Venue-hopping is an art form that music freaks thoroughly enjoy and while South By Southwest is known to cater to it, this year’s events literally beat it to death. By Friday, every location possible was flooded with human beings. Some were on their phone, some were staring into space, and some were even holding conversations (in the pit) – blocking reality to analyze their least favourite Instagram filter (true story). All of the above found a way to raid shows throughout the week and it was a sorry sight to see “fans” not know the words to “Grindin” or solely attend a showcase to hear one song and one song only (“Airplanes”). Our staff did their best to counter these hooligans and they succeeded, wilin’ out with true followers at a few day jams before splitting up to take in Mass Appeal’s SXSW Party and Pitchfork’s jamboree at Central Presbyterian Church. Lines were in full effect but Friday’s highlights included FLYING LOTUS, NAS, SCHOOLBOY Q, CLOUD NOTHINGS, REAL ESTATE, BISHOP NEHRU, FOREST SWORDS, and ANGEL OLSEN.
For more photos (via Sean Wilkin + Julia Marcello) and other must-read interviews, make sure to check out BLARE’s SXSW section. You’ll dig it.
QUE at THE COMPLEX HOUSE
MIKE WiLL + RAE SREMMURD at THE COMPLEX HOUSE
FUTURE at STUBB’S BBQ
VINCE STAPLES at THE COMPLEX HOUSE
AGAINST ME! at STUBB’S BBQ
CLOUD NOTHINGS at STUBB’S BBQ
SCHOOLBOY Q at STUBB’S BBQ
MARK KOZELEK at CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BoB at AUSTIN MUSIC HALL
BISHOP NEHRU at AUSTIN MUSIC HALL
A$AP MOB at AUSTIN MUSIC HALL
FOREST SWORDS at CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
REAL ESTATE at CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN
THUNDERCAT at AUSTIN MUSIC HALL
NAS at AUSTIN MUSIC HALL
FLYING LOTUS at AUSTIN MUSIC HALL
