THE US music industry showcase and festival which takes place annually place in Austin, Texas was hit by cancellations this year as bands and artists protested at the sponsorship of the event by the US Army and the festival’s partnership with private defence contractor RTX, which supplies weapons and logistics to the Israeli Defence Force.
The prestigious South By South West (SXSW) event took place from March 6-16. The event draws hundreds of thousands of music fans from across the globe to Austin for showcase gigs, premieres of new and upcoming bands, films, exhibitions and “meet and greet” events for music fans and the US music industry.
Over 30 bands and artists, including Buffalo Nichols, Subsonic Eye, Birthday Girl, Groa, Winona Forever, and Little Marzan, pulled out. Tetchy, Discovery Zone, Lady Apple Tree, Allegra Krieger, Jess Cornelius, Lip Critic, Godcaster, Lucia Beyond, Sarah Morrison, Tomato Flower, Gold Dime and Vera-Ellen also pulled out.
