Latest news with #SXSW
The Guardian
7 hours ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Can South by Southwest's London debut recreate Austin's star-making power?
South by Southwest London could become a launchpad for 'music's global superstars of the future', according to the organisers of the event, which starts its inaugural edition on Monday. SXSW London's director of programming, Katy Arnander, and the event's managing director, Randel Bryan said that despite huge competition in the capital, the event, which has been billed as 'Olympics of the mind' and is known as SXSW, could become a star-maker. 'We had Amy Winehouse playing in tiny venues back in the day,' says Bryan, referring to the Austin event. 'We've had Adele and Ed Sheeran, and we're hoping that South by Southwest in London is the same platform to really launch the global superstars of the future.' The original event, which launched in the Texas capital of Austin in 1987, has grown to a London-wide festival that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city in March. A mix of cutting-edge music, tech, talks from business and political figures and a film strand, previous guests to the event including Barack and Michelle Obama, Johnny Cash, Matthew McConaughey, Kelly Rowland, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. The London event has been welcomed with open arms by everyone from music figures to the city's mayor, Sadiq Khan, who said he was 'delighted' to have SXSW in London, where it will take over multiple venues in Shoreditch in the east of the city. But launching in London is a risk. When SXSW is in the Texas capital, it takes over the city's downtown area – a feat that's impossible in London. The UK's capital is not Austin, which is a big city but without the myriad cultural offerings of London. On the music front, nearby Brighton's Great Escape has long been billed as the UK's answer to SXSW, while this summer season is packed with park festivals that started last weekend at Brockwell Park despite a row over use of public space. Events such as Intelligence Squared already offer access to the great minds of our time, and the London film festival brings in talent from all over the world. So what does SXSW London offer? 'We really do believe that it's truly unique in the ability to combine creativity with technology and bring some of the greatest thought leaders together on a platform,' says Arnander, who previously worked at the Barbican and Sadler's Wells. 'And so in that sense, we think it's something truly remarkable to bring to the UK.' 'Austin is very music focused, but we're sort of broadening it out and introducing other elements to it,' adds Arnander, highlighting the visual arts programme that features Alvaro Barrington. In the 2000s and 2010s, the Austin event became known as a key launchpad for musical talent, particularly British artists, who went to Texas and came back after planting a flag in the notoriously difficult to break American market. Amy Winehouse, Dua Lipa, Skepta and Stormzy all made waves in Austin, but over recent years, that kingmaker status has faltered. Last year, more than 80 artists withdrew from the 2024 edition in support of Palestine after Israel's invasion of Gaza, citing SXSW's ties to the US army and the defence contractor RTX Corporation. Sign up to The Guide Get our weekly pop culture email, free in your inbox every Friday after newsletter promotion The US army was listed as a 'super sponsor' of the 2024 festival, and SXSW initially defended the partnership, while also supporting the boycotting artists. SXSW said it defended the artists' right to free speech but added that the 'defense industry has historically been a proving ground for many of the systems we rely on today'. In June 2024, the festival ended its US army partnership after the backlash. When asked if the row had affected bookings, Arnander said: 'No, just to be clear, we're quite independent from Austin, and while Austin had sponsorship from the US army, we don't have any such sponsorship.' The UK and US events are owned by different companies. London's musical offering has some big names: Afrobeats star Tems is playing a show at the Troxy, Wyclef Jean is in town, while Erykah Badu was a late addition to the lineup. Mabel is another highlight. But compared with the US event's usual musical lineup – where Drake, Lana Del Rey, John Legend or Iggy Pop might show up – London's first edition feels underpowered. SXSW London's talks programme is where most of the star wattage is found. The CEO of Google's AI laboratory DeepMind, Demis Hassabis, is over for a chat about artificial intelligence; Hollywood spiritual guru Deepak Chopra imparts wisdom; while the former Arsenal star Cesc Fàbregas discusses the rise of Como, the Italian side he manages. Fitness influencer Joe Wicks will give his thoughts on integrating fitness into office life (working meetings, apparently), while actor Idris Elba talks about creativity and comedian Katherine Ryan discusses immortality. The US event also evolved to include film programming, alongside the traditional tech, talks and music. SXSW London will take over the Barbican, hosting premieres of Eminem's fan documentary Stans and Tom Kingsley's comedy Deep Cover starring Bryce Dallas Howard and Orlando Bloom, while there's a retrospective for British film-maker Jenn Nkiru at Christ Church in Spitalfields.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
John Fogerty Celebrated His 80th Birthday With Cake, Confetti, and Loads of CCR Classics
John Fogerty could have celebrated his 80th birthday with a quiet family meal at home or a private party with his closest friends. Instead, he gathered nearly 3,000 people in New York's Beacon Theater, took the stage alongside his longtime band — which includes his sons Shane Fogerty and Tyler Fogerty — and played an explosive set of Creedence classics and solo hits that showcased a level of energy, vocal power, and swagger few of rock's octogenarians outside of Mick Jagger can muster. Before the show even started, Fogerty appeared on a large screen and addressed the crowd. 'It's been quite a journey to get to this big eight-oh,' he said. 'Thank you for coming along on this journey with me. I appreciate each and every one of you, every little dip and turn in the such an honor to have people know all your words. Thank you for singing these songs all these years. I just really love performing live with my sons in this band, especially as they grow into adulthood and become really good. That sense of joy about making music is really real.' More from Rolling Stone John Fogerty Is Re-Recording Creedence Classics. We Asked Him Why Bruce Springsteen Jams With John Fogerty, Tom Morello, Smokey Robinson at American Music Honors The Best of SXSW Day One: John Fogerty, Case Oats, Gloin, and More He proved that by walking out onto a riser stationed between two bright, billowing smoke machines, and kicking into 'Proud Mary' as confetti rained down on the audience. He followed it with 'Up Around the Bend,' 'Green River,' 'Born on the Bayou,' 'Who'll Stop the Rain,' and 'Lookin' Out My Back Door.' Like the vast majority of the Creedence Clearwater Revival catalog, these songs came out in a little sliver of time between 1968 and 1970 when Fogerty somehow wrote a significant chapter of the Great American Songbook entirely by himself. This golden period was followed by many dark years where the bitter breakup of the band and a nasty spat with his former label head caused Fogerty to turn away from the Creedence legacy. When he finally launched a solo tour in 1986, he disappointed crowds all across America by refusing to perform even a single CCR song. He wouldn't relent until 1997, a quarter of a century after the band split. By that point, the Creedence rhythm section of Doug Clifford and Stu Cook had recruited a new singer and were touring under the banner Creedence Clearwater Revisited. But Clifford and Cook quietly dissolved their band in 2020. Two of their former compatriots, guitarist Kurt Griffey and vocalist Dan McGuinness, have attempted to keep the CCR flag flying by booking shows as Revisiting Creedence, but they are essentially a tribute band to a tribute band. That means Fogerty is now the only authentic member of the band keeping the music alive. He bills many of his shows today as 'John Fogerty Celebrates His Songs From Creedence Clearwater Revival,' just so there's no confusion about who created this music. But the 80th birthday show at the Beacon wasn't merely a Creedence retrospective. Midway through, he broke out his 1997 solo cut 'Joy Of My Life.' It's a tribute to his wife, Julie, who was parked on the side of the stage all night, beaming with joy. 'Julie is the one,' he told the crowd. She is the rock in our family. I wouldn't even be standing here if it wasn't for Julie. We recently celebrated our 34th wedding anniversary. Somewhere along the way, I wrote this song for her.' Later in the night, he also revisited his Eighties solo hits 'Centerfield' and 'The Old Man Down the Road.' Vintage baseball cards flashed on the screen during the former, and Fogerty's daughter Kelsy came out for a brief guitar jam with her brothers on the latter. The man set wrapped up with a fiery 'Fortunate Son' as fake dollar bills fell down from the rafters. Before the encore, Fogerty sat down in a folding chair and told the crowd about his upcoming LP, Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years. (For much more on that, check out David Browne's recent interview with Fogerty.) The crew then wheeled out a birthday cake, but Fogerty had no time to cut a slice for himself or anyone else. He instead wrapped up the show by ripping through 'Travelin' Band,' 'Bad Moon Rising,' and a quick repose of 'Proud Mary,' taking the night full circle. The 80th birthday celebration continues Thursday night with an encore show at the Beacon before heading over to Europe in June and July for a run of festival dates, including Glastonbury. The last show on the books is stop at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Quincy, Massachusetts, on August 3rd for a special event commemorating the 400th anniversary of the town. But there's every reason to believe Fogerty will keep touring for the foreseeable future. A 90th birthday concert in 2035 may seem like a distant dream, but there's little reason to think it won't happen, considering how oddly vital he remains as he kicks off his eighties. Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
Time Out
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
SXSW London 2025: tickets, lineup, timings and everything you need to know
Hundreds of people from the worlds of tech, music and culture will be descending on Shoreditch in a matter of days. Film makers, musicians, entrepreneurs, journalists, sports stars, actors, influencers – you name it, they'll probably be at London's inaugural South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival. SXSW in Austin, Texas has been a major event in the global cultural calendar for nearly 40 years, hosting the likes of Michelle Obama, Mark Zuckerberg, Billie Eilish and Steven Spielberg, and debuting of some of Hollywood's biggest films, like Bridesmaids and 21 Jump Street. Now the legendary festival coming to London for it's first ever European edition. Whether you've already got your hands on tickets or tempted to make last minute plans. Here's everything you need to know about SXSW London 2025. When and where is SXSW London 2025? London's debut SXSW festival is happening across 28 venues in Shoreditch from June 2 to June 7, 2025. Lineup There are quite literally hundreds of talks, panels, film screenings and music performances lined up for SXSW London 2025. Here's an overview of who and what to expect. Speakers Among the names taking part in the more than 420 talks and panels are actor Idris Elba, comedian Katherine Ryan, drag queen Bimini, ABBA's Bjorn Ulvaeus, athlete Dina Asher Smith, football legend Ian Wright, conservationist Jane Goodall, presenter and business owner (and recent Time Out cover star) Jamie Laing, singer Maisie Peters, actress Sophie Turner and environmentalist Caroline Lucas, plus CEOs of of massive global companies like OnlyFans, Monzo and Twitch. See everyone speaking at SXSW London here. Music On the music side of things, headline performers include Erykah Badu (performing as DJ Lo Down Loretta Brown), Tems and Mabel. Other exciting names on the lineup include Uncle Junior, PA Salieu, TWST and Jasmine 4.t. Browse the full list here. Film screenings The film festival part of SXSW will feature 250 film screenings. It'll open with the world premiere of Eminem's documentary film 'Stans' on June 2 and close with Mike Flanagan's latest project 'The Life of Chuck', starring Tom Hiddleston, on June 7. More film highlights highlights include Tom Kingsley's heist comedy 'Deep Cover', an intimate documentary following author, model and trans activist Munroe Bergdorf, the UK premiere of 'What It Feels Like For A Girl' and the world premiere of the latest Stephen King film adaptation 'The Institute'. Explore the entire screenings programme here. How to attend SXSW 2025 in London There are several different ways you can attend SXSW London. If you're only interested in the music performances, single day tickets cost just £25, or you can buy a three day wristband for £65 or a six day wristband for £99. A full six day music pass that gives you access to music performances, events, mentoring, workshops and music-focused conference talks in £650. The screen equivalent will also set you back £650. A three day festival pass, giving you full conference access and secondary access to music and screen events is £595 while a conference pass for all six days is £1,000. For full access to everything going on at the festival, you can splash on on a platinum pass for £1,300. Are there any tickets left? Yep! There's still time to pick up a pass of your choice here. As long as tickets are still, they'll continue to be sold online throughout the event. Venues Here's a full list of the 28 east London venues taking part in SXSW London 2025: 93 Feet East Art of Supercell Barbican Centre Bike Shed Moto Co Brick Lane Tap Room Canva Co-Lab Christ Church Spitalfields Civo Tech Junction Colours Hoxton Curzon Hoxton Devonshire Square Drake and Morgan Dream Factory Chance Street Fora Folgate Street, Montacute Yards, Princelet Street and the Black and White Building Hoxton Hall Hoxton Square Jaguar Shoes Juju's Bar Climate and Nature House by Bellwethers Nicholls and Clarke Ninety One Living Room One Hundred Shoreditch Protein Studios Rich Mix Rooftop - 50 Finsbury Square Sadu House at Kachette Shoreditch Church Shoredich Electric Shoreditch Town Hall Spitalfields The Hoxton The Old Blue Last The White Rabbit Shoreditch Troxy Truman Brewery Village Underground XOYO Timings The festival kicks off each day from as early as 8.15am, with the last events of the day ending at around 2am. The final festival event on Saturday, June 7 is scheduled to finish at 11.59pm. Where to pick up wristbands The badge and wristband collection point will be stationed at Shoreditch Studios on Bateman's Row. You can collect yours from 12pm on Monday, June 2.
Time Out
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
London travel disruption this weekend: full list of tube and train closures for May 29-June 1
We've reached yet another weekend, and yet another brand new month. As June rolls in this Sunday, we're sure you've got loads of plans to ring in the summer month in style. We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but there are some TfL train and tube disruptions you should be aware of before you head off on your adventures. If you're still on the lookout for activities to make the most of Saturday and Sunday, you're lucky to be in the country's biggest (and, we think, best) city. The film and media festival SXSW is making its London debut in Shoreditch, Imelda Staunton is currently on a West End stage, and there's an entire exhibition dedicated to sound taking place at the Barbican – basically, you're spoiled for choice. Here's all the planned disruptions on the tube and trains in the capital for this weekend. As always, there may be delays or cancellations which happen last minute, so it's always a good idea to double check TfL's website or app before you travel. Circle line The entire Circle line will be out of action for one day only on Saturday May 31 until 4pm, when it will resume service as normal. District Line The District line will also be entirely closed on Saturday May 31 until 11am. There will be a replacement bus service, and Piccadilly line trains will also make a call at Turnham Green while the disruption is ongoing. DLR On Saturday May 31 and Sunday June 1, the DLR will be shut between Beckton and Prince Regent all day long. Replacement buses will run between Prince Regent and Gallions Reach, making stops in Royal Albert, Beckton Park, Cyprus and Beckton. Hammersmith and City line Like the District line, the entire Hammersmith and City line will be closed until 11am on Saturday May 31. Once it opens back up, service will remain halted between Edgware Road and Moorgate until 4pm. Jubilee line The entire Jubilee line will also be closed until 11am on Saturday May 31 . For the rest of Saturday and all of Sunday June 1, it will be part-closed between Waterloo and Stanmore – this includes the night tube on Saturday and early Sunday. Metropolitan line Parts of the Metropolitan line will be closed on both Saturday May 31 and Sunday June 1. There will be no trains between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Uxbridge before 4pm on Saturday. TfL directs those affected to the Piccadilly line where you'll be able to access stations between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge. There'll be no service between Aldgate and Watford at all on Saturday or Sunday. During this period, you'll still be able to catch a train between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Amersham/Chesham, although the service will be non-stop between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Moor park. Waterloo and City As always, the Waterloo and City line will be closed this weekend, resuming service at 6am on Monday. Overground Mildmay line A planned closure will mean that there is no service between Camden Road and Stratford on the Mildmay line on Saturday May 31 and Sunday June 1. The line is further disrupted by a reduced service between Willesden Junction and Camden Road – trains between these stations will only run once every 15 minutes on Saturday and Sunday. It's also worth noting that on Sunday morning, the first train from Gospel Oak, at 9.15am, to Camden Road will instead run from Shepherd's Bush. The next train, at 9.27am, will run as normal, so TFL advises those affected to wait for that. Windrush There will be a part-closure on the Windrush line between Surrey Quays and Clapham Junction all day Saturday May 31 and Sunday June 1. A replacement bus service, which runs from Canada Water to Clapham Junction via Surrey Quays, Queens Road Peckham, Peckham Rye, Denmark Hill, Clapham High Street and Wandsworth Road, will be available.
Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Times
12 things to see at this year's SXSW London festival
I n the first week of June, the world's largest arts, music and innovation festival, SXSW, will make its UK debut in London. Bringing together creatives and tech innovators, the European meet-up will host conference talks, screenings and music performances with an eclectic lineup that includes A-list actors, award-winning songwriters, Premier League footballers and new-age meditation gurus. From headline acts to leftfield oddities, here's who to try and catch at this year's festival. The actor, producer, DJ and campaigner Idris Elba is leading a future-gazing talk at the Truman Brewery on the theme of creativity as capital for change. The Luther star will be joined by a panel of special guests to discuss how music and art can challenge injustice, plus how we can unlock new economic models for global creators to sustain their work financially. June 4, 4.45-5.30pm, Truman Brewery
