Raoul Hernandez

Mar 20, 2025 | austinchronicle.com | Derek Udensi |Carys Anderson |Raoul Hernandez |Kimberley Jones

Your guide to the week in live sound Thursday 20, 29th Street Ballroom“Focusing euphoria out of chaos,” marveled the Chronicle during SXSW 2019, KOKOKO!’s Austin “debut felt like a tribal drum circle inside a futuristic nightclub.” Looking like Devo in yellow trashmat suits, the Kinshasa krewe from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital brandished shantytown instruments made out of junk and electrified into a hair-raising percussive clamor.

Mar 15, 2025 | austinchronicle.com | Miranda Garza |Raoul Hernandez |Derek Udensi

Rema You know South by Southwest is nearing its end when your main conversations with fellow folks on the ground focus on the weather. Yes, it’s hot; yes, we’re all tired; but Friday still (nearly) wrapped SX ‘25 with a hip-hop-heavy bang. Rolling Stone closed its Future of Music showcase with performances by Rema, Samara Cyn, Anycia (who the Chronicle caught up with before her set), and more, while Armand Hammer rapper billy woods performed down at the 13th Floor.

Mar 6, 2025 | austinchronicle.com | Raoul Hernandez

Being Dead In an age when the history of music streams for pennies and its soundtrack now filters through any willing artist, the 43rd annual Austin Music Awards represented its scene through all times Sunday night at Antone’s after reinventing itself completely and contemporarily starting in 2020.

Mar 6, 2025 | austinchronicle.com | Derek Udensi |Carys Anderson |Michael Toland |Raoul Hernandez

Friday 7 - Saturday 8, Chess ClubHotel Vegas owners Jason McNeely and Brian Tweedy, plus Flesh Lights singer/guitarist Max Vandever and Cliff White, plotted such a soft opening of Chess Club during South by Southwest 2022 that they only hesitantly confirmed it to the Chronicle. Three years later, the tiny, 100-something capacity venue at 617 Red River – formerly Plush – is one of this writer’s Downtown favorites.

Mar 6, 2025 | austinchronicle.com | Carys Anderson |Raoul Hernandez |Michael Toland

From rock to new age to Irish traditional, these are the incoming artists to see Over a thousand musicians from across the globe descend on Austin this week to perform for a slew of music fans and industry professionals alike. In a way, the official SXSW stamp of approval should be enough to convince you of every name’s merits, but all festival veterans know – there’s just too much to see.