Review & recap by Christian Hernandez | View the SXSW 2026 photo gallery here

South by Southwest has been an Austin,TX staple since its debut in 1987, serving as one of the greatest gatherings of artists and talent. Whether you’re here to experience, network, or share a part of you, South by Southwest continues to be a valuable outlet. This year was my first time ever attending, which was a dream come true since middle school, and I had the opportunity to attend several opportunities and pop-ups within the SXSW Music Festival. Here, I got to experience new and upcoming artists, established ones, and made some new friends along the way. Come with me as I take you along through my weekend long expedition.

THURSDAY

The most nerve-wracking day is always the first one. Settling in, getting familiar with your home for the next few days. Lots to do and much more to learn. But I was ready. I’m a Type A person, meaning I do my research ahead of a trip and getting everything scheduled down to the minute. South by Southwest is vast, but you learn to go with it. Touching down in Austin Thursday afternoon, I came excited and eager to take in as much as I could. After settling down in my hotel, I made my way over the beautiful JW Marriot to pick up my badge. As I walked through the streets of downtown Austin, feeling the cold March breeze, I began seeing more and more people walking around with their SXSW lanyards. “Okay cool Music…another Music…ooo film! Oh man they got the Platinum badge…hey a Press one! Wait, does theirs say Artist?” All of this was running through my mind as I got into the lobby of the Marriott and headed over to the lanyard pick up. I got all checked in, and received my badge and lanyard (shoutout to the awesome young lady who helped me out, I am so sorry for all my questions). I was in awe, my lanyard said Press, and my badge had my photo that I uploaded weeks before (note to self, use a professional headshot next time, not a photo of you holding four blue Powerades). I felt very official.

I walked around the lobby for a while, meeting new people, asking them what they were most excited to see. I was surprised by how diverse the crowd was. I met people who flew in from other countries just to network! Everyday that I was walking the streets of Austin, I’d walk past people and for a moment hear their conversations and would be bewildered by all the different accents and languages I would encounter.

Around 8PM, I made my way over to Austin’s coveted 6th Street, a bustling street made of bars, clubs, venues, street vendors, and much more. It felt like its own world once I arrived. My first stop, Shangri-La, to catch The Animeros, a cumbia group based out in Austin, TX. They are a perfect blend of the sounds of Colombia, coastal Mexico, and the dustiness of West Texas. Many were gathered around the small stage, many more dancing. Young and old couples danced to the infectious music, some reliving their old party days, others making new memories.

Los Animeros / Photo by Christian Hernandez

I wrapped up and quickly booked it over to Stubb’s to catch a very anticipated performance by La Texana! Hailing from Mexico City, Mexico, Jose Ramirez brings music inspired by Spanish alternative rock and punk. It’s music you can’t help but bounce your leg to, bobbing your head to drums. He’s been one of my favorite discoveries of the past year, and I was enamored to see such a large crowd jumping from side to side during his set. The stage was beautiful, a large white curved backdrop, with intense lights flashing behind him, giving him a mysterious but inviting aura.

La Texana / Photo by Christian Hernandez

I looked down at my watch and realized I had fifteen minutes to make it over to Zilker Brewing to catch my next set, Grandmaster. Walking would take me at least 25 minutes, that is until I realized Austin has the coolest mode of transportation on every sidewalk…E-Scooters! I hopped on one, struggling to take the brake down, but once it was synced to my phone, it was go time. Man! These things go fast, or at least they feel fast. It turned my 25 minute commute to 10 minutes, weaving between the streets and crowds. As I arrived at Zilker's, I parked it, had help from a nice lady to put the brake back on, and made my way through the audience gathering for Zilker’s headliner.

Grandmaster has to be one of the coolest new bands I’ve come across. Okay, the story goes that there is an intergalactic traver of space and time known as The Grandmaster. He’s taken all he’s witnessed into a book called the Sacred Prophecy, and the band consists of The Grandmaster’s “Zealots”, performing his music. When they perform, they wear all black clothing, white gloves, red hats, and blocky black shades. The crowd was eating it all up when they took the stage. Also, they had a harp. A freaking harp! When’s the last time you went to a concert and someone played one?! People were grooving and getting down as they played through both of their LPs.

Grandmaster / Photo by Christian Hernandez

As funky of a time I was having, it was coming close to me packing up and heading over to my final set for the night. I’m starting to notice the pattern that I will be running around a lot this weekend. I hopped back on one of the e-scooters and headed over to Venue 6, to see Benny The Butcher and the BSF (Black Soprano Family).

BSF had already taken the stage earlier in the day, as their set was an entire showcase of the Black Soprano Family. Everyone in the collective was on stage, each member having a moment to perform a few of their songs. Around 11PM, you could tell the real fun was starting. They began freestyling, everyone taking turns on the mic to spit a few bars until the next member jumped in. At one point in the night, they began asking the crowd if anyone wanted to come up and freestyle. Many in the crowd were official Artists playing SXSW, and took this as an opportunity to put on another show. It was entertaining seeing these new artists taking a shot in front of an established label, made even more exciting when you could tell BSF was taking interest in some of them. Towards the end, it felt like one big jam session in the studio, and we all got to have a part in that.

FRIDAY

I got to take it slower this morning, waking up in time for the free breakfast at my hotel and planning to get familiar with SXSW’s layout during the day. I drove over to downtown, parked my car, and walked around the city, visiting the same blocks I went to last night. It was surreal how different it felt during the day, the vibes much calmer and relaxed, yet still bustling with so many other attendees making their rounds and getting another day started. I visited the brick and mortar merch stand near 6th street, taking a look and what I might be taking home with me.

Soon enough, noon rolled around and I began heading towards Coca Cola’s Sips and Sounds Music Festival near Auditorium Shores. I took the long walk over the S 1st Bridge, taking in the beautiful scenery around me. I checked in and took it all in. Auditorium Shores was a beautiful park and the perfect place to have a festival. The city skyline served as the backdrop for the main Coca Stage and the SXSW Stage. SXSW Stage had more up and coming acts, staying true to SXSW Music Festival bringing new artists for attendees to discover. At Day One of Coca Cola’s Sips and Sounds Music Festival, I got to catch new acts, including Skateland and The Two Lips, who graced the SXSW Stage, and established artists including Ravyn Lenae, Major Lazer Soundsystem, and the headlining Christina Aguilera, who were at the Coca-Cola stage. To see my full review on Sips and Sounds, click here!

Photo by Andrea Escobar Garcia for Coca-Cola Sips & Sounds Music Festival

As Chrstina Aguilera’s mesmerizing headlining performance came to an end, I started making my way back over S 1st St to catch some more acts that were a part of SXSW Music Festival. One of the perks of having a Music Badge was allowing a limited first-come first-serve tickets to THE STAGE at SXSW, which was presented by Billboard! Tonight’s act was Houston’s very own, Don Toliver, who was fresh off the release of his latest album, OCTANE, a very fun and addictive project. I had never seen him live on his, my only experiences being when Kali Uchis would bring him out on her own tours. Even in those brief moments that he shared the stage with her, the entire venue atmosphere changed. During her most recent stop in Houston, she brought him out and I don’t think I have ever heard a venue get as loud as Houston did. That’s just the energy that Toliver brings to the stage, and this was THE STAGE to do it at.

There was already a huge line forming to make it into the venue, but luckily the SXSW line wasn’t crazy. I made my way through security (had to leave behind my favorite water bottle), and planted myself atop of the hill areas. I knew the crowd was going to be nuts, so I decided to sit far back and up, that way I could take it all in. (You can read my full review of Don Toliver at THE STAGE by Billboard here.) Phew, I had forgotten how many hits he already has under his belt. The hype from the crowd was infectious, even from the top of the hill.

Photo by Charles Reagan for Coca-Cola Sips & Sounds Music Festival

Tired from all the jumping around I did at Toliver’s show and being outside all day at Sips and Sounds, I called it early (it was like 11PM, is that still early?), and checked in to my hotel to take a nice, long, hot shower and grub on my favorite Austin cheeseburger from P.Terry’s.

SATURDAY

My day once again started at Coca Cola’s Sips and Sounds Festival, as I got there a little later in the afternoon to catch 3 acts. My first was over by the Coca-Cola stage, Stephen Sanchez. I was not all too familiar with his work but I had seen clips of his concerts online and was amazed by the sheer stage presence he had with him, especially as a relatively new act. He donned a polka dot shirt, accompanied by a live band, each in their own tailored suits. It was a particularly hot day so I can imagine how hot they must have been. However, you would not have been able to tell as their set was electric, never once having a dull moment.

In between sets, I took another lap around the grounds, getting myself a hearty scoop of ice cream over at the Amy’s Ice Cream Truck, and trying the different new flavors of Coca-Cola that were being offered at one of their various stands. I took another pop into the Cinemark lounge for more complimentary popcorn and Coke Zero, and soon enough, Foster the People were gearing to take the Coca-Cola stage.

Admittedly, I did not know much of their work outside of the mega-hit that is “Pumped Up Kicks”, but I knew there was not a chance I would miss out on their set. I did not anticipate the sound that they would bring to the show. A rich blend of disco, tech, and pop took over the air at Auditorium Shores, as everyone around me, and I mean everyone around me was going word for word with the frontman Mark Foster.

I was deep in the crowd at this point as the set was closing, so I knew I needed to plant my feet firmly so as to not lose my spot for the headlining performance.

As I mentioned in my Sips and Sounds review, I grew up in the early 2010s, so I remember Calvin Harris dominating the radio and his set was like a trip down memory lane. Classic after classic, banger after banger. Every song received a loud uproar from the audience. He could have gone longer than an hour and he still would not have cleared out his immense bag. Yesterday was a party, this was a baptism. The entirety of Auditorium Shores was jumping in sync up and down to each song with every beat drop. Auditorium Shores was Austin’s hottest nightclub. His set was the perfect ending for a weekend of old and new music, but my night wasn’t yet over.

I hurried over into the city, as I had my next show over at ACL LIVE, which hosted Rolling Stone’s “Future of Music” program. The set was 3 days, each featuring a new artist that was on the come up. This was day 3 of the set, and tonight’s was BigXthaPlug. Hailing from Dallas, he’s been on the come up, with hits like “Texas” and “Mmhmm” taking the charts. I got to the venue as he was taking the stage, and you could feel the excitement in the air as the DJ kept teasing when the show was about to begin. Everyone there was lit, from the people up on the barricade, all the way to the top sections. As X began performing, you’d be hard pressed to find a fan who wasn’t going bar for bar with him. The set was nothing short of a blast, with X showing out why he’s the “Future of Music”.

BigXthaPlug / Photo by Christian Hernandez

At around 11:30 PM, I headed out as I had more shows to catch. Taking yet another green scooter back to 6th Street, I headed into the Palm Door to catch TTSSFU, a shoegaze and dream pop artist based in Manchester. They came on my radar after my good friend put them on a list for me of must see acts. Making my way inside, it was packed out, the crowd packed like sardine. The show had already been underway, as their dreamy guitar chords filled the room. Something about the live drums and guitars made it feel as though this venue was separate from the world, its own little space. It was beautiful to say the least.

Walking through 6th Street close to midnight is such a unique experience that I find it difficult to describe it. Much like the TTSSFU set, walking down the street felt like I was in a different dimension. As you pass by each club, you hear different kinds of music, different people’s conversations, dialects, clothing, etc. It’s a sort of melting pot of culture. Have you ever seen 3 dudes freestyling over a mic while someone unhoused does adlibs for them until it’s his turn to spit a few bars, all while another man is making gyros next to them? Well I have, and it was amazing.

I got a little lost but finally got to the last venue I’d be visiting for the night, the Hotel Vegas. There were so many different acts going on at once but I made my way through the crowd to the venue that was inside towards the back. I was met with the raw and psychedelic textures of The Dharma Chain, a Berlin-based band. I was immediately drawn into their sounds, as it was deeply layered, with so many moving parts, all cascading to fill the walls of Hotel Vegas. I quickly became a fan, and their record “Some Kind of Pure State” has been on deep rotation since.

By this point, it was already a little past 1 in the morning. I was tired, feet were hurting, shoulders tired from lugging around my camera, but there was one more set that I knew I would be kicking myself all the way back home if I missed it. Luckily, they were performing at the same venue.

As the three band members of the last band I was seeing started setting up, I could feel my heart racing, ready for the experience they were going to take us on. More people began filling the small room, promising a good crowd. A little while later, the band gave a thumbs up to the staff, and without an introduction, the show was underway.

YARD was another one of my friend’s must see acts for SXSW and were the ones I was most excited to experience live. YARD is an electropunk band from Dublin, bringing a whole new level of intensity to their shows, which left everyone at Hotel Vegas sweaty and pumped. It’s all very raw and real, as they mix and piece together the show live, with each of the three members having their own boards and putting together the sounds with their bare hands. It was loud, without limits, dirty, and human. Everyone there was head banging, hell we even got a mini moshpit going at the front. Leaving the show I felt baptized, as if I was never really alive until after experiencing them. I could not have been more happy that I stayed out to catch them.

Saturday was my last day of catching shows at SXSW. It could not have been a better time, especially as a first-timer. I got to experience so many new acts, meet a bunch of people from all over the world. Every day reminded me why SXSW became an Austin staple, and will continue to be so for years to come.

SXSW Music Festival 2026: A Little bit of Everything for Everyone

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

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