This March, PlantWave returns to SXSW for the third time, continuing a growing tradition of live plant-generated music inside Central Presbyterian Church in Austin.
What began as an experimental showcase has gradually become something more established: an annual moment where plants take the stage and audiences gather to listen differently.
The Performance
This year's showcase features a collaboration between Joe Patitucci and vocalist Nicole Miglis (BATRY POWR / Hundred Waters), with an opening set by Bryan Noll (Lightbath). Together, they will present a plant-powered concert using real-time bio-sonification. The sound is generated in real time by translating the subtle electrical fluctuations of living plants into evolving ambient music.
Each PlantWave performance is shaped by the plants themselves. Light, touch, temperature, and unseen environmental variables all influence the music. No two performances are identical.
In a festival environment often defined by spectacle and velocity, the PlantWave showcase offers something quieter and more contemplative. Listeners sit among living plants as they generate ambient compositions in real time. Not as metaphor. As collaborator.
A New Chapter
This year's showcase also marks a new milestone for PlantWave in support of EarthPercent, the music industry's nature and climate foundation co-founded by Brian Eno. We have formally committed to contributing 1% of global revenues from PlantWave to nature protection and restoration projects through EarthPercent's 'Protecting Nature' action area. The SXSW performance will serve as the ceremonial activation of that ongoing support.
Music made from living plants now gives back to living ecosystems.
Why This Matters
SXSW has long been a space for experimentation. It is also a space where ideas mature. Returning for a third appearance signals that plant-generated music is no longer a novelty. It is becoming part of the evolving conversation about how technology, creativity, and ecology intersect.
Join Us in Austin
PlantWave Live at SXSW 2026
Central Presbyterian Church — Austin, TX
Monday, March 16, 2026
8:00 PM
View the official SXSW schedule listing →
Artist profiles:
Nicole Miglis (BATRY POWR)
Bryan Noll (Lightbath)
We look forward to listening together.
