I was not surprised or shocked to hear that SXSW will be cutting back the music portion of its festival. I was lucky enough to perform there multiple times and be part of the Daytrotter.com crew, recording bands like Yo La Tengo, Peter Bjorn and John, and Joy Formidable during the festival. Between 2007 and 2011 arguably the height of its cultural and chaotic peak I made the annual pilgrimage to Austin a few times, and even back then, it was clear: something had to give.
Because here’s the truth: bands can’t live off exposure. You can’t pay rent with exposure, fill your gas tank with exposure, or book studio time with exposure. Like so many things in business, SXSW got too big for its own good. Thousands of artists were invited or begged to play in parking lots behind bike shops or cramped cafés with subpar sound systems and most weren’t paid a dime. Meanwhile, prices for hotels and parking soared. No place to stay? No money to make? Don’t worry Nike’s giving away free tacos to the first 250 people who show up to see The Strokes.
In the blog era of indie music, SXSW felt like a golden opportunity. You could perform in front of the gatekeepers the writers, bookers, and label heads shaping the future of music. Don't get me wrong. I loved sipping Tecate in the sunshine, watching hungry bands pour everything they had into their multiple sets they had that day mostly playing for other hungry bands. But a big party for exposure usually just got you hungover
Starting in 2026, the four day music focused portion of SXSW will be eliminated, folded into a shorter, streamlined version of the broader fest.
Photos:
Baby Faced Patrick with Ira from Yo La Tengo at a Daytrotter Recording Session.. at SXSW.
My bandmates David, Devin and I go to some corporate event with free food, and a photo booth.. It was some contest best facial hair of SXSW that sadly we showed up to late otherwise Dave would have WON for sure..
By Patrick Tape Fleming