Avan Lava performs on Saturday night at Cheer Up Charlie's during the 2015 South by Southwest music festival.
South by Southwest 2015 has wrapped up, and NPR Music's team in Austin has once again begun to scatter across the United States. For some of us, these five days were amazing and exhausting in equal measure — Stephen Thompson counted 76 bands he saw and sorely needs to rest his feet — while others — really just Bob Boilen — could keep going forever.
As Bob says in the podcast at the top of this page, the festival itself may have been pleasantly subdued compared to years past — blame the rain or a reduction in corporate advertising — but we still came away with plenty to share. Start with the photos below; watch video of our concerts by Courtney Barnett and Boogie, from Stubb's; see what rituals musicians like Jack Antonoff of Bleachers and Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee observe while in Austin; see some GIFs made by the great photographer Adam Kissick; listen to the nightly All Songs Considered podcasts (from Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) and wrap things up with a series of lullabies performed on the streets of Austin by solo musicians in the wee hours of the night, when the city quieted down. Is it too early to say we can't wait for next year?
Photos
Tuesday
Day One DIY: Musicians load equipment in East Austin.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Angel Olsen plays at The Mohawk.
Bob Boilen / NPR
The Korean DJ and producer Hitchhiker plays (in an amazing reflective suit) at Highland.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
The Irish singer SOAK performs at End of an Ear Records.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Wednesday
The lineup for NPR Music's SXSW showcase at Stubb's BBQ in Austin.
/ Lizzie Chen for NPR
SXSW attendees waits for the NPR Music Showcase at Stubb's BBQ.
/ Lizzie Chen for NPR
TV On The Radio played a powerful, career-spanning set, including songs from its excellent new album, Seeds, to close out NPR Music's showcase at Stubb's.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
TV On The Radio at Stubb's
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Stromae and company, in matching cardigans at Stubb's.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Call ...
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
... and response.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Courtney Barnett plays songs from her album, Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit at Stubb's.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Shamir with band mates at Stubb's during NPR Music's showcase on Wednesday.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Boogie, on stage at Stubb's during NPR Music's SXSW showcase.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Mackenzie Scott of Torres played songs from her upcoming album Sprinter at The Mohawk
Bob Boilen / NPR
L.A.'s Girlpool performs at Cheer Up Charlie's.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Hinds, from Madrid, Spain, performs at Cheer Up Charlie's on Wednesday.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
The Dublin-based quartet Girl Band plays at The Fader Fort on Wednesday.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Most vertical hair: Pianos Become The Teeth at Gypsy Lounge.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Iceage at Gypsy Lounge on Wednesday.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Thursday
Skepta performs at The Fader Fort on Thursday.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Tanya Tagaq performs at Flamingo Cantina.
Bob Boilen / NPR
Eyes on the Shore on a bike.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Vebjørn Guttormsgaard Møllberg of the the Oslo band Haust, playing a late-morning set at the outdoor venue Cedar Street Courtyard.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Friday
Laura Marling plays at St. David's Episcopal Church.
Bob Boilen / NPR
Marissa Paternoster of Screaming Females rocks out at Stubb's on Friday.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Swedish rock band Indevotion performs at Cedar Street Courtyard.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Festivalgoers wait in the rain outside The Fader Fort at SXSW on Friday.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Vockah Redu, from New Orleans, plays at the Volstead Lounge.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Saturday
Ceremony performs at Gypsy Lounge on Saturday.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Two guys, not so into the Ceremony show.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
John Dwyer of Thee Oh Sees at The Mohawk on Saturday.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
The Blind Shake gets airborne at The Mohawk.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Pete Koller of the long-running New York hardcore band Sick of It All at Gypsy Lounge on Saturday.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
The crowd for Sick of It All at Gypsy Lounge.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
Avan Lava at Cheer Up Charlie's on Saturday.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
PC Music's A.G. Cook performs at the Hype Hotel on Saturday.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
PC Music's Sophie performs at Hype Hotel on Saturday.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
QT, during a performance at Red Eyed Fly on Saturday.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
The Lees of Memory performs at Red 7 on Saturday.
/ Adam Kissick for NPR
South X Lullaby: Torres
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