Texas Gov. Abbott Slams Bands Boycotting SXSW Over Military Sponsorship

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a news conference in Austin, Texas, on March 15, 2023. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

South by Southwest (SXSW), a conference and collection of film, television, and music festivals held every March in Austin, Texas, has set the stage for controversy this year.

Over 100 bands and musicians have reportedly pulled out of their performances over the event’s ties to the U.S. Army, leading Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to issue a response on social media.

“Bands pull out of SXSW over U.S. Army sponsorship. Bye. Don’t come back,” he wrote on his account on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday.

“Austin remains the HQ for the Army Futures Command. San Antonio is Military City USA,” Mr. Abbott wrote. “We are proud of the U.S. military in Texas. If you don’t like it, don’t come here.”

The flurry of canceled acts comes after the conference pegged the U.S. Army as one of its sponsors. In addition to co-sponsoring the event, the land service branch of the U.S. Armed Forces is hosting a range of Army panels and other events at the conference.

“The Army is proud to serve as a SXSW super sponsor this year and looks forward to playing an integral role in igniting discovery, making new connections with registrants and contributing directly to the SXSW community across all sectors,” the U.S. Army wrote in a statement.

The boycotts were seemingly influenced by the Austin for Palestine Coalition, which launched a campaign aimed at pressuring SXSW to “reevaluate the inclusion of” government agencies like the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, and the National Reconnaissance Office, which are also participating in the conference.

“We are disturbed by SXSW’s platforming of agencies in the Department of Defense, including the CIA, NSA, and NRO. These organizations contribute to violence around the world, undermining the festival’s reputation as a celebration of creativity and innovation,” the organization wrote on its website.

“If SXSW wishes to retain its credibility, it must change course by disavowing the normalization of militarization within the tech and entertainment industries.”

Additionally, the Austin for Palestine Coalition called on SXSW to “disinvite” defense contractors like the RTX Corporation, formerly known as Raytheon Technologies Corporation, and its subsidiary, Collins Aerospace, which reportedly manufactured weapons and other equipment used by the Israeli military. BAE Systems is also listed for supplying “weapons and equipment used in the occupation of Palestinian territories.”

Instead, the organization urged the conference to “use its platform to raise awareness about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and advocate for peace, justice, and the protection of human rights.”

The United States is currently the biggest supplier of weapons to Israel, with the U.S. Army leading the charge in supplying humanitarian aid to Gaza.

SXSW Responds

The Austin-based conference’s other “super sponsors” include Volkswagen, Porsche, the left-leaning Austin Chronicle publication, energy drink brand C4 Energy, and Delta.

In response to Mr. Abbott’s statement, SXSW said it “does not agree” with his sentiment.

“We are an organization that welcomes diverse viewpoints. Music is the soul of SXSW, and it has long been our legacy. We fully respect the decision these artists made to exercise their right to free speech,” SXSW said in a statement.

“The defense industry has historically been a proving ground for many of the systems we rely on today. These institutions are often leaders in emerging technologies, and we believe it’s better to understand how their approach will impact our lives,” the statement reads in part.

It continues: “The Army’s sponsorship is part of our commitment to bring forward ideas that shape our world. In regard to Collins Aerospace, they participated this year as a sponsor of two SXSW Pitch categories, giving entrepreneurs visibility and funding for potentially game-changing work.”

Bands Boycott SXSW

Squirrel Flower, Abe Balshon, Shalom, Eliza McLamb, Mamalarky, Merce Lemon, Proper, TC Superstar, and Ama the Band are among the slew of acts who have pulled out of the SXSW showcase, which kicked off on March 8 and ends on March 16.

Enola Gay, a punk rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland, also pulled out of the event. “We have withdrawn from SXSW,” the band wrote in a statement posted on Instagram. “It is impossible to perform at a festival where the US Army are [sic] a ’super sponsor.'”

The band later posted that it would instead perform at an “Anti-SXSW Fest,” presented by the Falasteen Street Museum and Austin for Palestine Coalition.

The hip-hop trio Kneecap, which also hails from Belfast, joined in the boycott, stating on X that it “cannot in good conscience attend an arts festival” sponsored by the U.S. Army. It noted that its decision to withdraw from SXSW would have a “significant financial impact” on the group.

“But it isn’t an iota of hardship when compared to the unimaginable suffering being inflicted every minute, every day on the people of Gaza,” the statement reads.