House of Music

Coca-Cola Sips & Sounds Music Festival

Auditorium Shores

Austin, TX

March 13-14, 2026

Review by Roy Vergara

Austin was already running at full speed. SXSW had just begun its annual takeover of the city, and every corner of town seemed to have a stage, a showcase, or a line forming outside a venue. Down along the river, the Coca-Cola Sips & Sounds Music Festival carved out its own space inside the chaos, turning Auditorium Shores into a two day waterfront soundtrack framed by the Austin skyline. From the lawn you could see the glass towers glowing in the distance while Lady Bird Lake reflected the light from the stages. Fans spread out across the grass with drinks in hand while others packed the barricades early, and throughout the day waves of people drifted between the Coca-Cola Stage and the SXSW Stage chasing whichever set was about to start next. It had the loose, sun soaked energy of a festival that knows exactly where it is. Right in the heart of Austin during one of the busiest weeks of the year.

Day One

A Dreamy Start and a Pop Spectacle Finale

As the gates opened at 2:00 pm, the afternoon began with a slight delay as crews dialed in production. Around 2:38 pm, the SXSW Stage finally came alive. A small wave of fans already gathered near the barricade erupted as the opening notes carried across the lawn, signaling the official start of the weekend. From there, the festival’s rhythm quickly settled in. One stage lit up while the other grew restless, and a steady migration of fans moved back and forth across the park, chasing the next set.

Skateland

Austin’s own Skateland had the honor of opening the SXSW Stage, setting the tone for the weekend as the first wave of fans gathered near the barricade and others slowly filled in across the lawn. Dorian Williams II stepped into the afternoon sunlight with an easy confidence, introducing songs about chasing dreams, friendships, and the small moments that shape the journey. Tracks like “Challenging” and “Heavenly Bodies” carried a dreamy bedroom pop warmth across the park while festival goers arriving through the gates caught their first live music of the weekend.

Later in the afternoon, I caught up with Dorian backstage to talk about Skateland’s journey, the Austin music scene, and what it meant to open a festival in his hometown. You can read the full conversation in our separate interview feature.

Aidan Bisset

As Skateland wrapped, you could feel the entire lawn slowly pivot toward the Coca-Cola Stage. People folding up blankets, drinks in hand, drifting across the grass as the next lighting rig flickered to life against the skyline. Aidan Bisset quickly pushed the tempo of the afternoon forward, pulling from his debut album Too Hot to Handle while bouncing across the wide stage. The main stage production immediately felt larger in scale. Bright LED panels washed the crowd in color while the Austin skyline stood tall behind the stage, turning every performance into a postcard moment.

The Two Lips

Meanwhile, the SXSW Stage leaned into something more intimate with The Two Lips. Their set felt playful and self aware, acknowledging the internet era audience that had helped build their following. At one point they joked about bringing their TikTok fans into real life before ripping into a surprisingly emotional cover of No Doubt’s “Don’t Speak.” Later they warned the crowd they were about to play their “emo song,” encouraging the front rows to start head banging as guitars kicked in and the afternoon crowd continued to grow.

Ravyn Lenae

By the time Ravyn Lenae stepped onto the Coca-Cola Stage, the sun had softened slightly and the crowd had noticeably doubled. Her voice floated effortlessly across the park as she reminded everyone early in the set to stay hydrated in the Texas heat. Standing along the side of the stage you could see the full picture of the festival come into focus. Fans swaying in the grass and the skyline glowing softly in the distance as Lenae’s smooth blend of soul and pop carried across the water.

Between Friends

Between Friends brought a playful and slightly chaotic energy back to the SXSW Stage. Their indie pop sound carried easily across the park while clusters of fans danced in pockets across the grass. At one point they teased the audience with “Let’s see if you know this one” before launching into “Blushing,” instantly triggering a wave of voices singing back toward the stage.

Major Lazer Soundsystem

As the sun began dropping behind the skyline, the entire festival started shifting into nighttime mode. Major Lazer Soundsystem took over the Coca-Cola Stage with Diplo behind the decks. Massive lighting rigs fired bursts of neon across the park while the bass rolled across the water and echoed off the buildings across the river. At one point Diplo shouted that Austin was his favorite city in America before dropping “Lean On,” turning the entire lawn into a dance floor that stretched nearly to the shoreline.

Grouplove

Across the park, Grouplove leaned into the golden hour moment with one of the most joyful sets of the evening. Midway through the show they spotted fans floating near the shoreline and jokingly yelled “Shark attack!” before diving back into a run of indie favorites. As the sky shifted from orange to deep blue, the crowd continued flowing between stages, everyone trying to catch one more set before the night’s headliner.

Christina Aguilera

Then came the moment the entire night had been building toward. When Christina Aguilera stepped onto the Coca-Cola Stage just before 8:45 pm, the scale of the festival instantly jumped to arena level spectacle. From the crowd the full production came into view. Towering lighting rigs, bursts of pyro, and a rotating lineup of elaborate staging and lighting transformed the riverfront into a full theatrical show. Aguilera’s voice cut through the night air with the kind of power that reminds you why she has remained one of pop’s most commanding performers for decades. By the time the first chorus hit, thousands of voices across the lawn were singing every word back toward the stage. Looking up from the crowd, the Austin skyline framed the entire performance as the stage exploded with light and color. The final notes rang out, and fireworks lit up the downtown night sky as the crowd buzzed from the spectacle they had just witnessed.

Day Two

From Rising Artists to a Skyline Dance Party

Day two opened with a slightly cooler breeze coming off the lake, but the energy returned immediately as fans streamed back onto the grounds. The rhythm of the festival had already been established.

Caroline Hale

Caroline Hale kicked things off on the SXSW Stage wearing a sparkly dress and cowboy boots that felt perfectly Texan. The San Antonio native greeted the early crowd with excitement before introducing a brand new song about betrayal between friends. After finishing the track she paused and asked the audience if it should stay in the setlist. The response came instantly from the crowd. “Keep it!”

Mallrat

Mallrat followed with a stylish and effortlessly cool performance. The Australian artist bounced between dreamy pop melodies and dance driven beats. Before performing “Charlie,” she paused to tell the crowd how much she loved Austin and hoped to come back as often as possible.

Jade LeMac

Jade LeMac shifted the emotional tone of the afternoon with a more personal performance. Wearing a white button up shirt and tie, she joked about the Texas heat before introducing what she called her favorite song she had ever written. The honesty in the performance pulled the crowd closer with every lyric.

Stephen Sanchez

Stephen Sanchez stepped onto the Coca-Cola Stage with his full band dressed in matching charcoal suits. The entire presentation felt intentionally vintage, blending modern pop songwriting with classic soul influences. At one point the band even teased a bit of Jackson 5 energy before Sanchez introduced songs from his upcoming album. Fans swayed across the lawn while the skyline slowly lit up behind the stage once again.

The Runarounds

Over on the SXSW Stage, The Runarounds delivered a tight and fast paced rock set that pulled a wave of fans closer to the barricade. Their guitars cut through the evening air while the crowd bounced along in pockets across the grass.

Foster the People

When Foster the People arrived on the Coca-Cola Stage, the connection to Austin felt immediate. The band reflected on years of playing in the city during SXSW before diving into the songs that helped define a generation of indie pop fans. Standing near the back of the lawn you could see the entire park moving together as fans sang along under the fading daylight.

Flipturn

Flipturn carried that energy forward with a soaring indie rock set that felt perfectly timed for the fading daylight. Their sound carried across the entire park as fans continued flowing between stages for one last stretch of music.

Calvin Harris

Closing out the festival, Calvin Harris transformed Auditorium Shores into a full scale dance floor beneath the Austin skyline. Massive lighting rigs pulsed across the park while waves of bass rolled through the crowd and bounced off the water. From the barricade all the way to the back of the lawn, thousands of fans moved together as the park glowed with color and light. It felt like the perfect exhale after two full days of music and the nonstop energy of SXSW week across the city.

For two days along the river, Coca-Cola Sips & Sounds captured something uniquely Austin. Rising artists finding their moment, global headliners delivering unforgettable performances, and fans wandering between stages chasing the next great set.