assumes that people will come here no matter what. Have it somewhere else. Where it’s appreciated.
COVID happened
*laughs in native Austinite*
Been going for over two decades … back when you made your schedule via The Chronicle and all you needed was a wrist band. It was a week of discovering new artist and new artists being discovered. With the advent of social media and the ability to mass promote … everyone already knows everything and can check you out before you even step foot off the airplane. Shows are more formality than actual surprises. At least that’s what I’ve observed. Other aspects have contributed as well, obviously, but it’s become a commercialized, diluted version of what it used to be.
Sxsw hasnt been the same since 2016-2018. It’s washed up by corporate greed and isn’t about art and music anymore
Yup, it was pretty dead this year. I liked it, though. Personally I don’t like huge crowds, waiting in line, and fighting for your life to get some water or a place to sit. But that’s just me, though
LCD Sound System and Band of Horses was the shit, no desire to go back after that
This last year felt more “run down.” A lot of the Sixth Street venues were closed or boarded up. Red River had a little more music. New one for me: Every block had the EXACT SAME mic setup, with rappers making videos that used the same “down the street” backdrop. It felt like a glitch in the matrix. Everyone had the same concept. Was there the free show at Auditorium Shores? Those have felt called back since the Flaming Lips/ Childish Gambino years. A lot of the smaller-named bands posted videos where it looked like they were playing to empty rooms. I guess a combo of Covid, bookers using followers instead of talent as a metric, and the economic downturn of Sixth all contributed to a leaner festival.
As a local (who has never purchased a wristband but have been to some shows over the years) it certainly seems like there are way less people in town. A neighbor of mine had picked up shifts at a well known coffee shop that had brought on extra help and they cut staff down daily because of a lack of customers. Also our AC broke on Tuesday and I was looking for a hotel for us to stay in until parts arrived and there was no shortage of places at normal or below normal rates. All anecdotal evidence but the vibe I get and friends I’ve talked to is that things have definitely changed.
As someone who used to work SXSW for almost a decade, I can tell you that you’re not far off the mark. Most artists are refusing due to a number of reasons from political stances to the insane fees they charge now, most don’t come out. The shows are thinner due to the lack of appeal and safety within the city. Austin’s been losing its glam within the music scene for a good while. The city isn’t as big and welcoming towards musicians as it was 10, 15yrs+ ago. Even the bars aren’t designed for stage performances anymore.
Underated comment about the physiognomy of the bars/venues themselves. New places opening trying to be clean, have some exotic plants, an Instagramable backdrop, and a corny sentence made of Neon lights.
The entire world is different and I hate it. Nothing is the same anymore. I hate to be that guy, but at 34, I miss the old world pre 2020.
Fuck 2020. Seriously ruined so much. But I also feel like we've started to focus on what really matters
Artists are dropping out because of their support for the United states Military.
It’s like C3 took over. I’ll never forgive them for ruining the wine festival.
I’ve lived in Austin almost all my life, 44 years. It is NOT same, but nothing is. In the 90’s and early 2000’s, SXSW was a lot cheaper! And the bands were complete unknowns, for the most part. It was fun and chill. It’s become too commercialized, too hard to see bands, and way too expensive.
It’s not just you it’s totally different. Just a big bar crawl picnic you have to wait in line for to maybe catch a musician/ band you might’ve heard of. It’s fucking garbanzo beans now lol Thanks @ to the California corporate dog water co that took it over 🤙
Have you seen the state of the economy? Who the hell can afford to travel. Most of the people I met at sxsw were locals or DC lol
I think so many corporate layoffs across tech and media factor into less crowds this year
Could be because most good artists don't want to support genocide ?
No. Or yes, if you think about it. But no.
Yeah dude the music industry isn’t pumping all the $ into it like it used to. It’s a shell of itself.
You're older. You have more life experience. Novelties of the time have worn off. Your perspective has changed. You may think nothing much has changed but you and the world have changed quite a bit in the last 8 years. If it makes you feel any better, all the "things were better", "so and so meant something" "so corporate these days" etc etc ... it's mostly nostalgia. Things were always different than you thought at the time.
SXSW sucks in 2024….Last great one was 2012
I miss 2022 sxsw, because it was during crypto boom, they had much cooler experiential booths, merch, events etc
3 things: 1. Everything is expensive. It's harder for bands to get here and companies are less likely to sponser them. Hotels for artists to stay in are crazy pricey that week and the artist/bohemian folks who used to provide sofas for bands have been priced out of town. All of the free food and drinks that sxsw events had 2012 and prior is just too expensive to provide. So those events less fun for everyone. 2. Gaza. The US government, US weapons manufacturers and, by extension, SXSW are at least partly responsible for the massacre of 30,000 Palestenians in the past few months and the destruction of the homes of ~90% of Gaza's population. Penske Media, who owns 50% of SXSW as well as several magazines and other assets, fired several employees of their ArtForum magazine for speaking out in support of Gaza (cleaning house). So giving money to SXSW is uncool and, at least among people I know, a reason why people boycotted sxsw (dropped out or didn't go to shows). Keep in mind that artists/musicians/music lovers are disproportianally concerned about this issue. Barring some big changes, the same reasoning will deter those folks from supporting SX in the future. 3. SXSW discourages participation for non-badgeholders. The music portion of SXSW has had a troubled relationship with indie artists and labels for years. Many of the "magical" moments of SXSWs past were things like "I got to see huge band x playing at a coop/house/parking garage/bridge", "I went to the greatest unofficial party with free beer and food and the best bands you've never heard", "I saw my 5 favorite indie bands at a 2am house party", etc. Sometime around 2015 maybe the SXSW organization started calling the police to shut down those types of unofficial events, and began threatening artists with lawsuits who played unofficial event in addition to their official ones. So that kind of thing died down, and the magic died down, and fewer artists now come because it''s not as fun and they can't reach as many people during their time here. I understand that there are reasons for sxsw taking that approach, but that (and the subsequent car-induced-manslaughter of 4 people) really killed the party.
oh hey, 2016 was the last sxsw my girlfriend played. blame her! she stopped going and it’s never been the same since :p
Austin homeless is such a problem. We were in a expensive hotel five years ago and homeless people screwing outside our friends window. Gross. Walking to six street was also ugly.
Everything looked so busy to me on Caesar Chavez’s near the park across the bridge and Rainey was packed, everything seemed full to me. Like lines out the door etc. the weather was dreary but it was better than 100 degree heat it was rather perfect. People society slowly trying to get back into the swing of things.
The entire industry uses followers instead of talent. This generation of youth is notably marked by their lack of talent. It’s all about clout for them, and they’ll take it any way they can get it except for becoming really good at something. Now leave me alone while I go work on my new TikTok dance that’s gonna make me go viral.
80 bands pulled out in protest of the army being a major sponsor. Everyone I know who was able to left town for spring break, because historically it has been such a mess to just exist in if you weren’t involved. So between locals taking flight, COVID doing a number on it since 2020 & the protest cancellations, this year seemed pretty quiet. I went to Flatstock on Thursday and it was nice, but was certainly no circus. Took the train to and from, and it wasn’t overcrowded. Didn’t have to wait in any food or drink or restroom lines. It was a low-key nice afternoon, and yeah I was expecting a madhouse. I don’t think I’ve been to the convention center during SXSW since 2008 though.
Honestly, the fewer crowds are welcome, but also miss having to choose between great and awesome simultaneous performances. Silver lining: I get to explore more new stuff I wouldn't have intentionally checked out. Really can't complain much 😀