Big Names

SXSW adds more celebs, musical legends, and political rising stars to 2019 lineup

David Crosby is coming to town.

Photo courtesy of Paramount Theatre

SXSW has already dropped some pretty big bombshells about its 2019 lineup — and it's not finished yet. Days after revealing that Us, Jordan Peele's follow-up film to the Academy Award-winning blockbuster Get Out, will premiere at this year's festival, South by is dishing out more juicy details.

On January 15, Austin's mega-fest announced the addition of three new keynotes to the 10-day event and more than a dozen featured speakers. Joining the keynote programming are Endeavor chief marketing officer Bozoma Saint John; actor, director, producer, and activist Olivia Wilde; and Instagram co-founder Mike Krieger, who will join the conversation between Kevin Systrom and Josh Constine.

Saint John, Wilde, and Krieger join previously announced keynote speakers such as tech exec Jessica Brillhart; Garbage singer Shirley Manson; and writer, producer, and director Marti Noxon.

The festival's new featured speakers, which range from musical legends to newly minted politicians, very much reflect the current zeitgeist. (And scooter watchers take note: Bird's founder and CEO will also be in attendance.)

SXSW featured speakers just announced:

Musician A$AP Rocky
Journalist and author Jill Abramson
Actress, writer, producer and director Pamela Adlon
CEO and chairman of Vox Media Jim Bankoff
Co-founder of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Priscilla Chan
U.S. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Singer-songwriter David Crosby
Director, producer and writer Cameron Crowe
Author and podcaster Tim Ferriss
Best-selling author Neil Gaiman
U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono
WndrCo co-founder
Quibi founder and chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg
Journalist Soledad O’Brien
Founder and CEO of Buzzfeed Jonah Peretti
Quibi CEO Meg Whitman
Bird founder and CEO Travis VanderZanden
Actor Henry Winkler

"The breadth and diversity of the featured speakers make the 2019 event an even stronger and more compelling place for creatives, innovators, and storytellers alike," said Hugh Forrest, SXSW's chief programming officer, in a news release.

SXSW takes over downtown Austin March 8-17 with its Interactive, Film, Music, Convergence, and Edu tracks. Badges and passes are currently on sale here.

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Concert News

Rockstar Jack White surprises Austin with show just days away

Jack White Facebook

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Jack White, formerly of the White Stripes, has surprised Austin with a new show date just days away. The solo artist will be playing the Mohawk on Thursday, November 14, and tickets go on sale Tuesday, November 12.

This is part of White's No Name Tour; the new portion starts in Tusla, Oklahoma, on November 12, and moves through Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio before moving on to Asia.

White will also perform the Corona Capital festival in Mexico City on November 17, where he is replacing Queens of the Stone Age as guitarist Josh Homme receives emergency medical attention. White was added to the lineup in September.

White became popular playing as a duo with his then-wife, who presented themselves in the White Stripes as siblings in the hopes of minimizing attention to their relationship and drawing it instead to the music.

The White Stripes disbanded in 2011, but have been making headlines again this week for dropping a copyright infringement lawsuit against Donald Trump for using the song "Seven Nation Army" while campaigning.

In his solo career, White has become known for songs like "Lazaretto," "Another Way to Die" (with Alicia Keys), and "Love Is Blindness," leaning into his signature gritty and sometimes chaotic sound that continues in the very bluesy 2024 album No Name.

Tickets go on sale Tuesday at 1 pm via Laylo. Fans can register in advance using the link. Pickup will be will-call only and tickets are non-transferable. A limited number of student tickets ($25) will be available at the box office starting Thursday at noon, and will be solve on a first-come first-served basis.

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