After somersaulting through a shallow puddle, the lead singer of Osaka's Vampillia stared intently at a nearby taco truck. As his band plowed through a noisy, violin-assisted song on the third afternoon of the South By Southwest (SXSW) Music Conference And Festival, he scaled the vehicle and screamed from the roof. The crowd cheered as he danced, all while dressed in tights patterned after the human muscular system. His stunt grabbed the attention of many people walking by the venue.
"Attention" has become the key word at SXSW, one of the biggest music industry meetups in the world, annually held in Austin, Texas. The classic mission of SXSW goes like this: The five-day music portion of the event offers industry types and everyday fans a chance to take in hundreds of acts and hopefully discover some new favorites. Everything from pizza parlors to bridges become ad hoc live houses. This is the environment many Japanese acts — along with the flagship event Japan Nite — anticipate every year.
In 2014, though, this description is pure nostalgia. SXSW has become a loud, buzz-filled gathering in which music labels attempt to out-shout one another . . . and then scream over dozens of deep-pocketed brands also vying for attention. Rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z performed a much-hyped show sponsored by Samsung. Fortresslike venues backed by Converse Sneakers and music-streaming service Spotify boasted long lines. Lady Gaga was SXSW's keynote speaker, and played a set brought to you by Doritos snack chips.