SXSW London - A collection of High Networth Individuals
Tom Ellis (TJEphotos/FEATS)
SXSW came to London for the first time earlier this month, and we managed to catch it all! The festival was split into three components - Film, Music & Conferences. However, despite the big-name backing and buzz, this inaugural SXSW London felt light on substance, struggling to live up to the creative energy of its Austin counterpart.
Expecting a world-class showcase of innovation and culture, given that scale, with a staggering 862 conference speakers, 500 music acts and borderline extortionate ticket prices. Instead, what we experienced was an event that often seemed like a gathering of VIPs and buzzwords with frustratingly little to offer regular attendees on the ground.
Speakers & Shallow Talks:
Tom Ellis (TJEphotos/FEATS)
SXSW conferences are famed for bold ideas, but in London the talks rarely went beyond superficial chatter. A huge proportion of panels and keynotes were dominated by AI hype – to the point where even lighthearted session titles like “Whose AI is it Anyway!” set the tone. We sat through keynote talks that felt more like PR pitches. With one commenter on Reddit saying “Half of the speeches where like ”we need to somehow include word ai agent into this” , and they ended up being without any meaningful information nor examples of any real usage of agents. ”
The lack of Q&A sessions and the short time slots of the panels seemed to be a large contributing factor to overall enthusiastic response to the panels.
A Music Line-Up with No Middle Ground:
Music is the soul of SXSW, but here the soul was hard to find. Yes, the festival boasted a few marquee names – the likes of Mabel and Tems & Alice Glass were touted as headliners.
Yet the vast majority of the 500 artists were virtually unknown newcomers, many with only a few hundred monthly listeners on streaming platforms. There was an awkward missing middle tier: hardly any mid-level or rising artists with a decent following to bridge the gap between local openers and the legends. Instead, attendees were presented with line-ups filled with names that even dedicated music fans struggled to recognize.
Without a doubt, SXSW London showcased some grassroots talent and a few hidden gems, but it failed to secure the kind of buzzy mid-range artists that generate excitement at a festival. The result was a musical program that felt flat: hardcore fans of these obscure acts enjoyed them, but casual attendees and industry folks looking for the “next big thing” were left shrugging. A festival that spans major genres and tastes needs that middle layer of recognized, up-and-coming talent – and on this front SXSW London dropped the ball.
Production quality didn’t help matters. Even when an artist delivered a solid performance, it was often undermined by patchy stage production and promotion. We witnessed frequent technical hiccups – microphones cutting out, long setup delays – and puzzling lighting design that left performers in darkness.
Promotionally, there was a sense that even the artists didn’t get the support they deserved: showcases were poorly advertised, and more than once we stumbled upon a great band playing to a half-empty room because few people even knew who or where they were. In short, the music component had energy, but lacked the infrastructure to turn that into a memorable festival experience.
Film Festival Fizzles (Except for One Premiere)
Louis Hitchcock (LouisHitchPhotos/FEATS)
The “Screen” portion of SXSW London was, unfortunately, just as underwhelming. Billed as a film festival, it ended up feeling like an afterthought. Aside from one notable event – the world premiere of “Victory,” a 25-minute music film and album launch by hip-hop legend Slick Rick featuring Idris Elba – there was very little buzz. Victory was an exciting crossover of music and cinema, and its screening with Slick Rick and Idris Elba in attendance drew a decent crowd (granted the vast majority of the crowd gained access through separately sold tickets). This short film, essentially Slick Rick’s first new album in 26 years presented as a visual experience, was arguably the film side’s highlight.
Louis Hitchcock (LouisHitchPhotos/FEATS)
It’s telling that the most talked-about “film” event was essentially a music-related project, underscoring how the London edition struggled to deliver a compelling film festival identity. For a festival priding itself on the combination of creative industries, the lack of noteworthy cinema content was a disappointment.
The disjointed conferences, poor scheduling & lack of organisation when it came to the film related panels didnt help either, we attempted to attend several key talks based around various areas of the film industry, but ultimately we either couldn’t attend due to lack of capacity, or it hit several conflicts with other events..
Logistical and PR Nightmares
If the content issues weren’t bad enough, SXSW London was plagued by major logistical failures and communication breakdowns. These ranged from minor annoyances to truly egregious mistakes that left attendees and media fuming. In summary, here are the most glaring failures we observed:
Chaotic scheduling and cancellations: The agenda felt like a moving target, with last-minute schedule changes and multiple dropouts. Several artists and speakers canceled on short notice, and attendees often found out only after arriving at a venue that the event was rescheduled or scrubbed. The constant shuffling made it nearly impossible to plan our days, breeding frustration among those who paid steep prices for passes.
Surprise political speakers kept secret: Incredibly, former Prime Ministers Tony Blair and David Cameron were slotted in for talks without any public announcement – not even the press knew until the last second. The festival quietly inserted them into panels (on healthcare and AI, respectively) and only a leaked program tipped people off. The decision to hide these controversial figures backfired spectacularly: a number of artists withdrew from the line-up in protest when it “emerged that former PMs Blair and Cameron had made unannounced appearances”, with a viral instagram post from @itslooroll describing the experience quite consistently “This has revealed deep structural failings within the business, resulting in the loss of trust in them as a feasible partner for minority artists”.
Royal visit with no media access: In a move that epitomizes style over substance, King Charles III paid a surprise visit to SXSW London – and almost no one knew about it. The monarch’s appearance was kept under wraps until the day of, presumably for security, but there was zero communication to on-site media. Most press were caught off guard and given no meaningful access or heads-up. Those already inside the venue suddenly saw the King, while others were left outside, confused. The result? A moment that could have been a PR win became a non-event for most attendees, and media footage was limited to a few pool photos. It’s great that the festival attracted a royal endorsement, but the way it was handled left journalists with nothing useful to report or photograph.
Queue chaos and ticket mismanagement: For an event preaching innovation, SXSW London’s crowd management was decidedly old-school – and not in a good way. Many sessions and shows were plagued by enormous queues and confusion over access levels. The festival sold various passes and individual tickets (and even “priority” access for Platinum badge holders), but it often seemed oversold beyond venue capacities. Attendees with valid tickets were turned away due to “full” rooms that mysteriously had empty seats. One frustrated festival-goer observed that it was "nothing but queues – for no reason!". The opening night party, for example, reached “capacity” almost immediately, yet as people left, new guests were not allowed in, causing anger at the entrance. This kind of mismanagement not only wasted people’s time but also created safety issues with crowds clogging up venue entrances and sidewalks.
Poor communication from the PR team: Perhaps most baffling was the radio silence from the festival’s PR and communications team. Repeated inquiries to coordinate interviews or get clarity on schedule changes went unanswered. Yet, simultaneously, we’d receive occasional last-minute emails demanding press presence at a newly added talk or a photo op – often with only an hour’s notice. The lack of two-way communication was staggering. In the end, we resorted to arranging our own interviews independently (shout-out to Sunday Best and Max Fosh for making time to speak with us outside of the official channels). It shouldn’t be this hard to do media coverage at a festival of this scale. The chaotic approach left many media professionals feeling both disrespected and exhausted.
Can SXSW London Rebound?
Louis Hitchcock (LouisHitchPhotos/FEATS)
It’s not uncommon for a first-year festival to have some hiccups – but the issues at SXSW London went well beyond growing pains. The feeling among many attendees was that this event prioritized quantity over quality at every turn, and it showed. When a festival is backed by significant funding and the illustrious SXSW brand, there’s an expectation of a certain standard. Instead, we got an experience that, at times, felt like a corporate conference for sponsors and high-net-worth individuals, rather than a genuine celebration of film, music and innovation.
Despite the rocky debut, we believe SXSW London can improve if organizers take the criticism to heart. Here are a few ways this festival could actually earn its place in the long run:
Substance over buzzwords: Curate conference content with real depth and diversity. Fewer gimmicky AI panels, more meaningful discussions featuring creators, activists, and experts across different fields. SXSW shouldn’t just mirror tech industry fads; it should challenge and expand them.
A balanced music lineup: Secure a stronger middle tier of artists. The UK music scene is rich with mid-level bands and emerging stars who could draw crowds – invest in booking them. Mix the bill so it’s not just global legends and garage bands, but also the indie darlings, the blog-hyped rappers, the buzzworthy electro-pop acts, etc. That middle layer will give fans a reason to show up and discover new favorites.
Professional production & promotion: Allocate budget to proper stage production and audio engineering at all venues – every artist, big or small, deserves a decent sound and lighting setup. Promote the showcases so that artists aren’t playing to empty rooms. These basics make a huge difference in how the festival is perceived by both performers and audiences.
Transparent logistics and communication: Get the operations in order. Don’t oversell venues, clearly communicate capacity and queuing policies, and ensure schedule changes are promptly announced via the app, website, and on-site. No more surprise speakers without warning – trust your audience and press with the information. And definitely no more secret VIP visits that no one can cover.
Rebuild press relations: The media can be a festival’s best friend if treated right. Next year, set up a properly staffed press office that actually responds to emails and helps journalists do their job. Train the venue staff to recognize press badges. If you want coverage, make it easier, not harder, for outlets to engage. Consistency and respect here will go a long way in repairing SXSW’s reputation in the UK.
Tom Ellis (TJEphotos/FEATS)
In conclusion, SXSW’s London experiment clearly did not match the substance of its Austin origin – at least not this year. The concept of a UK SXSW is exciting and full of potential, but it needs far better execution and a recalibration of priorities. There’s no shortage of creativity and innovation in London’s tech and arts scenes; the festival just needs to harness it more genuinely, rather than stage a shiny cheap clone.
At the end of the day, a festival is only as good as the experience it delivers. SXSW London has a lot of homework to do if it wants to shake off the feeling that it was simply “a collection of high net worth individuals” patting each other on the back. London deserves better, and we hope year two rises to the challenge.
Tom Ellis (TJEphotos/FEATS)
