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The Chaotic Ecstasy Of SXSW In 50 Photos

By Lars Gotrich
Published March 20, 2017 at 10:53 AM MDT
Lizzo at Stubb's BBQ for the NPR Music showcase.
1 of 50  — Lizzo at Stubb's BBQ for the NPR Music showcase.
Lizzo at Stubb's BBQ for the NPR Music showcase.
PWR BTTM at Stubb's BBQ for the NPR Music showcase.
2 of 50  — PWR BTTM at Stubb's BBQ for the NPR Music showcase.
PWR BTTM at Stubb's BBQ for the NPR Music showcase.
Sylvan Esso at Stubb's BBQ for the NPR Music showcase.
3 of 50  — Sylvan Esso at Stubb's BBQ for the NPR Music showcase.
Sylvan Esso at Stubb's BBQ for the NPR Music showcase.
Hurray For The Riff Raff at Stubb's BBQ for the NPR Music showcase.
4 of 50  — Hurray For The Riff Raff at Stubb's BBQ for the NPR Music showcase.
Hurray For The Riff Raff at Stubb's BBQ for the NPR Music showcase.
Big Thief at Stubb's BBQ for the NPR Music showcase.
5 of 50  — Big Thief at Stubb's BBQ for the NPR Music showcase.
Big Thief at Stubb's BBQ for the NPR Music showcase.
NPR Music showcase posters.
6 of 50  — NPR Music showcase posters.
NPR Music showcase posters.
Aye Nako at the She Shreds showcase.
7 of 50  — Aye Nako at the She Shreds showcase.
Aye Nako at the She Shreds showcase.
Diet Cig at the She Shreds showcase.
8 of 50  — Diet Cig at the She Shreds showcase.
Diet Cig at the She Shreds showcase.
Lift To Experience at Parish.
9 of 50  — Lift To Experience at Parish.
Lift To Experience at Parish.
Moor Mother at Valhalla.
10 of 50  — Moor Mother at Valhalla.
Moor Mother at Valhalla.
Jimmy Eat World at Stubb's BBQ.
11 of 50  — Jimmy Eat World at Stubb's BBQ.
Jimmy Eat World at Stubb's BBQ.
Sleigh Bells at Empire.
12 of 50  — Sleigh Bells at Empire.
Sleigh Bells at Empire.
Big Star's <em>Third</em> performed at Central Presbyterian Church with Jody Stephens, The Posies' Ken Stringfellow, producer Mitch Easter, R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills and Chris Stamey of the dBs.
13 of 50  — Big Star's Third performed at Central Presbyterian Church with Jody Stephens, The Posies' Ken Stringfellow, producer Mitch Easter, R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills and Chris Stamey of the dBs.
Big Star's Third performed at Central Presbyterian Church with Jody Stephens, The Posies' Ken Stringfellow, producer Mitch Easter, R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills and Chris Stamey of the dBs.
André Cymone (left) and Micki Free pay tribute to Prince as The Revolution at Auditorium Shores.
14 of 50  — André Cymone (left) and Micki Free pay tribute to Prince as The Revolution at Auditorium Shores.
André Cymone (left) and Micki Free pay tribute to Prince as The Revolution at Auditorium Shores.
Hello Nico at Elysium.
15 of 50  — Hello Nico at Elysium.
Hello Nico at Elysium.
Fragile Rock at Sidewinder.
16 of 50  — Fragile Rock at Sidewinder.
Fragile Rock at Sidewinder.
Tombs at Elysium.
17 of 50  — Tombs at Elysium.
Tombs at Elysium.
Betty Who.
18 of 50  — Betty Who.
Betty Who.
Young M.A at The Gatsby.
19 of 50  — Young M.A at The Gatsby.
Young M.A at The Gatsby.
Weezer at Brazos Hall.
20 of 50  — Weezer at Brazos Hall.
Weezer at Brazos Hall.
S U R V I V E at Cheer Up Charlies.
21 of 50  — S U R V I V E at Cheer Up Charlies.
S U R V I V E at Cheer Up Charlies.
All Our Exes Live In Texas.
22 of 50  — All Our Exes Live In Texas.
All Our Exes Live In Texas.
Forgive yourself.
23 of 50  — Forgive yourself.
Forgive yourself.
Cherry Glazerr at Barracuda.
24 of 50  — Cherry Glazerr at Barracuda.
Cherry Glazerr at Barracuda.
Chrissy And Hawley at Mohawk.
25 of 50  — Chrissy And Hawley at Mohawk.
Chrissy And Hawley at Mohawk.
Anna Meredith at Esther's Follies.
26 of 50  — Anna Meredith at Esther's Follies.
Anna Meredith at Esther's Follies.
Residente at Auditorium Shores.
27 of 50  — Residente at Auditorium Shores.
Residente at Auditorium Shores.
Five Eight at Valhalla.
28 of 50  — Five Eight at Valhalla.
Five Eight at Valhalla.
Garth Brooks at Auditorium Shores.
29 of 50  — Garth Brooks at Auditorium Shores.
Garth Brooks at Auditorium Shores.
Lisa Prank at La Cruxes.
30 of 50  — Lisa Prank at La Cruxes.
Lisa Prank at La Cruxes.
The Spook School.
31 of 50  — The Spook School.
The Spook School.
Gost at Elysium.
32 of 50  — Gost at Elysium.
Gost at Elysium.
Let's Eat Grandma at Latitude 30.
33 of 50  — Let's Eat Grandma at Latitude 30.
Let's Eat Grandma at Latitude 30.
Heck.
34 of 50  — Heck.
Heck.
Ratboys at Sidewinder.
35 of 50  — Ratboys at Sidewinder.
Ratboys at Sidewinder.
Tunde Olaniran at Sidewinder.
36 of 50  — Tunde Olaniran at Sidewinder.
Tunde Olaniran at Sidewinder.
Holly Macve.
37 of 50  — Holly Macve.
Holly Macve.
Jay Som at Cheer Up Charlies.
38 of 50  — Jay Som at Cheer Up Charlies.
Jay Som at Cheer Up Charlies.
Merchandise at Cheer Up Charlies.
39 of 50  — Merchandise at Cheer Up Charlies.
Merchandise at Cheer Up Charlies.
Phoebe Bridgers at Central Presbyterian Church.
40 of 50  — Phoebe Bridgers at Central Presbyterian Church.
Phoebe Bridgers at Central Presbyterian Church.
Suzanne Ciani at Cheer Up Charlies.
41 of 50  — Suzanne Ciani at Cheer Up Charlies.
Suzanne Ciani at Cheer Up Charlies.
<p>Gaelynn Lea at Austin Downtown Hilton.</p><p></p>
42 of 50  — Gaelynn Lea at Austin Downtown Hilton.

Gaelynn Lea at Austin Downtown Hilton.

Real Estate at Empire.
43 of 50  — Real Estate at Empire.
Real Estate at Empire.
CHEW.
44 of 50  — CHEW.
CHEW.
Robyn Hitchcock.
45 of 50  — Robyn Hitchcock.
Robyn Hitchcock.
Snail Mail.
46 of 50  — Snail Mail.
Snail Mail.
The Districts at Parish.
47 of 50  — The Districts at Parish.
The Districts at Parish.
Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra at Maggie Mae's.
48 of 50  — Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra at Maggie Mae's.
Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra at Maggie Mae's.
<p>Calliope Musicals at Maggie Mae's. </p><p></p>
49 of 50  — Calliope Musicals at Maggie Mae's.

Calliope Musicals at Maggie Mae's.

Youth Code at Elysium.
50 of 50  — Youth Code at Elysium.
Youth Code at Elysium.

We stayed up late, damaged our ear sockets and gave into the ecstasy of live music at SXSW: Diet Cig, Lizzo, Moor Mother, Sleigh Bells, S U R V I V E, Anna Meredith, Weezer, The Revolution's Prince tribute — even Garth Brooks. Here are 50 photos from the festival shot by Adam Kissick, with a few by our own Bob Boilen.

For live sets, dispatches from our South X Lullaby series filmed after midnight and day-to-day recaps, check out the SXSW archive.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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Lars Gotrich
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