South By South West
Austin, Texas
March 17th – 19th 2017
Words & Photos by Bridget Craig
South by Southwest is by far the biggest festival I have ever attended. The fest has so much going on within the music festival and even more outside of it. There are four categories of festivals: film, interactive, music, and comedy. I tend to stay in the music festival, but this year I branched out into other events happening.
My SXSW week started at the end of the festival with only three days remaining. I made my best effort to hit as many shows as possible while still having fun. My festival experience started at the KGSR Live Morning Broadcasts. The event starts at 6am each day and features acoustic sets from up and coming acts. This morning I saw some of my favorites strip down their songs at the earliest show I’ve been to. The Japanese House, Maggie Rogers, and Lewis Watson were the highlights from the morning. I spent a lot of my time at the Pitchfork Day Parties where I saw artists such as Girlpool who I have been trying to see since last year’s SXSW and newer acts like Lizzo. My evening was spent in a church listening to Lewis Watson play his first ever SXSW showcase and first real set in Austin.
The rest of the weekend I spent walking past bars and venues discovering new acts and singing along with my favorite bands. Urban Outfitters holds one of my favorite events each year and featured artists such as D.R.A.M. and The Internet. Lana Del Rey announced a surprise last minute show at a very intimate venue and had fans lining up outside since its announcement. Spaces like Fader Fort and the YouTube Showcase had never-ending lines outside everyday. The dedication of fans at SXSW is unmatched and there is never a time where live music isn’t happening.
