{"id":211627,"date":"2026-03-19T16:46:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T16:46:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/211627\/"},"modified":"2026-03-19T16:46:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T16:46:09","slug":"best-worst-sxsw-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/211627\/","title":{"rendered":"Best & Worst: SXSW 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most Incredible Voice: Alanis Morissette<\/p>\n

You oughta know that this \u201990s icon has still got it in spades. So powerful is her voice that one of her trademark moves is pulling away or turning to the side as she belts out classics like \u201cOne Hand In My Pocket\u201d and \u201cIronic.\u201d Lines wrapped around the block for this Spotify event, which served as a 20th anniversary party for the streaming juggernaut. Morissette spent the evening dishing out unflinching political barbs between songs before having St. Vincent join her on stage for an incredible performance of scorned-lover anthem \u201cYou Oughta Know.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"\"Alanis Morissette. Photo by Bryan C. Parker.<\/p>\n

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Most Frustrating: Disjointed Layout<\/p>\n

To be fair, we all knew the situation going into it, and SXSW certainly never asked for its home base (the convention center) to be demolished. Still, navigating the festival proved more difficult than ever with venues from the north part of Congress to East Austin to the Rivian Roadhouse across the bridge. Austin growth has made it into a place that\u2019s nearly impossible to traverse during afternoon hours, whether via personal car, Waymo, or Uber. It\u2019s no longer easy to just pop from one thing to the next downtown, and that has dramatically altered the character of the fest.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Best Immersive Activation: Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man\u2019s Garrison Pub<\/p>\n

For all the forgettable pop-ups that have breezed through SXSW over the years with cheap gimmicks, this Peaky Blinders\u2013inspired locale was a masterclass in how to make an impression. Transforming a downtown event space into The Garrison, Netflix made the venue look and felt like a real pub replete with vintage seating as well as free cocktails, old-time photos, tattoos, and even haircuts from barbers. Oh, and did we mention Barry Keoghan<\/a> stopped by?<\/p>\n

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\"\"Austin, Texas \u2013 March 12: at the SXSW SORT ME during the 2026 SXSW Conference and Festivals at on March 12, 2026 in Austin, Texas. Photo by Andy Wenstrand.<\/p>\n

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Most Fun Celebrity Surprise: John Goodman<\/p>\n

You never know where a star might pop up during the annual festival\u2014or what they might be doing. Those looking to grab a bite at a food truck got a most welcome shock on Friday as actor John Goodman fed hungry fans from a Blake\u2019s Junior truck. In town for the world premiere of his new film, Chili Finger, the actor donned an apron and hat to serve guests chili with a side of selfies.<\/p>\n

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Best Daytime Hangout: Rivian Electric Roadhouse<\/p>\n

Checklist for a solid SXSW day party: great tunes, ample space, free beer. Perhaps we should expect nothing less from the festival\u2019s presenting sponsor, but we still found ourselves impressed with Rivian\u2019s presence. With some snacks to graze on and a huge stage with a great sound system, the event felt borrowed from SXSW iterations of yore. By partnering with local radio station KUTX to bring in some of Austin\u2019s best artists (Next of Kin, we\u2019re looking in your direction) and serving up cold brews free of charge, the electric vehicle brand did everything right this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\"\"Okan at Rivian Electric Roadhouse. Photo by Bryan C. Parker.<\/p>\n

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Most Refreshing Bash: Jos\u00e9 Andr\u00e9s Paella Party<\/p>\n

Considering the pedigree of its award-winning and Michelin-starred chefs\u2014not to mention its mega-famous host\u2014 Jos\u00e9 Andr\u00e9s\u2019 paella bash could have been a stuffy, ultra-competitive affair. Instead, chefs Evan LeRoy (LeRoy & Lewis), Sarah McIntosh (\u00c9picerie), Edgar Rico (Nixta), and Jorge Luis Hern\u00e1ndez (Nicosi) served up clever, mouthwatering versions of the Spanish favorite, with ingredients from crawfish to barbecue to squid ink. The vibe was jovial and creative, and the audience got to sample each paella variety for themselves. Though the weather was uncharacteristically chilly, guest left the outdoor bash feeling warm and fuzzy.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

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Best Unofficial Party: Lone Star Roadhouse<\/p>\n

There\u2019s always plenty of places to have fun that don\u2019t require a SXSW badge. This year, the best spot for that was the Lone Star Roadhouse. With four days of fantastic live music from artists like Emily Nenni and Rattlesnake Milk, and a locale that didn\u2019t require battling downtown traffic, this was the perfect balance of exciting happening and chill respite. We give a Texas-sized hat tip to our pals at the iconic beer brand.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Best Honorary Texan: Ella Langley<\/p>\n

She may hail from Alabama and reside in Tennessee, but country star Ella Langley fits right in here in the Lone Star State. And it\u2019s not just her charming southern drawl. With a Billboard No. 1 hit under her oversized belt buckle, the singer turned Spotify\u2019s showcase at Stubb\u2019s into a choral singalong for crowd-pleasers like \u201cYou Look Like You Love Me\u201d and \u201cChoosin\u2019 Texas.\u201d She feels poised for mega-stardom, especially with her fame at an all-time high even before a new album arrives on April 10.<\/p>\n

\"\"Ella Langley. Photo by Bryan C. Parker.<\/p>\n

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Cutest Viral Moment: Kid Rapping at BigXthaPlug<\/p>\n

Dallas rapper BigXthaPlug wasn\u2019t a lone star when he hit the Rolling Stone Future of Music showcase on Saturday: The crowd absolutely lost it when the rapper brought a kid up on stage to flawlessly rap alongside him as the duo sang his hit song \u201cTexas.\u201d Here\u2019s hoping we see this youngster on the mic again soon.<\/p>\n

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Best Upgrade: Radio Day Stage at Downright<\/p>\n

For years, this stage has boasted some of the best acts of the fest, as organizers platformed quality talent in a place easy to access for attendees in the convention center. However, the ballroom always felt not quite rock \u2018n\u2019 roll enough to be cool. With the building gone, the stage relocated to the backyard at the Downright Hotel, in close proximity to Mohawk and Stubb\u2019s. That alignment with the heart of the live music district lent a little more panache to great acts like Okan, Morgan, Radium Dolls, and La Texana.<\/p>\n

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\"\"Grace Sorensen at the Radio Day Stage. Photo by Bryan C. Parker.<\/p>\n

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Best Collaboration: SXSW and Luck Reunion\u2019s Ram Jam<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve said before that Willie Nelson\u2019s Luck Reunion has consistently gained ground on SXSW as the music event to attend in March. That\u2019s true again this year, and SXSW made a prudent decision to bring Luck in as the curator for a fantastic showcase on the final night of the fest. Prolific country troubadour Charley Crockett headlined Stubb\u2019s, delivering a set chock-full of bangers, including a few from yet another new album, Age of the Ram, due out next month.<\/p>\n

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Biggest Rising Star: Lola Young<\/p>\n

The fact that Rolling Stone\u2019s parent company, PMC, now owns controlling shares in SXSW allows the lauded music mag enormous latitude for how they activate at the festival. The good news is that they\u2019ve made excellent use of that privilege in recent years. This year\u2019s Future of Music showcase featured impressive diversity of genres spanning pop, rock, latin fusion, and hip-hop. Kicking off the festivities, UK singer Lola Young performed a standout set with hit songs like the uber-viral \u201cMessy\u201d and \u201cDealer\u201d to a packed ACL Live at the Moody Theater. Since a scary moment last September when she collapsed on stage in New York, the singer has made a triumphant comeback and is set to be the next big thing.<\/p>\n

\"\"Lola Young. Photo by Bryan C. Parker.<\/p>\n

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Most Perplexing: Lopsided Scheduling<\/p>\n

We all knew that SXSW was shrinking from 10 days to seven, but it felt more like it was going all the way down to four. Most of the major events, parties, and activations took place between Thursday and Sunday, making the following week feel underdeveloped. Those few events that did utilize those remaining three days found themselves with less competition, and it would be great to see brands spread out a little more next year to allow participants more opportunity to engage.<\/p>\n

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