In 2017, The Washington Post described South by Southwest (SXSW) as “an all-purpose destination for culture mavens eager to be early adopters in everything from music, cinema, and technology to politics and health.” As a digital music platform, we believe it’s important to stay ahead of trends in music and tech – so, of course we had to get in on the action at this year’s conference.

SXSW 2018 wrapped up in Austin, Texas after 10 days of workshops, music, art, film screenings, exhibitions and networking. BPM Supreme’s Raj Thomas was there to witness it and report back. Check out what he had to say about his first time at SXSW and some advice if you’re planning to attend in the future.

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“SXSW was an amazing experience this year. It was my first SXSW and I must say it is a completely different beast than a traditional trade show. I can imagine that Downtown Austin is always alive with entertainment, music, and nightlife, but when SXSW comes through, it’s a whole different level of crazy.

To start, there are tons of panels going on all day at two main locations: the Austin Convention Center and the JW Marriott Austin. But what I didn’t realize is that there are tons of events happening outside of the convention center as well.

Numerous times, I’d be attending a panel at the Convention Center or checking out cool products and tech inside the conference, only to find that I missed out on something else interesting at an off-site location. I quickly had to accept that I couldn’t be everywhere at once and needed to strategically plan out my days.

That being said, I had the chance to attend some really cool events. Some of my personal highlights included attending the BPM Supreme-sponsored event at Scratch House, catching an impromptu performance by Too Short at a rooftop bar, meeting rap legend, Trae Da Truth, and watching San Diego-born rapper, Rob Stone kill a live performance with help from his DJ/hype man Bar1ne.

Another thing I really enjoy at any event is meeting new people and DJs, as well as running into DJs I already know who use BPM Supreme. It’s great getting to know them and getting feedback on our platform straight from the actual users.

Over the weekend, BPM Supreme held a DJ and artist showcase at the Scratch House. We got to see performances by Prismo, Christopher Monroe, Grime Tribe, Black Mic, DJ Dom Geeze and DJ Ghost – all did a wonderful job.

Hip-hop acts also took to the stage, including new artists from Priority Records and San Diego’s own Biggie Babylon and JF. A surprise performance by Talib Kweli’s artists, Triiibe333 and Speed Walton, was amazing too!

Overall, attending SXSW was a great experience and I think it’s a great move for anyone involved in the music, tech or entertainment industries. If you plan to attend SXSW 2019, here are a few notes of advice:

• Buy your SXSW ticket early and keep in mind that the ticket price will increase as the event gets closer.
• Book your hotel or Airbnb accommodations at least 4 weeks in advance. Otherwise, you’ll be paying way more than necessary and may not be in your desired area.  
• You can’t catch everything and you will miss stuff, so don’t bother stressing over it! Plan out your priorities and don’t try to take on too much.
• The SXSW Music Pass is worth purchasing. It will get you into on-site and off-site events for free and in most cases, you’ll be able to skip lines or have priority over non-pass holding attendees.  
• Take traffic into consideration when you’re planning travel time. There will be traffic! Don’t dare try to drive there yourself – leave your car at the hotel and be patient/nice to your Uber drivers!

Thanks for reading and hopefully see you next year at SXSW!”

Have you ever been to SXSW, and if so did you find it was helpful to your career? Let us know if you have any advice or a cool story. We want to hear from you!