SXSW was two months ago, and a lot has happened since then.
For a quick recap: in the days following the festival, the organizers announced they were changing the format of the event for 2026, consolidating into one week and introducing tiered pricing for different badge types. Then, in April, they had a major leadership change with Hugh Forrest, longtime visionary for the event, stepping down, and Penske Executive Jenny Connelly taking his place.
I’m not here to talk about the news, though. You can find it written by people who know more than me somewhere else. I want to talk about the festival’s knack for creative inspiration, and how that looks through the eyes of Extra Chill, and the lens of Zachary Salas.
SXSW sits at the cutting edge of innovation, with creative people in all fields congregating in Austin for the duration. Everywhere you go, somebody has a dream they’re chasing with everything they’ve got. Whether it’s their music, the clever app they’ve created, or the latest robotic innovation, it happens at SXSW.
This, to me, is massively inspiring. In 2024 it prompted my move to Austin, and in 2025 it led me to create both the Festival Wire, a real-time music festival news feed, and the Extra Chill Band Platform, which includes a free Link in Bio site for independent artists.
I realized during the 2025 festival that trying to be just a writer with an opinion and a voice was not enough to make an impact in this increasingly tech-driven world. Just like a band trying to stand out among the crowd, a music platform must do the same, especially if it is a DIY operation.
The big names attract all the attention while the little guys fight for their piece. Since you don’t have the resources to operate at the level of the big names, and you haven’t gone viral (yet), you have to find something that makes you different from everybody else. Something that keeps people coming back for more.
As for the SXSW highlight reel, my favorite part of this year’s event was connecting with my friends who were in town from all over. I saw She Returns From War three times throughout the week, and SUSTO String Band three times. Two incredible folk acts from Charleston that I’ve known for years, and it was super cool to see them in that setting.
My friend Gab was also in town with BMI, and pals from another Charleston band, Secret Guest, crashed on my couch because they were touring with Band of Horses, who played the C3 Management showcase at Stubb’s. That show also ruled, with Band of Horses debuting a new song live, and more.
The SXSGrass event at Radio East was a huge highlight for me as well, because I was able to connect with the deadhead crowd, which always makes me feel right at home. Another set I loved at Radio East was Being Dead, a local Austin weird rock trio that was super entertaining and awesome. Jackie Venson’s set at Antone’s was also killer.
While I may have missed the legendary Die Spitz show on the front porch of 13th Floor, Zachary did not miss that. In fact, he was right up front with his camera for the whole thing. By the time SXSW 2026 rolls around, Die Spitz is going to be too big to do this stuff.
I think that’s enough from me. I’ll let Zach’s photos do the talking now. Enjoy a full photo gallery from SXSW 2025 below (over 175 amazing photos).
SXSW 2025 Photo Gallery
All photos by Zachary Salas (@zacharysalasphotography).
