South by Southwest 2026: March 15th Recap

South by Southwest 2026 is in full swing, and March 15th brought a few standout acts – a few include Sun Room, who brought the surf-rock heat, while Cardinal Bloom delivered indie magic.

Inc Founder’s House: Hayley Williams & Brian O’Connor, Co-Founders of Good Dye Young

At SXSW 2026, Inc Founder’s House took place at Foxy’s Proper Pub and featured numerous company founders. A session titled “Going Platinum: Lessons in Turning Cool Into Capital” included Hayley Williams of Paramore and Brian O’Connor, both reflecting on how they transformed their creative partnership into the successful haircare brand Good Dye Young. The session highlighted their origins as longtime collaborators since the RIOT! era and emphasized building a business rooted in authenticity, community, and creative risk-taking.

They spoke candidly about choosing the more-difficult independent path, as the duo prioritized innovation, and staying culturally connected rather than chasing trends. From the discontinuation of hair makeup products like POSER PASTE and I’M BORED (rest in peace…) to extremely successful collaboration with Williams’ third album marketing launch and debuting a new color with Rico Nasty, the conversation framed “cool” not as a marketing tactic, but as something earned through genuine identity and sustained by trust with their audience. – Keylee Paz

Big Loud Showcase at Stubb’s

Big Loud presented a showcase at Stubb’s BBQ with some country favorites, featuring Dylan Gossett, The 502s, The Droptines, In Color, Talk, Liam St. John, Thelma & James, and Alex Lambert. To the home of the country, Austin, Texas, the South by Southwest fans came prepared. Cowboy boots and cowboy hats filled the venue as the crowd anticipated the next artist to take the stage. – Taarena Rathore

As one of the final acts of the night, rising band The Droptines took the stage and all eyes were on them. From the first song, nobody looked away. The stage was covered in deep and vibrant lighting which created an immersive atmosphere that connected the audience with the music. The band blended rock and country effortlessly, their sound had the audience swaying and singing along, fully locked in. Frontman Connor Arthur held everyone in a trance, his deep voice echoing throughout the speakers. The band leaned into the moment and built anticipation for their sophomore album Drought Flower, which is set to release on April 3rd, along with their upcoming headlining tour. – Lauren Grover

Open Management Showcase @ Antone’s

On Sunday night, Open Management Music presented a showcase of five stellar artists at Antone’s Nightclub. Saige Davis, country singer-songwriter from California, was the first to take the stage. She played an acoustic set, cheered on by friends, fans, and new listeners in the crowd. Luke Tyler Shelton, Tommy Skelly, and Susannah Joffe later proceeded. To close off the night was Sun Room, a surf-rock band from Southern California. At this point, the bar was packed, with the line out the door. The band’s set was mostly unreleased music, but that did not stop the crowd from having a good time. It’s safe to say that this showcase was not one to miss. – Taarena Rathore

Additional Photos: Cardinal Bloom

Photos by Lauren Grover