The South by Southwest music festival in Austin is one of the best festivals to catch new artists and mingle with fellow indie music lovers while still enjoying all of the civilized comforts a major city has to offer. Or so I’ve been told. Though I lived in Texas for the last five years, I’ve never actually made it down for the annual festival. But many of my friends and acquaintances who have been always say that South by has a high quality variety of music and can get as wild as Mardi Gras. I’m not totally sure about that second claim, but I couldn’t be more excited about finally goin to the festival that I’ve heard so much about. The festival organizers just released the second wave of included artists, and here are my top 10 picks in no particular order. For the full list, please visit the South by Southwest website.
I caught the New Zealand indie synth pop group last week at Echoplex, and their energetic and impeccable performance had the audience packed like sardines within a 30 foot radius of the stage. I didn’t know much about the band until I read Lacey Lewis‘ September article about group and their #1 track ‘Young Blood’ on the New Zealand charts, and after seeing them live I predict a very lively dance party at their show at South by.
A British female singer/songwriter who could give M.I.A. a run for her money, she first caught my attention with a clip of her 2010 South by Southwest performance. She had two backup singers and dancers with a sort of Dr. Seuss-in-space look, their movements and vocalizations as bizarre and captivating as their ensembles. I can’t wait to see what she has planned for this year’s festival performance.
Their music is as gorgeous and dark as the name would suggest, and though I’ve only seen them perform once (full the full review, click here) their unique blend of sultry female vocals, striking and perpetually moving bass lines, and tight drummer/bass player sound has stood out in my mind as one of the most intriguing acts I’ve yet to see in Los Angeles. Their song ‘Am I Real?’ was nominated for a BnB Best of 2010, click here to vote.
Pronounced ‘Master craft’, the Canadian electronic house duo is one of those buzzed-about acts that I can’t help but be interested in. During a long and arduos day of festival-going, it’s nice to head to a DJ show to dance it all out. I really enjoyed what Todd Prodanovich had to say about the dance-oriented duo, and they’ve remixed the works of Kylie Minogue and Wolfmother (click here for Todd’s full article).
I had plans to catch the freak folk band from Colorado a few weeks ago, but due to a scheduling conflict I missed their show. I’ve been anxious to see them ever since, anxious to find out if their live show is anything like their recorded music. They’ve been likened to Animal Collective, but with a more fluid, relaxed sound.
I’ve seen Erykah Badu perform many times, but I’m still a sucker for a Dallas native and neo-soul. Of course, experience has taught me that I should expect to wait, but it will be well worth it. Most recently, I saw her perform with more of a DJ-oriented set (for the full review, click here) but I hope that she performs with a full live band for this year’s South by performance. A masterful soul singer who has absolute control over her voice and her band, Erykah Badu is just one of those charismatic people who you can’t take your eyes off of.
There is so much to say about this out of control post garage punk band that it couldn’t possibly fit into just one little paragraph (for the BnB exclusive interview with the band, click here). Admittedly, punk and hard rock have never been my favorite genres, but when I saw the group at FYF last summer I was absolutely enthralled by their high-octane performance. For all you die-hard rockers, this is the band to see at SXSW.
The four-piece from Colorado blends gypsy folk, punk, and Mariachi and has toured in support of Muse. You also might remember them from the score of Little Miss Sunshine. Every song of theirs I’ve heard, I’ve not just enjoyed but absolutely loved. They’re more Roy Orbison than Sufjan Stevens, and I can’t wait to see them perform live.
This Philadelphia-based rock and roll trio has toured with Ben Folds and recently performed on David Letterman. I know of another band they’ve toured with called Via Audio from Brooklyn, and they could not stop talking about how great their tourmates’ show was. Whenever a group whose performance I admire recommends another group, odds are they’ll be pretty good.
A group that’s reminiscent of the Rolling Stones one minute and Buddy Holly the next, Fergus & Geronimo is a truly uncategorizeable band that puts on an incredible show. I caught them last year performing in their native Denton, Texas, but they’ve since relocated to New York. Try as they might, there’s still a distinctive Texas flair in their blend of post rock and roll, Motown, punk, and soul. I’m sure they’ll be pulling out all of the stops when they play South by, and I have no doubt that their show will be packed with long-time fans.
For more information on tickets for the 2011 South by Southwest Festival, please visit their website here. Stay tuned to BestNewBands.com for upcoming previews, in-person interviews, and post-show reviews!
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