South by Southwest is nearly over – the festival officially ends tomorrow. We’ve been seeing movies, going to parties, listening to music, and waiting in lines for days, y’all. The end of the fest has us sad, tired, and a little happy to spend a day on the couch. Before we lay down, here’s some of the City Cast Austin team’s favorite moments from this year:
Chelsea Cutler and Jeremy Zucker at Sips & Sounds. (Zoe Kuhlkin/City Cast)
“Sips & Sounds Music Festival, which is not an official SXSW event, was a delightful music festival held at Auditorium Shores with artists like Suki Waterhouse, Halsey, and Benson Boone. All of the artists put on amazing shows, but Khalid took the cake for me! As someone who was in high school when his album 'American Teen' came out, the nostalgia of this set really won me over. The food and drink were outrageously expensive (as to be expected), but the city views and warm weather made up for it!”
-Zoe Kuhlkin, City Cast Producer
“‘This is what SXSW is all about,’ I shrieked to my cousin from my perch in the middle of the backseat of a Rivian, as it careened over mounds of dirt in a downtown Austin parking lot that was empty when I ran past it last week. Yes, I was tipsy, thanks to the open bar at the nearby German Haus. But isn’t that when the truth comes out? As we tested the suspension in an all-electric SUV, it reminded me of all of the innovators, creatives, techies, and robots that SX warmly provides a platform to share their weirdness with the world during the interactive festival. I loved being a part of it this year, but truly, I’m just glad it didn’t rain on Rivian’s charade — that would have been a mess.”
-Eva Ruth Moravec, City Cast Austin Executive Producer
Nikki and friends at SXSW. (Nikki DaVaughn/City Cast Austin)
“My favorite part of South By was getting to see my friend's band Hobble. They only get together every few years to play and often it's for a free SXSW show. When they do play it brings out all my friends that don't come out often so it's like a friend reunion for one night. I LOVE it!”
-Nikki DaVaughn, City Cast Austin Host
“Every SXSW, celebrities tell reporters on the red carpet that the festival rules because of the audiences who come out to see movies. ‘SXSW has the best audiences,’ they’ll say. They’re not wrong! There’s something about a SXSW movie audience – they’re rowdy, they clap and cheer, and it’s just generally an exciting time. So, seeing ‘Drop’ this year was really, really fun. The movie stars Meghann Fahy as a single mom and survivor of domestic abuse who goes on her first date in a long time. While at dinner, she starts to receive threatening air drop messages. The movie is goofy, surprisingly funny, and truly thrilling. I loved cheering Meghann’s character on as she fought bad guys and gasping at surprises with the crowd. ”
-Kelsey Bradshaw, City Cast Austin Newsletter Editor
