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AUSTIN, TX- I’ve been attending South by Southwest since 2002, with a solid decade logged as an official festival photographer. I’ve seen countless up-and-coming acts break into the mainstream. As a native Austinite turned Los Angeles transplant, I hadn’t returned post-pandemic—partly due to the chatter around the festival’s slow decline.
This year, however, I found myself back in Austin and decided to check out a few shows—specifically within the darkwave scene, which has seen a notable surge, particularly from L.A. and various corners of Texas.
What struck me first was how quiet the city felt. Gone were the wild, crowded streets of mid-March, where fans and industry folks once filled 6th Street, buzzing from bar to bar. The days of massive pre-festival parties hosted by Rolling Stone, FADER, and SPIN seemed long gone. Smaller, more genre-specific showcases caught my attention—often proving more exciting than the official SXSW lineup.
Hotel Vegas became the epicenter of that buzz, recapturing some of the old festival magic. Owner Brian Tweedy curated an exceptional lineup across three distinct on-site spaces, showcasing a spectrum from psych rock to indie to darker alt sounds. The vibe felt more authentic, grassroots, and aligned with what SXSW used to stand for.
Darkwave, in particular, had a strong showing. While L.A. has been nurturing this scene for years, Texas has started cultivating its own wave of goth-tinged talent.
Urban Heat led the charge. The Austin-based trio, known for their viral rise on TikTok, fused dark electro and ‘80s new wave with undeniable charisma. Frontman Jonathan Horstmann was magnetic—equal parts preacher and rock star—delivering dramatic vocals reminiscent of Talking Heads and Sisters of Mercy, backed by synth-heavy melodies courtesy of Paxel Foley and Kevin Naquin.
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Kontravoid brought a colder, industrial edge with his masked persona and Berlin-inspired sound. His set pulsed with tension—distorted synths, pounding bass, and unsettling vocals that built to a menacing crescendo. It was equal parts danceable and nightmarish, in the best way.
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From Dallas, Rosegarden Funeral Party showcased emotionally raw post-punk with a glossy new wave sheen. Leah Lane’s performance was heartfelt and theatrical, channeling Siouxsie Sioux and the moody romanticism of The Smiths. Her songs—full of heartbreak and longing—rippled with vulnerability.
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San Antonio’s Night Ritualz, fronted by Vincent Guerrero, brought what I’d call “Urban Darkwave” to life. Rooted in the Latino community’s embrace of the macabre—from Día de los Muertos to generational folklore—their sound blends elements of L.A.’s darkwave scene with a uniquely Tex-Mex mystique. Guerrero’s style fit right in alongside L.A. acts like Sextile, Grizz, and Prayers, and the support of San Antonio’s goth community—particularly at recent shows like their Paper Tiger set—was palpable.
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A standout surprise came from Llora, a non-binary artist based in Dallas. Their sound was a brooding blend of dark electro-pop and EBM, channeling the emotional intensity of Boy Harsher and The Knife. Llora exorcised inner turmoil on stage with a raw, captivating energy.
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Most Modern, an Austin-based duo, leaned into electro-pop and New Wave reminiscent of New Order. Vocalist Ethan Stafford’s melancholic yet danceable delivery kept the crowd moving, paired with Joey Olive’s synth-driven beats. Stafford is clearly on the rise, also fronting darkwave projects Sinclair Noire and th3 L3p3rs.
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And then there was Spike Hellis—a feral, glitchy chaos of industrial noise and EBM. The L.A.-based duo of Cortland Gibson and Elaine Chang delivered a sonic assault of bit-crushed synths, haunting vocals, and aggressive rhythms. Chang’s voice alternated between ethereal wails and echo-laced screams—equal parts cathartic and mesmerizing.
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The darkwave scene, while niche, is alive and growing—especially in Texas and Southern California. These were the standout acts I caught this year, and they all brought something unique to the evolving genre.
That said, Austin feels different. The soul of the city—once pulsing with DIY energy and creative weirdness—has been gentrified. Rising real estate, tech industry expansion, and corporate takeovers of beloved venues have pushed out much of the artistic community that made this city a cultural landmark. Like San Francisco and Seattle before it, Austin may have lost the essence that once made it “weird” and earned it the title of the “Live Music Capital of the World.”
Still, the underground finds a way. In dark basements, moody bar stages, and DIY venues, artists are still howling into the void—spinning sorrow into sound and keeping the spirit alive, one beat at a time.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE ACTS WE CAUGHT AT SXSW!
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