I sent out a newsletter today with my SXSW 2025 reflections, including some thoughts on their announcement of cutting back music programming next year and how it reflects upon the music industry as a whole. I think it also aligns with a lot of the things I wrote here.
Die Spitz played a bunch of shows in Austin during SXSW, only a month after they sold out Mohawk.
Perhaps the most memorable was their set on the front porch of 13th Floor on Friday afternoon. They shut down the whole street with a huge crowd gathered out front in the 90 degree heat.
Captured on photo by Zachary Salas via Extra Chill
Wish i could have been there but I was at Radio East seeing Being Dead at the time (who are another great Austin band)
Getting close to the end of SXSW. It’s been quite the ride so far.
On Wednesday night was the big C3 Management showcase at Stubb’s, where I saw Band of Horses, Jack’s Mannequin, and Yoke Lore
the members of Secret Guest, who are touring with Band of Horses outside of SXSW, are homies from Charleston who crashed at my place. We had a great day walking around Austin catching live music at different venues in town
Thursday i took it easy and just went to the Being Dead show at Radio East....
Getting close to the end of SXSW. It’s been quite the ride so far.
On Wednesday night was the big C3 Management showcase at Stubb’s, where I saw Band of Horses, Jack’s Mannequin, and Yoke Lore
the members of Secret Guest, who are touring with Band of Horses outside of SXSW, are homies from Charleston who crashed at my place. We had a great day walking around Austin catching live music at different venues in town
Thursday i took it easy and just went to the Being Dead show at Radio East. They ruled, local band, super weird and cool. Also saw some of Wand’s set.
Yesterday was the BMI Brunch at the South Congress Hotel. I hung out with my friend Gab from BMI, Hunter Park of She Returns from War, and photographer Zachary Salas. There was free food and alcohol and a bunch of cool artists.
We hopped around a little on South Congress and then walked all the way to Antone’s for Jackie Venson’s set, a local austin blues artist.
Back down to South Congress for the Athens in Austin showcase. Went home, finally, after the Susto String Band set.
Good time overall. Now I am tired sitting in my room, considering going to “The Big One” at Radio East but also considering just not going and taking it easy. I’ve walked an average of 5 miles per day for this whole week. Starting on Thursday of last week. We’ll see what happens, the show goes late.
On Friday night I went to 13th floor for the Luli Presents show and saw Jeremiah Jackson for the first time. Super cool dude and talented. He is very animated on stage and the band plays all kinds of different rock music.
also saw a band called Telefaze that was very good. The guitarist was tuning to some Grateful Dead, which naturally caught my ear
on Saturday i went to SXSGrass at Radio East. It was chilly and windy but the music and the people rocked. I like all...
Another day at SXSW down.
On Friday night I went to 13th floor for the Luli Presents show and saw Jeremiah Jackson for the first time. Super cool dude and talented. He is very animated on stage and the band plays all kinds of different rock music.
also saw a band called Telefaze that was very good. The guitarist was tuning to some Grateful Dead, which naturally caught my ear
on Saturday i went to SXSGrass at Radio East. It was chilly and windy but the music and the people rocked. I like all kinds of music but there is nothing like being surrounded by Deadheads.
the band Fennario Flats was my favorite. The guitarist from DeadEye, the Austin Grateful Dead tribute also plays in this band. They played an awesome cover of “Eyes of the World” to close out the set.
yesterday i went to a Builder’s Happy Hour and talked with some developers and entrepreneurs. It was cool to see that I can hold my own in those conversations.
i’m realizing that while Extra Chill is a cool underground movement, it’s not the most profitable business model. It’s super cool for networking and making friends in the music scene, and of course getting me access to cool events like SXSW. But to make a living i will need to do a lot more.
i’ve been building a tool on the side for Automated, AI enhanced cold email outreach and I think it is viable as a product that makes money. I just have to finish building it.
sort of off topic for music journalism but it’s the reality of someone in my position. If i want to be an entrepreneur for real, which i do, i will need to find a way to make money
the ads on the site do make some money but not really enough to replace a job. And looking at the landscape, it seems that blogging as a business model is on the out. It’s a rewarding thing to do, and it’s fun, but to make a living running a blog is an outdated idea. There has to be more going on, or it’s a passion project
i love Extra Chill of course. And i will continue to run it for a long time. I’m just being realistic about what it is and what i see happening in the future
Yesterday was the second official day of SXSW. There are a lot of people here for a lot of different reasons, including a big one right now, which is the Startup Track. I spoke with a guy at the Registrant Lounge who was there to find people who would use this app for Corporate Feedback.
Talking to this guy I realized I’ve never worked a traditional job in my life. I have never stepped foot into the corporate world. So while this guy was out there getting actual corporations to sign up and...
Yesterday was the second official day of SXSW. There are a lot of people here for a lot of different reasons, including a big one right now, which is the Startup Track. I spoke with a guy at the Registrant Lounge who was there to find people who would use this app for Corporate Feedback.
Talking to this guy I realized I’ve never worked a traditional job in my life. I have never stepped foot into the corporate world. So while this guy was out there getting actual corporations to sign up and try his product, I’m out here catching DIY bands and talking to random people on the street.
The music industry track starts on the 10th and I do think I will attend some panel discussions and official events for that. For me personally it comes down to the fact that Extra Chill is not actually a product. So no matter who I meet and talk to, I am basically just making Extra Chill to be more well-known, but not directly driving conversions.
This isn’t a complaint, it’s just an observation that Extra Chill might never truly become profitable on the modern internet. I do love having this level of access and being able to attend this event. I do love the vibrant feeling that has taken over the city.
A lot of people are here with something to sell. I’m here to observe. I guess I technically sell my observations, but not directly. The idea is that the audience will eventually become massive enough to support something like a large scale festival with sponsorships, or a venue.
Or, Extra Chill just becomes a passion project and I keep doing what I’m doing while building other products. Because you sure as hell won’t find me back in the corporate world. I’m pretty scrappy and I’ve made Extra Chill profitable before, but times have changed, and I’m figuring a lot of things out in the background.
I’ll be around Austin every day for the next week and a half trying to do as much as possible every day.
This Instagram post contains all the shows that I have on my radar:
There is no way that I will make it to all of them, but I’m going to try for as much as I possibly can. Hope to catch some of you around, and maybe even attract some more members to this community forum!
Here is a recording I found on YouTube from the whole Jesse solo show last night in Nashville.
At this point I’m fully expecting a Brand New album this year. Maybe a bigger tour return to ACL Fest in the fall?
You know they have to play in NYC as well. MSG?
SETLIST FROM 3/2 IN NASHVILLE
Set 1: Solo Part 1
Get It Back (Live debut)
Two-Headed Boy (Neutral Milk Hotel cover)
aloC-acoC (Brand New song)
The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot (Brand New song)
Sealed to Me (Brand New song)
Play C...
Here is a recording I found on YouTube from the whole Jesse solo show last night in Nashville.
At this point I’m fully expecting a Brand New album this year. Maybe a bigger tour return to ACL Fest in the fall?
You know they have to play in NYC as well. MSG?
SETLIST FROM 3/2 IN NASHVILLE
Set 1: Solo Part 1
Get It Back (Live debut)
Two-Headed Boy (Neutral Milk Hotel cover)
aloC-acoC (Brand New song)
The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot (Brand New song)
Sealed to Me (Brand New song)
Play Crack the Sky (Brand New song)
Set 2: With Human Surfers
Good Man (Brand New song) (debut of an extended full band version)
Cut The Line
Adios (Live debut; song was restarted after the first verse)
When I Died (Live debut)
Helium (Live debut; written by Jamey Lacey)
Set 3: Solo Part 2
Death
Two-Headed Boy, Pt. Two (Neutral Milk Hotel cover)
@aideyfanaccount I get the sentiment of this. But to call the hip hop scene in Chs stale and stagnant is wild. Theres much more going on off the peninsula than on, from North Charleston to Ridgeville there’s a thriving movement of black clubs, events, concerts dedicated to breaking local talent and putting artists in some form of motion. For example,Keon recently linked with DJ Chuck T at a spot in North Charleston and has been doing showcases out of the city. These are specifically geared for hip hop and...
@aideyfanaccount I get the sentiment of this. But to call the hip hop scene in Chs stale and stagnant is wild. Theres much more going on off the peninsula than on, from North Charleston to Ridgeville there’s a thriving movement of black clubs, events, concerts dedicated to breaking local talent and putting artists in some form of motion. For example,Keon recently linked with DJ Chuck T at a spot in North Charleston and has been doing showcases out of the city. These are specifically geared for hip hop and RnB and many opportunities I’ve seen and experienced have come out of these RELATIONSHIPS.
The peninsula tolerates, not celebrates hip hop and most black culture. This is just a historical fact. If it’s not fine arts, it’s not respected in the city. No one is visiting Charleston for its hip hop so we have to first understand this and the field we are playing in. There were no hip hop shows at the places we currently frequent, 10 years ago. People like DollaMenu, Slim Soul, Tyrie, Anfernee, Jah Jr, Apollo Valdez, Little Stranger, Damn Skippy brought hip hop to the peninsula. The new renaissance of rappers in the mix are supposed to elevate it. How can we expect people to rock with the scene when WE don’t.
Yes, things can be different if people came together but that’s the point. Theres so much tremendous talent here trapped by ego, point blank. People fear collaboration in local hip hop. People can’t take criticism without burning a bridge in local hip hop. People are extremely divisive in local hip hop. People don’t support each other in this shit or expand themselves outside of their comfort zones. Everybody wants to make it look a certain way on social media without cultivating what WE are creating here in Charleston. That’s why you see stagnation on the peninsula side of Charleston. LongMoney Phil, Kweena Dess, Laylow Lee, all non peninsula performers are 3 of the biggest hip hop artists out of Charleston rn. All three have been national major platforms, putting on for Charleston and shining light on the city.
Wu Tang at Music Farm was a MILESTONE for Charleston hip hop. A show FOR US BY US at one of the city’s most well known venues. But bro this was just last year. I say that so that you understand that, once again, hip hop has historically been tolerated and not celebrated here until the artists themselves started collaborating and creating major situations for the underground (ie Matt Monday, Black Dave, LeFaye, Slim) that made hip hop ‘a thing’ DT, JI, even Folly. These events still thrive and pop off but who else is working to create avenues for artists to pop? It’s not the venue. It’s not the sound. It’s the lack of know how when it comes to building and communicating in a music community with major talent and the artists becoming comfortable or settling for their market.
I go to, perform at, and have curated hella shows that are more than artists and producers. I have also seen the direct opposite many of times. It’s a process brother and if we can’t exist in this outside of ourselves then yes, this shit will continue to feel stale and stagnant for you. I love and am a fan of you bro and you bring a different style, sound, and community INTO the full network. That’s the point. Thats the reason why it’s not stagnant because all of these factions thrive in their sections but not many have taken the time to expand outside of it and see what’s truly out there. Network, support, collaboration is key. Then we can all get big ass chains like the homie DollaMenu but he EARNED that shit and really put in the work for years to pop like he’s doing.
The last few months have been particularly slow, but to call the scene ‘stale, stagnant’ and judge artists based on meta stats and releases is almost disrespectful to the ones in the community who bust ass BEHIND scenes to make shit shake forreal. People take different approaches that’s why we have studio artists and performance artists, and both. But there’s a difference. Psycodelics is arguably the biggest thing out of Charleston and they just released their debut single. It’s levels. We activated out here and it’s a bigger picture than this downtown, island, beach circuit.
Here’s a list of places and people you should definitely check out: Jungles Bar n Grill, The Ritz , Meeting of the Mindz, Mugga Man, DJ Chuck T, DJ Billy Surplus etc all entities that have packed out rap shows with artists, producers, business owners, fans. Heavy motion
I respect your opinion, but I emphatically disagree family-this shit is bigger than the 5-10 venues down here that we all circulate in.
