My Biggest Regrets

Not chatting about new artists and the industry with Steve Lamacq “The Godfather” when I ran into him at Creek and the Cave.
Missing at least 4-5 unbelievable artists
Not networking with enough people and learning more

Biggest Artists I Missed

Mellt
Somebody Someone
Grace Sorenson
Quiet Light

My Biggest Tips

Focus on the artists and make it more accommodating for them.
Allow artists to play as many unofficial shows as they want and encourage more live shows during the daytime for attendees and artists.

Thirteenth year to what could be the end of a new beginning at one of my favorite weeks of the year: South by Southwest (SXSW).

The odds seems stacked against the 2025 SXSW festival—with surging prices, budget issues,
and a downsized line-up of 1,000 less bands than normal, including two of my favorites, Yuuf
and Elín Hall, who dropped out before the festival. And yet, I had the time of my life. It turned
out to be a much better than anticipated festival.

If you listened to a good chunk of the artists and did a little research, you could make a pretty
decent 5-day schedule. One of the best parts of SXSW is even if you’re not blown away by 25-30
artists, you can still see 3 of your top 10 artists 2-3 times. However you roll, I do a hybrid and
catch usually my top 5 to 7 artists twice and still see 100+ bands. I’m quick like a cat at all the
shows where if I’m not feeling the first song or two, I’m hopping on a Lime scooter faster than
Shazam!

I was blessed to have two venues very close for daytime parties. They had the deepest lineups
all day long at High Noon (Paste Magazine) and Lazarus Brewery (Music for Listeners). At night
time if you got a full slate you have to be ready to go all over the place but I would say
anywhere central by 7th and Red River is a good spot to be where your close to venues with
multiple stage like Palm Door on 6th Street, Swan Dive, Mohawk, and ot

Main tips for future SXSW attendees, listen to loads of bands, make a schedule (day/night), don’t drink until the night showcases so you can fly on the scooter to and from all the rad day parties mostly on E 6th. Network with loads of people, bands, label, film, everyone at the fest. Get a nice variety of venues with backyards, churches, and all the cool venues all over the city!

Let’s cut to the spectacular new artists at this year’s fest!

Below is a list of my top 20 Performances at SXSW

Surely Shirley @ Creek and the Cave (Aussie sweet hearts, Lake Street Dive meets the supremes get ready to dance!)
Delivery @ Lazarus (As crazy as king gizzard and had a stage invasion to end the night!)
Jazmin Martin @ Marlow (Sault meets Janelle Monoe)
Holy F**k @ Mohawk (Trippy Toronto Psychbeats, LCD)
Go Cactus @ Low Down Lounge (Spanish Ramones and Clash, Wild energy on stage!)
Lizzie Berchie @ Palm Door on 6th (British Embassy)
Los Juanos @ Lamberts
Personal Trainer @ Lazarus Brewery
Voxtrot @ Mohawk
Ellur @ Palm Door on 6th (British Embassy)
Billianne @ Paste Magazine Party (Biggest Surprise Artist At SXSW)
Hanorah @ Saxon Pub (Amy Winehouse potential)
Monobloc @ Paste Magazine Party (High Noon) (new Strokes sound)
Sophia Rogers @ Hotel Vegas (Lake Street Dive Potential, unreal vocals)
Band of Horses @ Stubbs (They still got it!)
Weird Blood @ Lazarus Brewery
Willie McGee Band @ Secret House Show
Makeout Reef @ 13th Floor
Pavey Ark @ Lazarus Brewery (E. 6th)
His His @ Swan Dive
Honarable Mentions – Pavari, Yndling, Dead Gowns, Cactus Lee, Radio Free Alice, The Vanns, Coldwave, Mall Girl, Yoshika Colwell