DIIV’s Zachary Cole Smith has hit out at the South by South West (SXSW) industry showcase festival – currently taking place over in Austin, Texas this week – calling it ‘a glorified corporate networking party’.

In a brief message on the DIIV Tumblr, Smith attacked the more corporate and hospitality-related elements of the festival:

Here, the music comes last. 5 minute set-up, no sound check, 15 minute set. The “music” element is all a front, it’s the first thing to be compromised. Corporate money everywhere but in the hands of the artists, at what is really just a glorified corporate networking party. Drunk corporate goons and other industry vampires and cocaine. Everyone is drunk, being cool. “Official” bureaucracy and all their mindless rules. Branding, branding, branding. It’s bullshit… sorry.

 

DIIV are scheduled to play four shows during the event.