Between everything going on in Miami and Austin, it is safe to say that las week, America was lit, fam. South By SouthWest is a technology and music conference that has definitely put Austin on the map over the last decade. With more dance music artists around town this year than ever before, it was hard to keep up with the wild amount of beats.
As this was my first year with this conference, it was almost overwhelming. With the amount of shows going on at any given second, it was hard to know where to put the time and get the most out of one hell of a week. But I quickly got my bearings, and made sure to stop by some of the best parties in Austin. While it may have been tough to decide who threw the best shows, we did our best to highlight some of the truly spectacular moments of SXSW 2016.
SXSW 2016 – March 15th:
For one of the first nights of the music portion of the conference, there was no better way to kick off the week than at the Jukely host. Hosted at Empire Garage, which saw a handful of other amazing concerts throughout the week, Jukely brought in some talent. While all the artists put on quite a show, Keys N Krates along with Break Science stole the night for those who had the stamina to stay as late as the show went. This showcase held an eclectic range of music and it all was just different enough to keep you on your toes and ready for the next act to play.
SXSW 2016 – March 16th:
Ultra Music has always been a leading name in the dance music world, so it is a no brainer that they brought out all the big guns for their SXSW showcase. We walked in just in time to hear Bearson drop his new single, “Want You“, and just hearing that made you know you were in the right place that night. Other acts like Chris Malinchak and Steve James did their magic on stage as well, all leading up to Louis the Child throwing down one of the meanest sets of the week. If you weren’t here at this show, you dropped the ball hard that night.
SXSW 2016 – March 17th:
While many people I ran into said that this was a lull in the week in terms of music, I couldn’t disagree more. Audiophile Records held a gnarly house show, and any night owls who staggered into New York New York that night beheld the magic of what happens when Virginia-based company, The Bassment , and Austin’s DEAF team up to throw one hell of a show. While this show was an unofficial showcase, these guys cut no corners by bringing in some of the best talent in bass music. They artists kept the walls rocking until 5am, and if was one of the rowdiest shows of the week. If you were one of the many who passed out early on the 17th, than you are the definition of “Snoozing and Loosing”. DEAF Productions and the Bassment sure know how to throw a party.
SXSW 2016 – March 18th:
By this late in the week, many of us were pretty exhausted. So on that note, there was no better way to unwind that hitting up one of the many day parties being held by Pitchfork. Held at Austin’s Barracuda, they brought in a wide range of acts that made an amazing afternoon that quickly turned into an amazing evening.
It is safe to say that SXSW 2016 was a success. With so many shows going on, many of them free or unofficial, it was hard to keep up with everything. Let us know if you were around at SXSW and we happened to miss some of your favorite shows throughout the week!