SXSW: WHERE YOUR PASSION FOR MUSIC COMES TO LIFE

SXSW: WHERE YOUR PASSION FOR MUSIC COMES TO LIFE

SXSW had another amazing year with music, showcases and events. The multi- genre showcase, conference, and festival took place for 7 full days in Austin, TX from Monday, March 13th through Sunday, March 19th. Shows were held all throughout downtown Austin, near the Convention Center, 6th Street, Rainey Street, and the surrounding areas of Greater Austin.

The festival included showcases open to the public, RSVP, and exclusive parties for badges and wristbands. Whether you were going with a badge, wristband, or free-for all, there is tons to do and something for everybody.

Make sure you sign up for RSVPs ahead of time, and if there is an artist you really want to see, make sure you get there early!

For RSVP, there are several locations, events and websites to find them.

You can use websites such as https://unofficialsxguide.com/ to find multiple RSVPs in one place!

I attended SXSW this year from Wednesday night to Friday night and have included some of my favorite places, artists, and showcases! Check them out below:

“Get Buzzzed” hosted by Beautiful Buzzz:

This 4-day showcase was held between March 15th through March 18th at the Brew Exchange and had artists including Cazzette, Sweater Beats, San Holo, Coyote Kisses, PLS&TY, Goldroom and so many more.  http://beautifulbuzzz.com/get-buzzzed-2017/ I loved how intimate the performances at this venue felt. There was stages set up on both ends of the venue, which made the turnover from each artist performing fast and smooth. The lineup, venue, and sound set the perfect vibe for this event.

One my favorite acts from this venue included a live performance by Josh Jacobson, where he played piano and sang with KJ Sawka from Pendulum on the drums. His music was soothing to the soul and put the crowd in a feeling of bliss.

Another favorite was JR Nelson. His mixing style was smooth and he left me asking, “What song is this? I love it,” with pretty much all of the tracks he incorporated in his set. His music is chill with great drums, sample selection, and beautiful vocals.

Anonymous hosted by FAST FWD and After Dark Management

This showcase was completely anonymous so no one knew who was on the lineup or who may show up to play. Kandy, Pixel Terror, and KJ Sawka had a super hype b2b set dropping banger after banger. Josh Jacobson played a DJ set and set some serious vibes. PRXSM stole our hearts with Emma’s amazing vocals and Nick’s instrumentals. This was their first time at SXSW and they killed it! Other artists who played include Jincoo, Prince Fox, Blvk Sheep Music, SFam, Ktrlyourmind, BARE, and more. The turnout was insane! This was just the beginning of the Anonymous shows. Follow @FastFwdLive and @AfterDarkArtist to find out about clues to who is playing and for upcoming Anonymous shows in the future.

Monster Energy Outbreak House at SXSW 2017

For the Thursday night Showcase, Monster partnered with Chill Nation to bring in artists including Sweater Beats, Said The Sky, Manila Killa, Coyote Kisses and Ekali. Said The Sky had so much passion and love in his set. His music really does make you feel like you’re floating on clouds. Manilla Killa’s set was vibey and super sexy. You never know what he will drop next, but expect a few throwbacks mixed in.

Friday night at the Monster Outbreak House, Monster brought in artists with Trap Nation! Whethan had an absolutely insane set. His style is a mix of vibes, future bass and hype. He’s a newcomer who is making his mark fast, and someone you shouldn’t sleep on.

San Holo played right after Whethan. His sets just make you feel good. All the warm and happy tingles electrified through my body came out as soon as he his opening track blasted through the speakers. San Holo is not only an extremely talented producer and performer, but also runs an amazing record label called “bitbird” where he’s constantly looking for unique music to release. Check out his label for that unique freshness.

Pandora at SXSW

This 4-day event was held March 13th – 16th at the Gatsby on E. 6th Street. For this event, be sure to pick up your wristband between 12pm and 6pm on any day the event is taking place. You also need to confirm your RSVP online. When you check in, you will get a wristband and two drink tickets! The music at this venue was outside with artists including FRENSHIP, Future Islands, Lo Moon, JAIN and many more! The lineup was very diverse, and had a lot of great up-and-coming artists and talent. This was a great place to discover something new and find your new favorite band or artist.

Mazda

MAZDA! MAZDA! MAZDA!
Mazda was the official SXSW Automotive Sponsor and they did an excellent job the whole time I was present. They had a ride service called the “Mazda Express” where you could sign up online and enjoy complimentary rides around SXSW. They also had the “Mazda Lounge” set up at the Convention Center with courtesy smartphone-charging stations which a lot of people took advantage of. They also had their third-year of music at SXSW at the Mazda Studio at Empire held from Monday, March 13th – Friday, March 17th. They had artists performing throughout the day with a 12pm – 5pm showcase, and back in the evening to early morning from 7pm – 2am. Some of the artists performing included Saba, JOJO, Swift, Kent Jones, Diet Cig and Nick Grant. With a wide variety of genres, there was something for everyone.

Prime x Nakid Magazine Party – Just know when these two throw a party, things will get crazy! Prime had a showcase at Barcelona during the day where you picked up your wristband for the secret party Nakid x Prime Party that that night. Events with these guys are always full of surprises!

Clearport

I randomly stumbled upon this venue when I was walking through the streets of 6th. Kaiydo was performing. I heard him from the streets and had to pop in and see what it was all about. He put on an amazing hip-hop performance. This venue had a lot of insanely surprising acts. Definitely one to keep an eye on for next year!

Right next to the amazing food trucks – it can’t get much better. With tons of amazing options for grub (and a quick break for my sore feet), the music seemed next level. I literally felt like I was in Heaven on Earth.

Themostwntd performed and put on a vibey set with tons of unreleased ID’s and amazing vocals on his tracks. He also had an MC on stage with him who he just met the night before! One of the awesome things about SXSW is that it is all about the music. Artists meet, party, connect, and perform together b2b. You honestly never know who may show up, and at the most random and diverse locations.

Downtown Records

More artist highlights

Midlands- This Texas trio Midland delivered stellar performances bringing their new brand of traditional Country music to their hometown of Austin.

Midland performed at the Apple Music House Friday afternoon

Pictured (L-R): Jess Carson, Mark Wystrach and Cameron Duddy Photo Courtesy of Apple Music

Emily Estefan- With a combination of  jazz, neo-soul and funk soundscape, Emily is an incredibly talented and versatile musician.

One of the most exciting things about SXSW is that you never know whom you will discover. With music going on constantly at tons of venues all over 6th Street and around the Convention Center, the possibilities are truly endless. SXSW, besides being the epicenter of music, arts, technology, and culture is simply an amazing adventure on its own, where finding little hidden treasures of new music, people, and cool venues is a V.I.P. event itself. The organizations putting on the shows put in so much effort into sharing diverse new talent and an providing a great experience for the people attending. It truly is a magical place where the passion for music comes to life.

Here’s to another amazing year and great experience at SXSW!

FestPop Staff Writer, Suzy Ledford Soundcloud: @SoulxSundress Questions / Contact: [email protected]