SXSW Playlist: Wish You Were Here Edition

Does 2020 Have Way Too Much Plot?

When it was announced two very, very long weeks ago that the city of Austin was canceling the venerable music festival South by Southwest (AKA SXSW, just don’t call it Southby), many of us thought the decision was a huge overreaction. Whether that’s the case or not (fingers crossed it is), that decision seems now to have been the bellwether for the days to come—runs on grocery stores, travel bans, calls to shelter in place, and literally the cancelation of everything ever. It feels very much like we’re living through a sci-fi movie with way too much plot.

But we’re not here to dog-pile on the bad news, we’re here to say that we’ll get through this with some level-headedness, some faith and investment in our local communities, and some distraction, like binge watching the new season of Queer Eye whenever it comes out (come on guys, read the room—we need you!) and some good music.

We can’t help much with the former, but we’re all over the latter. Thus we present the Wish You Were Here SXSW mixtape from raven + crow studio (AKA WYWHSXSWMFRC)—a super-sized mix of twenty songs from the artists we would be sure to catch if we were going to SXSW and it was still happening. Enjoy from the comfort of your own home and please, in all seriousness, stay safe, stay well, and stay sane, friends.

Illustration by raven + crow (obvs), photo creds: Maria Kanevskeya (Thao); Margaryta Bushkin Muccitas (Salt Cathedral); Karston “Skinny” Tannis (Maddison McFerrin); Charlie Cummings (Arlo Parks); Alesha McCarthy (Yumi Zouma); Hollie Fernando (The Orielles).

Usually a conversation between Whalebone Magazine and Troy Farmer about the series of monthly mixtapes from his Brooklyn-born, Los Angeles-based creative agency, raven + crow studio. But this one is all just Troy as Whalebone was busy with a little Afternoon Delight.