South by South West – Music, Film, and Innovation

Video, Photos, and Story by – Ruben Hernandez

South by South West is a well-known major convention that takes place in Austin, Texas. It is comprised of many events, including a music festival, and film premieres, and even a Gaming Expo. Big names and celebrities, such as Taylor Bennett, and Olivia Wilde, make their way to Austin to enjoy a week of showcases and interactions.

One of SXSW’s main attraction is all of the sessions that are held that cover a wide variety of areas. Topics can range between things like SoundCloud usage in the music industry to the use of artificial intelligence by official publications to write news stories. If you want any sort of insight to trends in a variety of fields, SXSW is the convention to look in to.

The music festival is one of the highlights of this convention. This year, well-established artists like Khalid and Billie Eilish came to perform their music. Artists originating from all over the world, from countries like Korea and Costa Rica, take the stage to show Austin and people in the music industry what they have to offer.

Film is another unique aspect, with many showings and screenings of soon-to-come movies. Directors, filmmakers, and actors come in support of titles that are soon to hit theatres, generating buzz and anticipation. Movies like The Highwaymen and Villains were some of this year’s featured films.

Wrapping up the convention itself, SXSW hosts a Gaming Expo, where creators and companies come and showcase their developing games, software, and other merchandise to give gamers a taste of what is to come. Competitive tournaments were also held, featuring leading game titles like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Dragon Ball FighterZ and Tekken 7.

While many people from all over the country come to Austin to enjoy this festival, most Austinites are concerned with one thing: the chaos that ensues during the week of SXSW. Because so many people are coming in such a short period of time, the streets of Austin become congested as thousands of people make their way through. Getting around, or even simply just driving down the street can be a hassle.

This year, SXSW took place from March 8 – 17, the week before Spring Break for Austin schools. Most years, Spring Break and SXSW fall in the same week, but that was not the case this time around. This added to the somewhat controlled chaos as tourists, students, and Austin natives mixed together to form a busy city.

Next year, SXSW will be held on March 13 – 22. Austin will once again become a hub for those who wish to experience the latest and coming trends of varying industries.

 

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