Every year, hundreds of thousands of music lovers head to Austin, TX, to attend SXSW, and this year was no different.
Performers, fans, and even brands alike, came together to curate some of the best performances SXSW has seen in a while. With over 8,000 scheduled acts, it’s impossible to catch every show (although I most certainly tried!).
One of my favorite round-up of performances hands-down was the 2nd Annual Bud Light Jam Session with The Legendary Roots Crew and Friends. This past weekend, Bud Light transformed 800 Congress Ave into a performance hall, showcasing a night full of electrifying performances by The Roots and some of their closest friends including: CyHi Da Prynce, Jidenna, Frenship, Method Man and Redman, Shakey Graves, Cloves, Nick Grant, and James Hershey. Comedian Seth Herzog played MC throughout the night, keeping the vibes light and fun.
One of my personal favorite performers was Jidenna, who played music off his new album The Chief, including “Bambi,” “Long Live The Chief,” and his hit “Classic Man.” Another sweet moment happened when The Roots gave a special tribute to Chuck Berry; they performed a rendition of “Johnny Be Goode,” and sang classics like “You Got Me”.
As if the initial lineup wasn’t amazing enough, surprise performers took the stage throughout the night, such as Rae Sremmurd, De La Soul, T.I. and Brandy. Every artist dominated with superior stage presence and true artistry, performing some of their greatest hits. Being a 90s kid, I geeked out pretty hard when Brandy took the stage. She belted out in commanding fashion many of her hit singles: “Full Moon”; “What About Us”; “I Wanna Be Down”; “Sittin’ In My Room”; “The Boy is Mine”; and “Baby.”
Method Man and Redman closed out the show just right with “Bring the Pain”; “Tonight’s Da Night”; “All I Need”; and “Da Goodness,” to name a few.
On top of getting lost in great music and high-energy, attendees were able to savor delicious plant-based burgers by Impossible Burger, and snap photos with their friends at the photo booth, all while enjoying cold, refreshing Bud Lights. Needless to say, it was an epic night indeed.
Want to see more from this night? For more photos, click the link here.