Yes, it’s over. It’s been over for a while now. We’re talking about South By Southwest, and we totally feel your withdrawal symptoms. Real life doesn’t seem quite as fun. At the very least, the weeklong festival left us with some fantastic new musical discoveries, and they’ll make the perfect soundtrack to our rainy afternoons spent brooding and planning for next year’s festivities. 

Call it “The Great South By Southwest Paradox.” A festival initially founded to shed light on local artists has slowly become overrun with superstars and big-budget sponsors. Its current form is unrecognizable from its humble beginnings. It was bound to happen, but don’t let that dissuade you from taking a chance on some of this city’s finest homegrown talent. Sometimes it pays to skip the three-hour lines, stop refreshing Drake’s Twitter and mosey into the charming dive bar you’ve been meaning to go to. You might find that your new favorite artist comes from your own city.