So Many Cults – The Cosmic Clash

Live music review: The best music we saw at SXSW 2026

March 21, 2026 Case Cockrell 1182 Views American Sharks, Annabelle Chairlegs, Big Bill, Bikini Beach, Caitlin King, Geordie Greep, hard rock, Holy Wave, Hot Garbage, Hotel Vegas, indie rock, jazz, Killer Kaya, live music, Nug, Osees, Panic Shack, Pink Breath of Heaven, punk rock, Review, rock n roll, So Many Cults, South by Southwest, Surfbort, SXSW, SXSW 2026, This is Lorelei, Tropa Magica, Water From Your Eyes

The 2026 edition of South By Southwest (SXSW) music festival launched last Thursday with its inaugural all-concurrent format. Conferences ran from kickoff Thursday to the following Wednesday. The festival allows attendees to discover new acts, revisit favorites, and expand their horizons. Miles of walking and a steady food truck diet defined a packed SXSW featuring both legacy acts and emerging stars. The Cosmic Clash team covered highlights throughout the event and wanted to share what stuck out to us over the long week of music. Despite a shortened music schedule and no second weekend, there was plenty to see as we navigated around Austin throughout the seven-day expedition.

Case Cockrell Live Music Preview

Live music preview: Six SXSW 2026 day parties music fans should show up for

March 12, 2026 Case Cockrell 1473 Views 13th Floor, Bikini Beach, Caitlin King, Club X, Cosmic Plants Clash, day parties, Fleet Coffee, Grocery Bag, J Graves, Killer Kaya, live music, Megan From Work, mohawk, music festival, Nug, Pink Fuzz, preview, Semihelix, So Many Cults, South by Southwest, Sunshine Spazz, SXSW, The Cavalier, This is Lorelei, Water From Your Eyes, Webberville Block Party

What’s South By Southwest (SXSW) without daytime shenanigans? For each year’s SXSW installment, different activations pop up all over the city to bring SX-goers daytime programming before things switch over to an all-official format. These “Day Parties” mostly feature cover-free programming, sometimes featuring official SXSW artists who give non-credentialed music fans opportunities to join in the festivities during the week. All listed events occur between 12 p.m. and 7 p.m., are free for attendees, require no badge, and are subject to capacity. Make sure to RSVP for seamless entry to the events. For a larger list of SXSW day parties, head to our curated list of the best events to hit up.

Case Cockrell Live Music Preview

Live music preview: Six showcases to see at Hot Summer Nights in Austin this weekend

July 23, 2025 Case Cockrell 4279 Views 13th Floor, Cheer Up Charlie's, Chess Club, Como Las Movies, Elysium, Empire Garage, Farmer's Wife, Font, Foxtales, Genuine Leather, Hot Summer Nights, HSN, live music, mohawk, Mugger, Mujeres Podridas, Nolan Potter, Nuclear Daisies, Palefade, Portrayal of Guilt, preview, Pussy Gillette, Queen Serene, Red River Cultural District, Redbud, Sexpop, So Many Cults, Stop Motion Orchestra, The Opera

Hot Summer Nights (HSN) in the Red River Cultural District of Austin is an annual RRCD-sponsored event that features hundreds of local artists performing across the downtown area. Each showcase will not charge a cover at the door, meaning dozens of free showcases akin to the annual Free Week, which takes place the first week of every January. HSN runs July 24 – July 26 and will feature talent from all over Austin and surrounding areas. Venues participating in the event include Mohawk, Chess Club, Cheer Up Charlie’s, Empire Control Room & Garage, and The 13th Floor among several others. For the three days of packed, free live music programming, The Cosmic Clash team has curated a list of showcases we think attendees will want to catch while wandering the streets of Red River during the free festival. Hot Summer Nights will also feature participating food vendors to keep you full and energized throughout the event.

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Case Cockrell Live Music Review

Live music review: SXSW 2025 opening weekend ramble

March 11, 2025 Case Cockrell 3714 Views 13th Floor, Almost Heaven, Andrew Cashen, Annabelle Chairlegs, Club X, Dead Canyon Family Reunion, Die Spitz, Do512, Farmer's Wife, French Film, Geto Gala, Golden Dawn Arkestra, Grandmaster, Gus Baldwin, Heartbyrne, Hotel Vegas, Lauren Lakis, live music, Night Ritualz, Queen Serene, Review, rock n roll, Smoke Show, So Many Cults, Soundcheck Saturday, South by Southwest, Strange Lot, SXSW, Tremours, Urban Heat

. The SXSW week began with opening all-day showcases such as the Hotel Vegas Anniversary Party, SX Soundcheck, Do512 Smokeout, and others, there’s plenty to keep music attendees busy before official music week begins the following Monday. Here’s what stood out to us in the opening days of SXSW, all of which will likely perform again before the week concludes. Follow these acts on social media for the most up-to-date information on live appearances throughout the festival.