Keep Austin awesome: A first-timer’s recollection of SXSW music

No matter how much time one spends preparing for the SXSW Conference & Festivals, it’s truly an overwhelming event. It’s imperative to budget time wisely, but it’s just as important to remain flexible and accept that long lines, last-minute showcase announcements and even more last-minute cancellations are simply the law of the land.

The spontaneity of SXSW is part of what makes it such an incredible experience, though, and why it’s become a popular destination for people from all walks of life. With so much going on around the city, initiative is paramount. If you take advantage of the experience, you can create unexpected moments as well as career connections that will remain long after the festival has run its course.

SXSW is all about discovery, and the more you push yourself outside of your comfort zone, the more you’ll gain from the experience. In the weeks leading up to the festival, I spent much of my time researching smaller artists that I planned to check out, yet I often found myself attending a showcase with zero background information on the person up on stage. Walking down the bustling 6th Street late at night, the air would be filled with an array of sounds from all genres, making it easy to pop into a bar to catch a few minutes of a local act sharing their story with visitors.

Such a seamless connection between city and festival made for a warm, welcoming atmosphere throughout the week. While stopping for a drink or grabbing a bite to eat between events, I was able to learn more about the city’s culture from bartenders and servers, deepening my appreciation for Austin as the days wore on. I had been somewhat worried about local residents being resistant to outsiders overrunning their routine for the week, but that was rarely the case, as many instead welcomed the opportunity to give visitors a glimpse into their way of life.

Perhaps the biggest downside to the festival was the sheer magnitude of it all, making it easy to overextend and run yourself dry as soon as festivities get underway. Events would take place from early in the morning until well after midnight, and after a few days of skipping meals and sleep to try and take in as much as humanly possible, the blistering pace can begin to take its toll. Once I learned to succumb to the marathon and force much-needed breaks into my schedule, though, things began to fall more neatly into place, making the events that I did attend more enjoyable and beneficial.

Above all, though, it’s a wonderful opportunity to meet new people, not only for professional networking purposes, but also to experience all that the festival has to offer with new companions who share common interests. While waiting for an artist to take the stage, it’s easy to bond with the person next to you over something as small as the food truck you stopped by a few hours prior, or as large as your fascination with the entire scope of SXSW.

With the majority of ticket options priced at over $1,000, it’s not necessarily the most cost effective spring break destination, although an abundance of free events make it worthwhile to stop by for a few days. So long as you enter with an open mind and a hunger for new experiences, you should leave with a wealth of fond memories, no matter your interests.

Why I’m smiling: Downtown Austin

Filled with organic culture and beautiful scenery, SXSW would be hard pressed to find a better location than the city of Austin, Tex. Vibrant murals enlivened the buildings and made traveling from venue to venue more enjoyable, as well as street performers who ensured that there was never a boring moment between events. The city itself has plenty of worthwhile sights and attractions outside of the festival, and made for an unbeatable combination when paired with everything SXSW had to offer.

Why I’m shaking my head: Fader Fort

In past years, Fader Fort has been perhaps the premiere unofficial showcase at SXSW, highlighted by appearances from the likes of Drake and SZA. This year, though, the three-day event featured little for fans to be excited about, making for a rather dull energy in the outdoor venue. Often it would take up to an hour to make it inside the gates, where music fans were  greeted with long drink lines and uninspiring performances from an underwhelming lineup. With the exception of a surprise Friday appearance from Rae Sremmurd, who also performed at their own showcase later in the evening, the Fort failed to live up to lofty expectations in 2018. 

Why I’m hopeful for the future: SXSW 2019

It’s never too early to dream, right?

Kenan Draughorne is a junior majoring in journalism. He is also the lifestyle editor of the Daily Trojan. His column, “To Pen a Butterfly,” typically runs Mondays.