Heavy Hitters SXSW episode 1: SXSW's Colin Daniels and Ryvalmedia's Cameron Roberts

Mediaweek has released the first of its special SXSW Sydney editions of the Heavy Hitters podcast, taking listeners behind the scenes of the 2023 event. Mediaweek’s coverage of SXSW Sydney is brought to you by Ryvalmedia and News Corp Australia.

Each episode is hosted by Mediaweek editor and GM, Trent Thomas. The first episode features SXSW managing director Colin Daniels, and Ryvalmedia’s Sydney strategy lead Cameron Roberts.

The first episode of Heavy Hitters SXSW, a special edition of the Heavy Hitters series can be listened to here

“It is a very hard event to put into words because it's a very unique event,” Daniels said on the podcast. “There are not many events in the world where you get the tech industry, the music industry, the screen industry – and its number one attendees, the marketing and advertising industry together. They say that when you put everyone together like that, that's where the magic happens. 

“That's what South by Southwest is about, it's about the convergence of all these different industries that are all centred around creativity, discovery, and innovation.”

With the original event taking place on the other side of the planet, Roberts puts it to Daniels that there will be a lot of first timers at SXSW Sydney. What sort of advice would he give to people tackling the sheer scale of the event for the first time?

“Don't just follow your schedule,” said Daniels. 

“Some of the best learnings. discoveries have happened when I've been walking along the street and decided to go into a show because I wasn't sure what else to do at that particular time,” he added before telling the story of how he ended up at a surprise gig put on by Metallica, getting to see the American metal icons in front of only 1,500 people. 

SXSW Sydney runs from October 15th to 22nd 2023, and is the first time that the event will take place outside of Austin, Texas. Mediaweek’s full coverage of SXSW Sydney can be found here.