South By Southwest 2025: March 13 Recap

Thursday Day + Night at South by Southwest is another doozy, which features anticipated showcases from organizations like Audiofemme and Happen Twice.

GLAZEFEST at Cheer Up Charlie’s

What screams cunt louder than Cheer Up Charlie’s? Exactly. In accordance with their third annual Unofficial South By Southwest show (SXSW), Cheer Up Charlie’s hosted Glazefest on Thursday, kicked off by a fashion show hosted by Dursxdurs. Off Record was set and ready from the start. 

The theme seemed to be ‘edgy,’ and not in the alternative sense. That’s not to say the outfits didn’t have bite. Rather, a lot of them were plagued by scalene triangles, sharp likes, and spikes of workmanship rising from what would otherwise be a common piece. However, some pieces gave more space age, while others could fall under fun festival wear. 

The M.C., stood at the edge of the stage, dressed as if to compete with the models, sipping a Lone Star through a straw as they hyped up the models, occasionally stopping to perform a song or two. Following the fashion show, Quentin Arispe and their band took to the stage with the type of rock ‘n’ roll rampage that hasn’t been seen since the 70s. And if Arispe’s pants are anything to go by, the era is coming back with a vengeance.

But don’t let denim define you, as the act wasn’t really loyal to a single genre. Arispe’s recorded music has a real dance quality. However, I hate to be that guy, but you NEED to be experienced live. The computer complemented with drums, keys, bass and an INTOXICATING electric guitar elevate the sound and show in a way that will have you wondering why on earth they;re opening instead of headlining. 

“Pokemon” was certainly a highlight, but nowhere near as big as “Revolve.” The energy was everywhere, from hair flips to deliveries from the ground before they closed with “Daddy’s Little Girl.” – Cynthia Zelaya

Hotel Vegas x Academy Fight Songs x Rough Trade Day Party

This unofficial Rock themed day party of the weekend took a great start to the day that took place on the Patio at Hotel Vegas in Austin, Texas. The line up was filled with a ripper set of artists throughout the daytime for people to enjoy the weather on the patio and warm atmosphere. 

A band that took the stage, Wishy, a dreamy indie-rock band with a compelling stage presence that kept people wanting to hear more. They also got listeners headbanging and dancing to “Spit” which was a killer set and crowd favorite. Next, Touch Girl Apple Bottom arrived – a Rock band who also had a complete vibe to enjoy the day for new listeners. Their music was in sync with the instruments they carried with a wave of melodies that played throughout their set. 

Towards the end of the night for the Hotel Patio lineup of artists, fans had gathered toward the stage as they waited for Sweeping Promises to make their appearance. They gave fans what they were looking for and it was a killer rock performance and performed many fan favorites like “Shatter”, but also unreleased music too. Each song flowed greatly to the next, they are an iconic band you don’t want to miss when they are in town. – Evelyn Herrera

Twice as Nice Fest

The best thing about a beerhouse like Independence Brewing is the diversity of traffic that passes through their tabletops. So it’s only natural that their unofficial South By Southwest festival, Twice As Nice, is just as varied. 

Twice As Nice, created in partnership with Happen Twice, Cesme Touring and Nowadays THC, is happening largely because of artist and employee Deniz Love, who was crucial in booking, organizing, and pushing for the idea in the first place. When asked how he managed to get Independence Brewing to take a leap of faith on the idea, Love said it all came down to pre-established trust. 

“I help other bands book their shows here…and I’ve booked really good shows,” he said. “The lineup is stacked. Happen Twice helped a ton… a lot of them are Austin bands. Some of them are travelling from all over the world for South by Southwest, so I’ll definitely be doing some discovering.” Deniz Love headlined at the end of the night, naturally. But plenty of other acts held the fort down in the meantime, long before the sun went down. 

Souls Extolled was a definitive highlight, playing the entirety of their latest release, Soulsex, following a few warm up tracks. Despite the years, the band is still very much into everything they play, if their general demeanor is anything to go by. While most of us mortals have to use our voices to communicate, to each other in order to communicate, the band used the sound of their instruments to get their points across, smiling in agreement as they exchanged notes across the stage. 

The sound is cohesive, clearly speaking of a shared musical chemistry and love of rock ‘n’ roll, with the dynamic shining the brightest during tracks like “A Star Is Born” and “Golden.” Another standout was the multi-piece group Twin Truth, playing the inside stage. The band seemed to have every instrument under the sun in use as they breezed through an energetic mix of salt-of-the-earth genres. 

Representing folk duo Samuel Aaron and Noah and Roth, a Chicago-based duo working under the name Two of Us. The full lineup ran throughout the day, allowing most people to catch some of it but few to catch all. However, the full list is featured on Independence Brewing’s instagram, and are well worth a glance. – Cynthia Zelaya

Third Man Records x CREEM Mag Party: Day One

Back in 2024, Die Spitz had the peak honor of opening for the legendary Jack White at his surprise Austin show at Mohawk. Now, White’s label titled Third Man Records returned to South by Southwest with their killer partnership with CREEM Mag. Closing out day one was the legendary Austin punk band Die Spitz. They performed for the busy intersections of 6th Street and Red River, as the crowd gathered in front of the 13th Floor.

The Austin all-girl/non-binary punk band teared through tracks like “Hair of Dog” and “Dirt Bike,” causing everyone in the streets to mosh. While their grungy, noise-infused punk sound isn’t for everyone, fans embraced the chaos, moshing and shouting along. As always, Die Spitz left a longing impression that kept their cool punk reputation in tact. – Keylee Paz

Rolling Stone’s Future of Music: Latin Showcase

Rolling Stone’s Future of Music event returned to South by Southwest 2025. This year’s latin night was headlined by the established regional Mexican artist Ivan Cornejo, who captivated the crowd with his emotional yet heartfelt tracks. The night began with a high-energy set by Latin artist NSQK, which got the crowd ready for Cornejo’s intensely emotional performance.

Cornejo set the night off with “Está Dañado,” immediately winning over his audience with his emotive storytelling. He continued with fan favorites like “Llamadas Perdidas” and “Perro Abandonado,” each song resonating with the crowd. The highlight of the evening came with his stirring rendition of “Hasta la Muerte,” a testament to his remarkable vocal range and his strong connection to his roots. Closing with “Tatuajes,” Cornejo left the audience mesmerized, solidifying his position as a rising star in the world of Latin music. – Keylee Paz

Sounds in Japan 

An iconic sister duo, tamanaramen took the stage at Elysium, fans were packed and excited for this electric and visual set. They are often known as an active performer for events at clubs to parties or even large-scale art exhibitions. Their music is a mix between ethereal and lively; they performed songs such as “Dark Coco”, “Fake ID”, and “Telepath”. 

The singer Pikam, was even jumping around the stage and it encouraged fans to jump, dance or document the amazing moment. Her older sister Hana, is the visual artist and VJ in this iconic sister duo for their dynamic range in music. They are based in London and Tokyo; you definitely don’t want to miss a set from them when they do another U.S. show if you’re looking for a killer DJ set. – Evelyn Herrera

Future Classics Showcase

A ways away from most of the South By Southwest (SXSW) hullabaloo like Mohawk. After navigating the unlit streets while dressed in all black, Off Record made it to the Future Classics showcase in time to catch a few acts at one of the scene’s most iconic venues. 

After saying hello to the taxidermied bear by the bar, fans crammed into a downstairs room to see Untitled (Halo), an LA indie trio. Freak Slug took to the stage soon after.

Coming all the way from England, Freak Slug took to the stage just as people started to pack and over pack Mohawk to the point that security had to stand guard at the entrance. Something about the lead singer gave the essence of Christina Ricci in a period piece, by her voice gave modern British rock. The guitarist gave Sid Vicious aggression, and the drummer and bassist looked like they just walked off  the street. Interestingly, they were the true backbone of this South by Southwest performance. 

Freak Slug gave a pretty solid performance since the U.S. listener may not have heard often enough to be bored of yet. If the crowd is anything to judge by. It’s well worth the listen. And if you disagree but happen to be in the city, drop by Mohawk on a whim, there’s usually something worth moshing to at the very least. – Cynthia Zelaya

Women in Music Canada: Omega Mighty 

In Austin’s most elegant location, Swan Dive, was a warm and feminine venue to highlight women made artists that are from Canada as a showcase for Women in Music during South by Southwest.

A Canadian R&B fusion/dancehall artist Omega Mighty, really brought us back to her culture in her Jamaican roots with her hypnotizing set for a late night in the city. Mighty is a great representation of a versatile artist in rap, afro beats and pop. New and old listeners who were in the audience got up and danced to every song, as each song was so engaging and endlessly left the audience with a memorable night. She performed her newest single “oulalala” that was just released in February. Her stage presence was magical, heartfelt and bold. Mighty is an artist you will want to keep an eye on for future shows as she is only just getting started. – Evelyn Herrera

Academy Fight Songs x Rough Trade Official Showcase

Sweet Spine performed a dynamic set at the Hotel Vegas patio for the official Rough Trade showcase. The lineup featured eclectic punk acts, and Sweet Spine made sure to charge the audience for the night. They hyped up the crowd as much as possible, and each song they played made sure they did so.

Sunflower Bean took the stage soon after, as they are currently promoting their upcoming album titled Mortal Primetime, which is set for release on April 25th. They performed new songs like “Nothing Romantic” and “Champagne Taste.” They kept it going with “Teach Me to Be Bad” and “Who Put You Up to This?,” which had the crowd swaying and head banging. Their set was a testament to why they’re one of indie rock’s most thrilling acts, and SXSW was left buzzing with their infectious energy. – Keylee Paz

The Driskill Showcase

The ghosts of the historic Driskill Hotel were in for a treat on Thursday night when they held a South By Southwest (SXSW) showcase in its bar. Off Record was fortunate enough to catch Fake Dad and Revenge Wife’s sets. 

Fake Dad is fun. REALLY fun. From the moment they get on stage, the clown-esque makeup and fun colors draw the eye and make viewers pay closer attention. Formed by duo Andrea de Varona and Josh Ford,Fake Dad is a New York indie pop band formed after the pair met at a college party. Although this is their second South by Southwest, this is their first time with a full band. And goodness, do they sound good. 

News song of their 2025 E.P. like “Machinery” sounds excellent with the provided fullness. Varona is also free to spirit and hop into the crowd, grabbing concert goers to deliver lines to them directly. The attendees matched the energy, soon dancing and jumping along too, especially by the end. 

Revenge Wife followed it up, pouring onstage with already smiling and joking. The mastermind behind Revenge Wife is Liz Nistico. Onstage, she’s big, bold and unapologetic in her antics as the strut around in an animal print dress, flipping silky black hair for emphasis at certain points in her songs. It’s giving Italian Abba in the best way. 

Near the end of her time, she treated South By Southwest listeners to some unreleased content, a taste of what is to come next. “This is a brand new song,” Nistico said. “It’s not out yet, It’ll be out in April.” She then jumped into “Deja vu.” One of the more interesting things about Revenge Wife is the vocal delivery, the inflection. Words are just words until she adds the attitude, going from playful to mocking as quick as the song calls for it. And if that won’t get you, then her boundless energy will. She’ll sing “Aries” from the floor then switch to bounding across the stage for “Waste of Tears.” – Cynthia Zelaya