SXSW

Where would Jesus jam? 1800s church hosts SXSW concerts

Central Presbyterian Church only has two rules for rockers who play its sanctuary as part of South by Southwest: Don’t drink; and don’t shatter the stained glass.
-- CNN Belief Blog
March 20, 2011

It's possible SXSW 2012 just peaked with the return of Fiona Apple

After queuing for over an hour – it was the longest line I've seen this week – and a boiling, busy day, I, with amazing luck and a kind friend, managed to bag a seat in the front row of the Central Presbyterian Church, a legendary SXSW venue.
-- Lucy Jones
March 16th, 2012

TimeOut New York: SXSW 2010: Live photos of Ben Sollee at Central Presbyterian Church

You'll already know from our album review here and interview here how much we dig the Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore record. So we jumped at the chance of catching the pair play Austin's beautiful Central Presbyterian Church: The acoustics in this lovely space perfectly picked up every pop and vibration from Sollee's cello.
-- Sophie Harris
March 20, 2010

LAist On Location: SXSW 2010 - Day 3

The last show of the night was located in the Central Presbyterian Church which had the most magnificent acoustics I've heard all festival. It's a wonder that they don't build more theaters shaped like churches, because the sound is just unparalleled. Because Band of Horses was playing the line to get into the venue was out the door and around the block even with the "badge only status" of the show. (Which led to a number of hilarious fights between security and indignant badge wearers who were used to getting into everything. People actually used the phrases "Don't you know who I am?" and "But I paid for this!") Fortunately I somehow managed to squeeze in and caught half of Band of Horses' set, which sounded larger than life in that holy arena.
-- Molly Bergen
March 20, 2010

NY Times: SXSW: Nine O'Clock Services, With M. Ward

At South by Southwest, the Central Presbyterian Church is almost always going to be a tough ticket. The bookings are carefully curated, the acoustics are great and the space is finite. But it was a whole order of tough outside the M. Ward gig last night. Wristbands and badges, the coin of the realm here, were all nigh useless as a crowd surrounded the church like a moat. And as it turned out, there was good reason to try and fight your way in. The violinist and vocalist Anni Rossi, who was signed by 4AD Records out of Minnesota - embraced the churchy vibe, sending ethereal sounds up into the rafters as people sat quietly before exploding with applause. And the reverence went up a notch when M. Ward came out. A huge cross was the only splash of light in the dimly lit that demonstrated that all those great words come from a very musical place. On "Sad, Sad Song," he sang, "the hardest thing in the world to do is to find somebody believes in you." Less hard, it should be pointed out, when you are in a church full of believers.
-- David Carr
March 19, 2009

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Twittering in Church
True enough, the line wrapped around the block, and around 8 p.m. someone told the hordes that they'd have to wait three or four hours for a seat. Indie indignation! But a sign near the church entrance read "Open for Prayer," and maybe it worked, because midway through the night the crowd turned over, and new, still well-behaved people filled the pews.
-- Melena Ryzik
March 19, 2009