Texas Gov. Abbott Slams Bands Boycotting SXSW Over Military Sponsorship

South by Southwest (SXSW), a conference and collection of film, television, and music festivals held every March in Austin, Texas, has set the stage for controversy this year. Over 100 bands and musicians have reportedly pulled out of their performances over the event’s ties to the U.S. Army, leading Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to issue a response on social media. “Bands pull out of SXSW over U.S. Army sponsorship. Bye. Don’t come back,” he wrote on his account on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday. “Austin remains the HQ for the Army Futures Command. San Antonio is Military City USA,” Mr. Abbott wrote. “We are proud of the U.S. military in Texas. If you don’t like it, don’t come here.”...