Josh Haner/The New York Times The Chilean psych-rock band Föllakzoid was among the more than 2,000 acts who performed at the South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin last week.Over the last 27 years, the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Tex., has evolved from a smallish and legible festival highlighting up-and-coming music acts into a several-days-long extravaganza of branded showcases, afternoon concerts, breakaway parties and more.
Along the way, has its lost its sense of purpose And who is it really for at this point â€" bands or brands
This week, Jon Caramanica speaks with chief pop music critic Jon Pareles, newly returned from the SXSW trenches, about his favorite music of the festival, and about the sins of capitalist intrusion into culture.
Listen above, download the MP3 here, or subscribe in iTunes.
RELATED
Jon Pareles on South by Southwest 2013.
More South by Southwest coverage in ArtsBeat.
SPOTIFY PLAYLIST
Tracks by artists discussed this week. (Spotify users can also find it here.)
