SXSW 2025

I’ve just confirmed that I will have a music badge at SXSW 2025. This will be the place where I share my daily notes, plus anything else that comes to mind during the week of SXSW.

2025 will be my first SXSW as a resident of Austin.

My SXSW 2024 coverage:

SXSW 2024: My Experience

New Music from the Best Bands I Saw at SXSW 2024

SXSW 2024 notes

SXSW 2025 came up fast!

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!

Yesterday was a pretty chill day

picked up my badge at the Austin Convention Center and then went to Hotel Vegas

Die Spitz played, but i didnt stay that long

saw Magic Rockers of Texas, Lauren Lakis, and Andrew Cashen

There was a comedy show happening inside but it wasn’t very good. I literally fell asleep in the chair for a moment

i don’t have a ton of notes, but all the bands were quite good

i saw videos from the die spitz set and it looked crazy, as expected

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.

 

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

cheers

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.

 

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.

https://extrachill.com/newsletters/sxsw-2025-reflections

Anything catch you by surprise? Favorite bands names also…?

@qrisg Jackie Venson is a dope blues guitarist

a lot of the bands i saw were people was already familiar with this time around, honestly.

Saw Susto string band 3 times, She Returns From War 3 times.

This local band called The Point was pretty sick though. Had never heard them before.

I love getting caught off guard by a band.. Cleophus James from Richmond was the most recent band to do that to me