The tone of nostalgia for Austin's quirky past was palpable at the SXSW premiere of Faders Up: The John Aielli Experience, a documentary chronicling the unconventional career of local public radio legend John Aielli. His five-decade tenure hosting on KUTX 98.9 was celebrated amidst an audience studded with the glitterati of Austin music. Aielli’s legacy lives on the screen, capturing his peculiar fascination with everything from whalesong to Tuvan throat singing.

According to the Austin CultureMap, the film brought to light the off-kilter charm of the radio icon who, with his baritone caress, was both beloved and, at times, a figure of some divisiveness. This ample spectrum of his on-air antics and missteps was well-received during the festival, with locals and SXSW attendees alike reflecting on the city’s evolution.

Resonating with a time when Austin was unabashedly itself, present-day attendees at the premiere seemed entranced by anecdotes that showcased Aielli's spontaneity and lack of traditional preparation, as detailed in the documentary. Having famously navigated live radio without a safety net, Aielli’s candid nature instigated both laughter and cringes through his surprising and sometimes accidental use of profanity on air.

Sam Wainwright Douglas, the film's co-director, called Aielli "the real mascot of Austin," during a talkback, as reported by Austin CultureMap. Douglas reflected on the radio personality's historic contribution to the city's culture, saying, "When you have an individual like [Aielli], who is so open and embraces the city ... He was on the radio for five decades, the period from the 60s to 2021. That is that is the Austin we know."

Meanwhile, in a heartwarming angle, The Austin Chronicle highlighted the documentary's ability to evoke both chuckles and tears. Lifesize cutouts and silhouette koozies of Aielli served as mementos of the revered DJ, while the film itself played out like a cinematic love letter to the man and the medium of local radio.