New York – As the longest, coldest winter since the Ice Age comes to an end, we (in the Eastern and Northern parts of the U.S.) look forward to switching from layers of sweatshirts, scarves and coats to eventually just a long-sleeved T-shirt.

Despite nature’s cruel sense of humor, Best New Bands decided to ignore the temperatures and at least pretend that spring was, indeed, coming.  We polled our writers asking them to ID the emerging bands and solo artists they were most eager to see live this spring as part of our quarterly series.  Here are five, listed alphabetically:

Courtney Barnett

Our Newbie Award co-winner for 2014’s Best New Female Artist finally releases her debut full-length, Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit, March 24 (on Mom + Pop Music in the U.S.).  The singer-songwriter (and indie darling) has been touring almost non-stop behind her 2013 The Double EP.  In a live review last year we called Barnett “a stunningly talented musician whose ability to connect to her audience has mass appeal.”  Starting next week, the performer begins a string of dates across the U.K. and Europe.  After catching her breath, she tours her native Australia in May immediately followed by extensive U.S. dates.

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Ibeyi

French-Cuban sisters Lisa-Kainde and Naomi Diaz form the avant-garde duo Ibeyi, whose “breathtaking” self-titled debut was released last month via XL Recordings.  Our review also noted the “myriad influences…in the album’s 13 songs.  The percussive, experimental elements of the vocals are stunning.”  Fresh off some SXSW dates, Ibeyi will perform in major North American markets for the next few weeks, followed by plenty of European dates through May. (Photo of Ibeyi by Will Jukes.)

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Milky Chance

While this electro-folk duo released their debut album, Sadnecessary, in Europe in 2013, it wasn’t released in the U.S. until last Fall (on Republic).  Their breakout track, “Stolen Dance,” has a whopping 127 million views on YouTube!  Milky Chance is musician and vocalist Clemens Rehbein and DJ Philipp Dausch, both from Germany.  They are currently touring the U.S. and hit several European festivals in late spring.

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San Fermin

This indie rock group from Brooklyn earned our Newbie Award for 2014’s Best New Band.  San Fermin are fronted by Ellis Ludwig-Leone, a Yale grad with an artistic vision that—our reviewer wrote—is “grounded in attitudinal baroque pop.”  Their self-titled album was released at the end of 2013 and its follow-up, Jackrabbit, is due April 21, again on Downtown Records.  Following numerous SXSW showcases, the band will celebrate with two record release parties in Brooklyn, head overseas for half a dozen dates, and then return stateside for plenty of dates and festivals including Hangout and Sasquatch.  Our reviewer wrote that the eight-member band: “is destined for greatness.”

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Shakey Graves

Indie musician Alejandro Rose-Garcia (aka Shakey Graves) has been touring seemingly nonstop to promote last year’s And The War Came album on Dualtone and has become a critical darling as a result.  Of the effort, Best New Bands wrote: “This record is voluminous like a historic novel, and packs more cathartic, grit-infused indie rock than ever before.”  Wow!  The Texan is touring the U.S. and Canada for the next three months.

Try to see at least one of these emerging acts when they venture near you.  No doubt by June we’ll be complaining about the heat!