FLOODfest SXSW 2016, Friday

It would be a lie to say that FLOODfest’s third day went off without a hitch, but we definitely pushed through the gnarly lightning storm to put on one of the best showcases we’ve ever had. Inclement weather be damned!

The morning started off strong and sunny with the Sweden mini-showcase featuring performances by Ember Island, Adée, and Next Stop: Horizon. The sweet sounds of Swedes served as a nice introduction for Ernie Ball playFLOODfest winner Mount Tyrant, who took the stage and gave the Cedar Street crowd their all. Having won a battle of the bands contest before, Taryn Miller (a.k.a. Your Friend) followed the Denton, Texas, band with the confidence and talent of an old pro. The stage was then set for Cape Town, South Africa’s Yannick Ilunga (a.k.a. Petite Noir) who played an intense and emotional set of his very own brand of noirwave. Philly multi-instrumentalist Alex G and his band launched into an arresting set of lo-fi gems from his solid discography, including last year’s LP Beach Music. San Francisco–based indie-rock group Thao & the Get Down Stay Down closed the Friday day showcase out with an energetic set featuring tracks from her recently released full-length A Man Alive.

After a rain-less afternoon, Austin’s infamous spring weather finally reared its ugly head and dropped a ton of rain onto the city—complete with lightning strikes and thunder. Unfortunately, due to the storm, KING’s performance was cancelled, but after a slight delay the rest of FLOODfest’s night showcases went on as planned. Boulevards jumped right in after the performance ban was lifted and brought the power of funk into the hearts and feet of all who saw him. James Hinton (a.k.a. The Range) jumped onstage right after Boulevards’ short and sweet set and kept the funky beats going. Singer-songwriter Gallant brought his golden falsetto and inspired dance moves to the packed Cedar Street crowd. Long Beach rapper Vince Staples closed out the final night show of FLOODfest 2016 with a strong set that featured hits and audience heart-to-hearts. With the skies clear, the concertgoers wandered off into the night.

Special thanks to DTS, Serato Pyro (which you can download here), Ernie Ball, Haufe, and Sailor Jerry.

Below, check out photos from morning, afternoon, and night at FLOODfest, courtesy of Rozette Rago.

SXSW 2016 coverage: Wednesday ⋅ Thursday ⋅ Friday ⋅ Saturday ⋅ The Portraits

FLOODfest Day Three

FLOODfest Night Three