Having worked in radio promotions and live entertainment marketing, I am familiar with what it takes to get through media requests when it comes to events. There are always more requests to gain access to an event than there is often availability. Then there is also the legitimacy of the request – will there actually be coverage or are they seeking free access.
When SXSW Sydney was announced, I figured I would put my request in for Amplify the Noise. If I didn’t ask, the answer would be no, so now I had a fifty-fifty shot at being accepted as a media request. Amplify the Noise was approved. To say I was shocked was an understatement. This little engine that could was being granted to a big event.
SXSW Sydney is the first South by Southwest event outside of Austin, Texas in the thirty-six year history of SXSW.
This little engine that could was granted access to a global event.
Grateful. Honoured. Blessed. Humbled.
SXSW Sydney day one for us was a brief moment of healing after the failed vote of The Voice to Parliament. Being staunch supporters of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and the Yes Vote, the Welcome to Country by Yvonne Weldon re-ignited hope within me that there are brighter and better days ahead.
With a Smoking Ceremony provided by Dave Barnett, he not only welcomed those in attendance and the event, he cleansed the hurt from the results of the vote as well.
The Opening Ceremony, at least for me, was a spiritual one.
What I appreciate the most is that all the speakers spoke in honour of the land they were on, but also spoke about how the importance of creativity and innovation is. Not to just art but to a community, a city, a state, and a country. While I do believe AI is both good and evil, there is something AI cannot currently do – create from the heart, the soul, and the depths of the human mind. AI was born from creativity and innovation as was SXSW.
The performances of Eric Avery, a Ngiyampaa, Yuin, Bandjalang and Gumbangirr violinist, and the Jannawi Dance Clan were fantastic and too short, but it was closing performers Bow and Arrow that stole the show.
Bow and Arrow a First Nations electro soul trio from Sydney featuring husband and wife, Mindy and Mitch Kwanten and Jack Hickey. The trio blew me away. My issue with Sydney music, or Australia music in general is that they do not give proper love or support to their local artists. Sure Taylor Swift is good, come on Australia, you’ve got superstars in your backyard! That is were events like SXSW Sydney come to play. They give opportunity to artists who may be missed or overlooked. Would I have found Bow and Arrow on my own? Perhaps by chance at a random event here in Sydney. Now though, they have a fan who will be raising their frequency on the new single when it’s released, hopefully later this year.
Bow and Arrow played an also too short set, which I get, SXSW Sydney has to cram a lot of action into 8 days, but that short set was soulfully sweet and funky as hell.
Bow and Arrow have wonderful chemistry and the members do not play just one instrument. They are multi-instrumentalists that rotate throughout their show and are fusing modern instruments with traditional ones and it’s poetically beautiful.
Unfortunately, my day one ended with the opening ceremony. I seriously underestimated my iPhone’s battery life and the Australian sun, but am looking forward to partaking in the Music and Screen Festival on day two.
