Disappointment after disappointment, everything from the actual lineup to mostly lackluster performances, Thursday night’s Music is Universal: Def Jam Direct Deposit Live at Antone’s fell almost completely flat. And on deaf ears.

We’ve almost made it to the end of SXSW and – let’s be real – the amount of tacos, queso, and alcohol consumed has us feeling like a dumpster fire. With a full weekend of music and parties ahead of us, we need some healthy food to keep us from looking like a Walking Dead extra.

Country-fried Austinites have long had to travel to San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, or even Lubbock to catch Garth Brooks in concert. Not this time. South by Southwest has landed a rare local performance by the superstar singer.

Poor Grizzly Hall. The cozy Riverside club tucked into the armpit of Emo’s never stood a chance against the infinitely hipper Downtown venues boasting breakout punk acts and Pitchfork-approved rappers. Thursday’s South by South Death showcase produced a dismal turnout, but that didn’t stop bands from playing like their lives depended on it.

The Luck Reunion attracts such an impressive gathering at SXSW that it’s grown into an Americana brand. Now hosting events in Nashville as well, the flagship micro festival on Willie Nelson’s ranch in Spicewood just west of Austin expanded its legend in its sixth year. “This is my favorite fucking hang of the year!” exclaimed Elle King on Thursday.

After too many decades to count, I’m retiring from writing at the end of this month, so this topic seemed personally timely. In the end, the panel – moderator Jason Gross from Perfect Sound Forever along with Rachel Brodsky of Paste, Greg Kot of The Chicago Tribune, and current Austinite Chuck Eddy, ex-Village Voice – never answered its own question.

For the last eight years, Chicago-based wrestler Colt Cabana has been one of the top names in grappling podcasting. Before strapping on his kneepads for Wrestlecircus at SXSW, he'll be recording his laidback and conversational The Art of Wrestling. He said, "We're bringing new people and new attention to the underground wrestling scene."

Four all-stars of TV journalism gathered Thursday afternoon at the JW Marriott to consider the nature of news reporting in the Donald Trump Era. The rough consensus was that the “new rules” of operating under Trump represent an opportunity as well as a challenge.

Tuesday night, The Work was awarded the Jury Prize for Documentary Feature Competition at SXSW, a deserved yet wholly daring selection given the film’s complete lack of high-profile producers, subjects, or distributors.