South By Southwest 2025: March 15 Recap

It’s the last day of South by Southwest 2025 + music festival… and it’s the last weekend of its kind. With surprise guests like ZHU and John Summit, SXSW 2025 ended with a bang.

South by San Jose

If you’re looking for a bold and vibrant set that really just brings pure joy in live performances, let us introduce you to the artist DAP The Contract. 

Born and raised from Laigos, Nigeria, but now based in New York – this was his first time performing in Texas and this event was packed with an audience of proud supporters. DAP has a range of music from Hip-Hop, Rap and Afrobeat; there was a song for almost every vibe at South by San Jose for SXSW to vibe or even party to especially when he performed “Lavender” which seemed to be a crowd favorite for dancing. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to his music, people from all ages at this event truly had an everlasting experience with his performance live to let you know how great his stage presence is! – Evelyn Herrera

Billboard @ SXSW presents John Summit

Fans lined up and made their way into the Moody Amphitheater to experience John Summit live, who was headlining for Billboard SXSW with support from DJ Nala.

The venue was filled with fans who were ready to have a great time and memorable night at a stage that would showcase John Summit for the night and love from his listeners all over the world. Summit performed “palm of my hands – Odd Mob Remix ” and “Hypnotized – John Summit Remix” from his set, but each song flowed perfectly to the next creating an everlasting experience to fans with his music and mesmerizing visuals to end the last night of SXSW with Billboard. – Evelyn Herrera

Zhu at Stubb’s Amphitheatre

Grammy-nominated artist ZHU came in with the heat for his set for the night at Stubbs in Austin, Texas.

It was a pack filled show for fans who were excited to get a peak at his performance. ZHU’s showcase had a great backdrop of his friends who were all coordinated in black that danced the whole night. ZHU wanted everybody to wear their black fit of the night to match the tone of the night alongside red visuals on a screen that created a sinister feel to his performance, especially when he performed “Afraid To Live” in his set. His breathtaking sounds are something you wouldn’t want to miss out on. – Evelyn Herrera

Kevin Morby at Lost Weekend (Presented by BrooklynVegan)

Photo Gallery by Keylee Paz

Rhinestone Rodeo Presented by Rambler Austin

We love to see women in power. Anastasia Hera brought command and celebration to the stage as Off Record walked in, solidifying her and her band as the most unique act of the night from the get-go. 

The songs were riveting, the performers energetic. Usually, I would complain about having an act of that caliber go on so early. But in this case, they were suited to the daylight and packed crowd, so I’ll give it a pass. 

A while after Hera wrapped up, Tommy Stinson took the stage. By the way he set up and did his sound check, one would be forgiven for not realizing they were in the presence of greatness. 

Stinson is a founding member of legendary punk band The Replacement. He also spent a stint as a member of Guns ‘n’ Roses in addition to his own solo work, which was precisely what he was in Auston to present. 

With the help of a violinist to accompany his voice and guitar, Stinson delivered a clear, folksy set with timeless elements. But it wouldn’t be Stinson if it was just left at acoustics. Instead, His final minutes on stage were spent backed by the Freedom Rockets, dressed in snazzy fink suits as they brought back something that reminded one of classic ’50s rock ‘n’ roll but wasn’t quite the right shade. Stinson didn’t wait for applause, instead choosing to retreat after his set songs and yield the stage to the band. -Cynthia Zelaya

Very Necessary ATL 2 ATX (KEY!)

From Atlanta to Austin Texas, artists in the Rap/Hip-Hop community took to the stage to showcase their music, but we got the chance to get a glimpse from KEY! to perform at the Mohawk during SXSW.

KEY! recently dropped an album last February called Eye Feel Free where he performed a few snippets like “Birthday” but also took us back to his 2020 album I Love You Say It Back with “Spend One Night” which was an ultimate crowd favorite and “Boys Don’t Cry”. The night was filled with headbanging beats and a diverse range of music for anyone to vibe when it came to singing or dancing along. He’s an artist that you will want to keep an eye out on because he’s only getting started this year!

Smartpunk x Mohawk 

Smartpunk was back at Mohawk again, as if that was a surprise. Naturally, Off Record followed. 

The first act I caught was Flagman, an experimental metal trio that came to make a statement. 

Already, they were starting off from a point of favoritism in my books, as we share the same hometown of Orlando, FL. Fortunately, I wasn’t backing a lame horse, as they proceeded to take converters on a musical journey that sounded like Primus’s angry teenage son jamming in the family garage. 

The band featured very interesting, often anxiety-inducing progressions made to hype people up and keep them angry. If there was a soundtrack for being chased by a dinosaur, this would be it. Quickening pacing, solid drums, and a refreshingly prominent, growling bassline combined with the way the bassist/singer and guitarist stomped and prowled about the stage to their build-ups, it seemed like that was the type of feeling they were trying to inspire. 

If it was an experimental showcase night, Flagman would have been a tough act to follow. Fortunately, Saturday night’s showcases seemed to be of distinct genres from each other, as Skating Polly proved when they took the stage next. 

Fresh from neighboring state Oklahoma, Skating Polly burst on stage with what feels like a modern re-imagining of Riot Grrrl, but the ladies called it ‘Ugly-Pop.’ 

Pretty skirts, shiny high-top boots and flawless makeup were a red herring for the grit Skating Polly delivered. The band seemed to be having a blast, with the guitarist and the bassist occasionally switching roles with each other. Why? The novelty? To flex their multi-instrumentalism? Who cares! The crowd went wild. -Cynthia Zelaya 

Shallowater at Chess Club

Off Record closed the night with a brisk walk to the Chess Club, already packed to the brim in anticipation of one of the few Houston acts to snag a spot at SXSW this year, Shallowater. 

Respectfully, the Chess Club leaves a lot to be desired in terms of space. Even trio Freshwater felt like they were pushing the venue’s capacity. But a lot can be accomplished when your delivery is largely sonic. 

The best way to describe the band is as a small-town tease that actually has a payoff. They play in a circle, feeding off each other’s energy. Simple, quiet and sweet, then dive into bridges akin to pre-Adore Smashing Pumpkins, bridges that made you wanna frolic or genuine guitar solos. Yes, guitar solos in 2025. Delightful, I know. 

Although a photographer’s nightmare, they were a listener’s dream, and the people that packed the venue beyond what a fire marshall would approve of clearly agree. -Cynthia Zelaya

Action for Artists @ FIJI House: Twin Shadow

Photo Gallery by Keylee Paz

Frankie and the Witch Fingers at Smartpunk Records Showcase

Photo Gallery by Keylee Paz