Rather than some long-winded recollection of all the bands we saw this year in Austin, or some half-baked think piece on what SXSW really means anymore, this year we decided to let the pictures speak for themselves. Whether or not the monolithic event continues to represent the same independent spirit that birthed it (it doesn't), or whether it remains worth it for bands, writers and fans to make the trek (debatable), one thing remains abundantly clear: it's still a week of ceaseless action—of movement and music, of pure and often unexpected moments of soul.

Here are our 10 favorite photos captured by our two talented photographers, Mike White and Katie Bell Moore, during their stay in Texas. Scroll back through the recent posts on our music blog, Homedrone, to find each of the photo galleries these came from and more, including some written recaps of the week's action. [Gabe Vodicka]