The British Music Embassy (BME) returned to SXSW for its 32nd edition with its most ambitious showcase to date, hosted for the first time at the Palm Door on Sixth.
Curated by the British Music Council and led on the ground by the indefatigable production manager Ant Forbes, the event featured top-tier sound gear and a dedicated production team. This included six students from the Academy of Live Technology, who not only handled systems tech duties during setup but also operated the FOH and monitor positions, gaining real-world experience alongside seasoned sound engineers.
Liberty Hill, TX-based production company Fidelis Sound & Lighting, provided premium dBTechnologies systems across every performance and panel at BME. System design and tuning were executed by dBTechnologies’ Applications Engineer Andy Tindall, who worked closely with the BME technical crew to ensure integration throughout the venue. Featured equipment included the VIO X series as well as FMX series.
The Alt Indoors Stage featured a setup with two ViO X310 ceiling-mounted three-way mains, two VIO X310 delay speakers, a VIO X206 centre fill, and six VIO S118 subwoofers delivering deep, even low-end coverage. Monitoring was handled by eight VIO W15 active wedges, with the entire system managed via a Control8 unit running AuroraNet software. On the Outdoor Stage, performers were supported by eight FMX15 powered monitor wedges, providing consistent clarity and punch. Meanwhile, the UK House Speaking area utilised two VIO X205s featuring the 100° dispersion waveguides on tripods for main coverage, and a single Sub915 subwoofer to reinforce the low end, delivering immersive audio with intelligibility and presence for panel discussions and presentations.
“It was like butter,” raved CVC’s FOH Engineer Elliot Frazier. “I wish I could mix on it all day.”
Paul Mercer, FOH for BLACKGOLD, added, “dBTechnologies provided an extremely reactive system that gave both high-end clarity and low-end power, letting me drive the mix to a new level.”
Running alongside the music showcase, UK House hosted immersive ‘Stay & Play’ tech activations, cultural panels, and conversation series that explored topics like advertising ethics, women in immersive tech, and the future of entertainment.
This year’s BME lineup featured a diverse range of emerging talent that brought their unique energy to the Palm Door’s stages. Acts like Sam Ryder, Beth McCarthy, and Steam Down as well as Big Special, Venus Grrrls, Antony Szmierek and Mary In The Junkyard.
Ant Forbes, the engine behind BME’s production excellence, praised the week as one of their most successful ever: “You have once again shown the rising stars of tomorrow, those both on and off the stage, the high quality that they can expect from our industry as their burgeoning careers blossom and they develop into the festivals headliners of the future.”
Selector Radio host and DJ Sian Eleri summed it up, “Cultural exchange and collaboration are at the heart of what we do. SXSW gives these emerging acts—and the brilliant teams behind them—a chance to shine on a global stage.”
