The Other Side of SXSW 

Ethan McConnell

Music Journalist

We all know that SXSW is a pretty big festival and stretches across all over Austin with panels, workshops, and music concerts from a whole plethora of innovators in their craft. But I don’t want to talk about that, the main head of the festival, but rather the underbelly of what goes on outside of it.  

With the start of SXSW, you have also numerous unofficial shows with artists already on a lineup or just local bands trying to get their foot in the door. All in all, the unofficial shows are the backbone of the music portion of SXSW, contributing to the community of the growing music scene in Austin. Take a trip with me as we get into a night of new magazines, music, and overall good atmosphere. And you want to know the best thing about them—it’s completely free. 

Leading up to this show, a post was made on the Locket Magazine Instagram page to advertise the release of their first magazine issue. The toast would include performances from local favorites including Puppy Pad, Almost Heaven, and The Opera, as well as some DJ sets from Nephalem. The event would be hosted at the Options vintage clothing store, giving the spot a unique set up given the small size. With the said smaller space, artists like Almost Heaven and The Opera had to condense their set up to merely be completely electronic, stripping away things like drums and amps and replacing them with Roland DTXR’s and synthesizers to help carry the sound they produce acoustically.  

Upon showing up, the place was packed. You had people outside trying to squeeze through the door in order to watch the performances. While in between sets, people took breathers outside having a drink or conversation amongst others, generating a vibrant atmosphere in the nighttime. 

Almost Heaven  

Moving on to the bands, one of the most notable ones I witnessed was Almost Heaven, consisting of the deadly duo Stefan Barazza and Jaelyn Valero. The duos create a soundscape of nasty fusion of indie dance, post punk, electronica, and pop, creating a jolting feeling felt across the whole room. Even from all the electronic fusion sounds, you had jam packed drum rhythms that stuck in your head with the sound of a cowbell playing consistently and punchy snare hits. Along with that, when it came to the vocals, the artist gave a somewhat nostalgic feel to it with the use of a condenser mic that made it seem like it was on a telephone call. The crowd work done with frontman Stefan was like no other I had seen before. Stefan would show off his intoxicating dance moves during the set and would even walk into the crowd interacting with others, at one point even getting in my face while in trance of his show. This man is confident in his performances, and you can tell he likes putting on a show for others. The feeling from start to finish left a tingling feeling in your spine, you couldn’t just sit there and watch, you had to move your body when witnessing this. I had the chance to talk to the artist after his set and his energy on and off the stage was the same, as he greeted me with “I saw you in the front and you were so vibey.”  If you missed this show, definitely catch one before Almost Heaven blows up because this is only the beginning, and they’re going nowhere but up. 

The Opera  

Coming out to headline this show was none other than the Austin based band, The Opera. The six piece art-punk band debuted in the scene of early August of last year. Since then, they have made a name for themselves, doing gigs at least once a month and even opening for Xiu Xiu on their North American tour. I’ve heard this band live with all members present, and their sound really packs a punch. Bringing in a combination of synthesizers with heavy distortion and raw direct vocals from lead singer Tyler along with your usual instruments like bass, guitar, and drums. But like I said before, this wasn’t your usual set. With the cramped space you couldn’t just fit all of that in a waiting room. Because of that, the band stripped away all the instruments and used nothing but MIDI keyboards, synths, and a mixer to help execute their sound and honestly, this added a great twist on the material they already have. With a complete electronic set, everything had to be communicated efficiently, timing was everything. During the set you could see one of the guitarists of the band, Ernesto running the mixer board, controlling all effects being the head of the machine choreographing transitions and all. The band was very much in tuned with each other, locking eyes and counting together for queues on each track. Everyone was a conductor and performer, and it was truly astonishing.  

The night was a testament to the creativity and resilience of Austin’s underground music scene, proving that SXSW isn’t just about the main festival, but also about the passionate artists carving their own path. From Almost Heaven’s electrifying performance to The Opera’s masterful electronic set, every act showcased the raw energy and innovation that keeps Austin’s music culture thriving. These unofficial shows are more than just side events, they’re the heart of the scene, where music lovers can experience something truly unique and intimate. If this night was any indication, the future of Austin’s independent music scene is burning brighter than ever.