The Belfast hip-hop trio Kneecap, Brighton punks Lambrini Girls and hotly-tipped Dublin garage band Sprints are just three of the bands boycotting this year’s SXSW festival over the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The Austin festival, which runs until March 16, plays an important role in helping emerging bands to gain traction, and is frequently attended by music industry insiders on the look-out for new talent. But as this year’s edition begins, dozens of acts have begun pulling out of their planned slots and refusing to attend altogether.
