If you love music, are involved in the industry, or are looking to get a firsthand look at operations, you need to add South By Southwest (SXSW) to your bucket list.
For ten days during the Spring the most influential executives, curators, and creators in the world convene in Texas for the industry leading event that is known as SXSW.
Composed of three sections – film, interactive, and music, – SXSW is a series of panels, discussions, and showcases providing insight into emerging trends while foreshadowing what is to blossom over the following year. The amount of knowledge radiating throughout the air is nearly tangible.
By itself, the music portion would still be one of the largest music related gatherings in existence.
With more than 2,200 official performers, 100 venues, and 50,000 registrants, SXSW Music is the forefront of the music industry.
With expanded electronic dance music offerings this year, every serious player made their presence known at SXSW. Dim Mak, Mad Decent, Vital Management, Monstercat, and PC Music were just a few of the labels that put on dedicated parties that allowed you to experience their talent in an intimate setting.
These weren’t your typical music venues either. In most cases local establishments, even houses, were rented out and completely redesigned.
Despite the amount of performances occurring throughout the week, the sheer volume of venues hosting specialized events meant that wherever you found yourself was not uncomfortably crowded.
Premium events were readily accessible, with brands getting involved to provide music lovers with unique experiences.
The Spotify House brought the hottest name of the weekend – Odesza – for an outdoor performance that echoed among the Austin skyline. Pandora set up their Discovery Den on an ancillary of the Colorado River where GRiZ and Gorgon City were among the live EDM performances that illuminated the night.
A few blocks South, the Monster Energy Outbreak House welcomed Hermitude and GTA where fans had yet another opportunity to discover what’s next. Mountain Dew got in on the action as well, throwing down with A-Trak as part of their Green Label live showcase.
An abundance of live music aside, some serious knowledge was dropped within the walls of the Austin Convention Center and surrounding hotels.
Beatport’s overhaul of a tiny urban home played host to discussions centered around the growth of EDM and the difference of electronic music culture.
Executives from the leading music media companies including AXS TV and Northstar Media Inc. discussed live streaming in The Future of Concerts on TV panel. The lingering question of ‘Do televised concerts work?’ was posed where the general consensus was ‘absolutely.’
For hundreds of thousands of viewers around the world, televised events might be the only way for most people to experience the event. This provides a snapshot of what bands, musicians, and producers are doing today. From a theatrical standpoint, televised events allow people to venture in anonymous and emerge with an outstanding sense of community.
The festival experience is what continues to reel in fans from all walks of life.
Founder of Governor’s Ball Music Festival Tom Russell and Festival Marketing Manager of C3 Presents (Responsible for Lollapalooza and CounterPoint) Lindsay Hoffman joined Small Batch America Founder Tom Monday and Producer Jay Sweet for further introspective dialogue. Labeled Craft Beer, Cabanas, & Concierge: Curating the New Festival Experience, the quartet shared their observations while curating some of the best festival experiences in the United States.
‘You can go to Bonnaroo, spend 4 hours not seeing a single live act, and still have your mind blown,’ declared Sweet.
This is due to the constant positioning and increased competition with the emergence of so many festivals. Whereas curating a lineup and erecting a stage could sell tickets in the past, now it is increasingly important to create efficiency for fans while establishing a unique identity as an event. Hoffman expressed the importance of leaving no detail overlooked.
If people are standing in line for a lobster roll, they’re going to miss out on a headliner that cost thousands of dollars to secure.
It’s observations such as these that ensure we get the most value for our dollar and maximize the festival experience.
On the opposite end of the equation, panels like 24/7 Fan Engagement in the 21st Century examined how artists like Pretty Lights create communities around their music through their authentic approach to interacting with fans.
After observing all aspects of what propels the industry, Snoop Dogg took the stage as the Keynote Speaker of the conference.
As one of the most influential musicians of our era, Snoop spoke to what has kept him relevant across two decades in the industry. Beginning as a rapper in Long Beach, California he has gone on to sell 30 million records worldwide while starring in numerous movies and television shows, founding his own production company, and being heavily involved with his charity – The Snoop Youth Football League.
Snoop shared that it comes down to simply being a person and realizing that everyone you interact with is a person as well. This humility, compassion, and wisdom have been central pillars in crafting his legacy that will continue with the release of his upcoming album Peaches N Cream.
The highlight of the speech came in sharing his first experience in Amsterdam with Willie Nelson.
After experimenting with numerous methods of consuming cultural delicacies, a trip was made to Kentucky Fried Chicken. While simultaneously reaching into the bucket containing their purchase, their hands landed upon the same piece of chicken.
‘Oh my bad,’ apologized Snoop. ‘That’s your piece of chicken.’
Drawing a roar of laughter from the thousands of attendees, this comical recollection concluded an hour of personal stories that illustrated what it takes to maintain a multi-faceted career in the music industry over a profound amount of time.
There are numerous reasons why SXSW draws thousands from throughout the world that were made quickly apparent over the week.
With so many options, each offering extensive value, it is easy to leave Austin with a sense of having missed out despite the knowledge accumulated.
