Best of South by Southwest 2025

This year’s South by Southwest festival delivered nine days of nonstop entertainment and top-of-the-line music showcases. Here’s some of the best of the fest!

Written by Claire Hookstra

The Dumes

At 9:40 p.m. on March 10, Portland/Los Angeles-based rock band, The Dumes, mesmerized the crowd at the Mohawk Outdoor stage. A group of lifelong friends, The Dumes’ discography presents brutal honesty about the ever-changing world through dynamic punk rock tracks. Lead singer Elodie Tomlinson showcased her dynamic vocal range throughout the set, especially on the band’s latest single, “You’re a Letdown.” Accompanied by musicians Kyle Biane, Peter Recine, Liam McCormack, and Chris Dunn, Mohawk slowly filled as the booming set progressed. A shining part of the Take Action x SXSW showcase, The Dumes tested the limits of the venue’s speakers with each energetic, pulsating track.

Gurriers

Irish post-punk group Gurriers played its second SXSW show on Wednesday, March 12, at Monster Children’s showcase at Mohawk. Starting at midnight, the band brought a cryptic ambiance to the packed venue. Bright strobe lights illuminated the crowd as the band worked through powerful tracks such as “Des Goblin” and “Top of the Bill” from their 2024 album, Come And See. Leaning over the crowd, lead singer Dan Hoff’s intense vocals entranced the crowd during “Sign of the Times,” chanting “All of your favorite bands talk about feeling / Feeling, not feeling.” Throughout the set, punk rockers and newbies alike moshed to the bass-heavy tracks as the band wove through the crowd. At one point, the guitarist Ben O’Neil even climbed the stairs to party with the fans on the balcony. Bringing a piece of Irish punk to the Live Music Capital of the World, Gurriers left a lasting impression as its set concluded near 1 a.m.

Borderline

New Zealand’s own Borderline celebrated its first time in the States with a performance at SXSW. At 8 p.m. on March 14 at Speakeasy, the band took the stage for a 40-minute set. What began as an apprehensive crowd quickly transformed after the third song, “Going Home (Bitter),” lead singer Ben Glanfield urged the crowd to move up to the stage. Once the crowd timidly agreed, the energy in the room skyrocketed as the quartet played the unreleased “Mi Amor” for the lucky crowd, bopping their heads in indie-rock unison. Guitarist Matthew McFadden followed with a solo before drummer Jackson Boswell and bassist Max Harries rejoined for the groovy jam session. Ending the set with its new single, “When It’s Raining,” as Glanfield took to the keys to command the crowd’s attention one last time. Borderline may be returning to New Zealand, but they are guaranteed to bring a crowd the next time they visit Austin.

Ny Oh

Naomi Ludlow, known as Ny Oh, played the Crystal Room at the Driskill Hotel on Friday, March 14. Mesmerizing the crowd with her oscillating vocals and stunning instrumentation, the crowd packed into the small room, sitting on the floor and “getting comfy,” per her request. Joined by musicians Michael Mudderidge, Jordan West, and Wes Nelson, the Crystal Room became a cheerful space of love, light, and raw musical talent. The New Zealand artist played the enchanting track “Garden of Eden” as the crowd watched in silent awe. Grinning at the unified sways from the audience before her, Ny Oh showcased her unique vocal range in the chorus: “Singing I will not give up on love no / Even when it feels like I’m falling.” Running five minutes over the allotted time slot, the audience cheered as the SXSW crew allowed her to sing one last song, gaining the talent an overwhelming standing ovation.

Closing out the entire festival, John Summit drew a crowd of SXSW attendees and out-of-towners alike for his highly-anticipated DJ set on March 15. A packed Moody Amphitheater danced to the remixes of Jordana, including a remix of none other than “Beautiful Things” by Benson Boone. The set also featured the techno-based beats of Nala before the main act took the Billboard stage. With two openers setting the tone, by the time 9:45 p.m. rolled around the crowd was ready to be put under the illusion of Summit’s trippy backdrops and feel the vibrations of his famous house music. The ski-loving DJ gave a cheesy grin to the screaming audience as he pointed to the sky on his first of many beat-drops. Captivating the crowd with a remix of “Sweet Disposition” by The Temper Trap, the DJ jumped to the classic beat as the crowd sang along, “A moment / A love / A dream / Aloud,” into the blustery spring night.

Every year, South by Southwest is full of surprises. Artists jumpstart careers here and celebrate milestones. With every turn there’s a new sound to discover, a new band to follow, and a new face to network with. One can only imagine the impact of SXSW 2026, recently announced to be held on March 12-18.

Concert CoverageAfterglow ATXMarch 25, 2025claire hookstra