Every March, the music industry packs it’s bags and moves to Austin, Texas for South By Southwest, a festival that manages to get bigger and bigger each year despite it’s already gargantuan/beastly size. Given the overwhelming number of performances by over 1,400 acts, we’ve compiled a short list of ten bands that you simply must see. Many of these bands may not be on your radar right now, but with some luck, they’ll come out of SXSW as indie household names, gaining more traction and playing bigger venues and as a result of this four day period in Texas’ most beautiful city.
There will, of course, also be bands like Youth Lagoon, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, The Shins, Sharon Van Etten, Build To Spill, The Drums, Best Coast, Miike Snow, Neon Indian, Tennis, and the legendary Bruce Springsteen at SXSW. While we also hope to see these acts down there, the list below is primarily meant to highlight the artists that we think will be headlining the parties at Stubb’s next year.
We here at the imaginary Wild Honey Pie offices have a long standing love affair with clear-voiced chanteuses. Daughter (@ohdaughter), a recent addition to Glassnote Records, is our latest lady love — given the melancholic lyrics, melodic guitar and vocal prowess of 21-year-old singer Elena Tonra, it’s no wonder why. Daughter has been steadily gaining buzz since the release of the His Young Heart EP last year, but SXSW looks to be a real coming-out party for the young London band. — Hannah Angst
Perhaps all this light, sweet, pretty music is getting you down. Perhaps you are an aggressive 20-something with a whole lot of pent up anger that you would like to thrash out while listening to old fashioned nasty rock that feels as at home in the summer sun as in it does in grimy basements. Perhaps then, you should take a listen to the spectacular Howler (@howler_band), a band so wildly awesome that they garnered comparisons to The Vaccines the moment their demo was first heard. So, take some time from the nice indie-folk and allow the noise to blow some joy into your puny little skull. You can catch Howler at the NME/PPL showcase at Latitude 30 on the 16th. — Hannah Angst
Wednesday, March 14 (6:00pm) — Waterloo Records Presents @ Waterloo Records // RSVP
Thursday, March 15 (12:30pm) — Paste Magazine Party @ Stage on 6th // RSVP
Friday, March 16 (4:00pm) — Dickies Party @ Lustre Pearl // RSVP
Saturday, March 17 — SX San Jose @ Hotel San Jose // RSVP
Mixing heavy blues-rock and electronic music may sound like a terrible idea, but American Royalty (@amrcnrylty) have found a way to pull it off spectacularly. This fusion of dirty rock with electro adds that extra little bit of grime that is missing in so many modern blues-rock bands, making these guys one of the most captivating acts we’ve heard in a while. With their newest Matchstick EP, American Royalty looks ready to explode, and SXSW is always the best place to start. — Hannah Angst
Wednesday, March 14 (1:00pm) – Knucklerumbler/AudioPerv Party @ Peckerheads // RSVP
Wednesday, March 14 (2:30pm) – Tijuana/Way Out West Party @ The Bayou Lounge // RSVP
Thursday, March 15 (1:00pm) – Do512 Session @ Do512 Lounge
Thursday, March 15 (5:00pm) – The Burning Ear Party @ The Firehouse // FREE
Thursday, March 15 (2:00am) – Lose Control Party @ Old Pecan Cafe
Friday, March 16 (3:00pm) — Solid Gold/Death & Taxes Party @ Cheer Up Charlies // RSVP
Friday, March 16 (4:30pm) — Guns/MFG/Quit/Hit City Party @ Barbarella
Friday, March 16 (6:45pm) — The Beehive (The Wild Honey Pie/Paper Garden Records) @ Uncorked // RSVP
Saturday, March 17 (12:45pm) – Seaport @ Red Eyed Fly
Saturday, March 17 (2:00pm) — C3/Windish Party @ Room 508
Saturday, March 17 (3:20pm) — Ticketometer Party @ Skinny’s Ballroom // FREE
Saturday, March 17 (5:15pm) – dubFrequency/Logitek @ Malverde
Saturday, March 17 (8:00pm) — Windish Official Showcase @ ND
Super synthy band Body Language (@body_language) has been making their way through Brooklyn’s party scene for a while now, appearing alongside La Roux, Passion Pit, Little Boots, School of Seven Bells and putting their stamp on a handful of remix compilations. This will be Body Language’s 2nd year at SXSW, and after their recent release, Social Studies, and a tour with Zero7 and Sia, Body Language is a band not to miss this time around. — Kim Dupuis
Monday, March 12 (3:00pm) — Ford & Kickkicksnare Emerging Artists @ Stubb’s // FREE
Wednesday, March 14 (12:00pm) — Under The Radar Party @ Flamingo Cantina // RSVP
Wednesday, March 14 (9:00pm) — C3/Virgin Mobile @ 508 House
Thursday, March 15 (8:00pm) — Bond Music Group Learning Secrets Official Showcase @ The Madison
Thursday, March 15 (10:15pm) — The Deli’s Un/Off Party @ Gypsy Lounge // RSVP
Thursday, March 15 (1:00am) — YVYNL/Ears of the Beholders #MEGABLAAG @ Lovejoy’s // RSVP
Friday, March 16 (3:30pm) — Pop Anti-Pop/Sea Now! Party @ The Brew Exchange // RSVP
Friday, March 16 (7:20pm) — Nylon Party @ W Hotel
Saturday, March 17 (3:00pm) — Nailler9 @ Hype Hotel // RSVP
Lucius (@ilovelucius) is a band that we at The Wild Honey Pie truly adore, and not just because they reside in our beloved city of Brooklyn. The band boasts two female vocalists that create a lush atmosphere of harmonic bliss, wavering from a delicate pop sound to power-packed soul. They’ve recently released a self-titled EP and are beginning to show the world what they can bring to a live performance. — Kim Dupuis
Wednesday, March 14 (1:00pm) — @ All Saints Episcopal Church
Wednesday, March 14 (4:30pm) — The Wild Honey Pie/Round Hill/Cantora/Black Bell/Pianos/Modern Art Present BANNERS @ The Side Bar
Thursday, March 15 (9:30pm) – The Deli’s Un/Off Party @ The Gypsy Lounge // RSVP
Friday, March 16 (3:00pm) – Berklee College of Music @ Friends // RSVP
Friday, March 16 (7:30pm) — The Beehive (The Wild Honey Pie/Paper Garden Records) @ Uncorked // RSVP
Saturday, March 17 (1:00pm) — @ Bangers
Saturday, March 17 (8:00pm) – NXNA Presented by Instant Classic Records @ Wierdo’s
The most established band on our list, Cloud Nothings (@cloudnothings) has been in a state of evolution from the get-go. Their earlier works gave off a minimalistic pop-punk rawness, while their more recent tracks show them morphing into a richer, post-punk grunge — thanks in part to a full band and production via Steve Albini (Nirvana, PJ Harvey, Pixies). If you’re looking to add a bit of rock to your SXSW checklist, you can certainly achieve that with Cloud Nothings. — Kim Dupuis
Wednesday, March 14 (4:45pm) – Consequence of Sound’s CoSigns @ Beauty Bar // RSVP
Thursday, March 15 (3:00pm) – The Pitchfork Day Party @ The Mohawk // FREE
Thursday, March 15 (1:00am) – Carpark/Paw Tracks Showcase @ 512 Rooftop
Friday, March 16 (3:00pm) – MWTX @ 110 E. 5th St. // RSVP
Friday, March 16 (1:00am) – Windish Showcase @ ND
Saturday, March 17 – TBA @ The Mohawk
Of all the acts playing SXSW this year, Kaoru Ishibashi (a.k.a. Kishi Bashi) (@kishi_bashi) is absolutely the one I’m most excited to see. While Ishibashi utilizes the same methods that Andrew Bird once did for his one man show, his sonic landscape and focus are very different. As the violinist for of Montreal and a touring member for Regina Spektor’s and Sondre Lerche’s bands, Ishibashi has had many SXSW experiences, but this year will be his first as Kishi Bashi. With his debut album, 151a, hitting the shelves/internet on April 10 via Joyful Noise Recordings, and a ton of SXSW appearances scheduled, Kishi Bashi will hopefully leave the festival with some significant press and enough momentum to get 151a the attention it deserves. – Eric Weiner
Friday, March 16 (12:30pm) – Spider House @ 2908 Fruth Street
Friday, March 16 (7:00pm) – TBWA Party @ Scottish Rite
Friday, March 16 (9:00pm) — The Beehive (The Wild Honey Pie/Paper Garden Records) @ Uncorked // RSVP
Strange Boys are clearly ready to make major waves in their hometown of Austin. Their 2011 release, Live Music, was a killer record, they’re playing some great parties, and, if you know their music already, you’ll agree that they play genuinely glorious punky/scratchy/Southern rock ‘n’ roll! They’ve done SXSW many times before, but maybe this will be the time they come away as a “BIG” band. — Eric Weiner
Tuesday, March 13 (4:00pm) – Jansport Bonfire Sessions @ The Mohawk // RSVP
Friday, March 16 (11:30pm) – And So…. Party @ 29th Street Ballroom at Spider House // RSVP
Saturday, March 17 (3:00pm) – Waterloo Records Presents @ Waterloo Records // FREE
Saturday, March 17 (6:15pm) – Symphony Square @ 1101 Red River St. // RSVP
Saturday, March 17 (1:00am) – Panache Showcase @ The Mohawk
Having served as direct support for Young The Giant in 2011 and released a more than promising debut EP, Oblangle Fizz, Y’all, back in August, Athens, Georgia based Reptar (@reptarathens) has attained about as much buzz as one band can earn. This recognition was well deserved — the group has certainly discovered a way of delivering an incredibly fun, shape-shifting form of indie, jungle pop rife with a youthful energy and creative exuberance. It would be a terrible mistake to miss them at SXSW. — Eric Weiner
Thursday, March 15 (2:00pm) – Filter Magazine @ Cedar Street Courtyard // RSVP
Thursday, March 15 (8:00pm) – IFC Crossroads House @ Vice Bar
Thursday, March 15 (11:00pm) – The Deli’s Un/Off Party @ The Gypsy Lounge // RSVP
Friday, March 16 (2:00pm) – Sennheiser/Paste Party @ Stage on 6th // RSVP
Friday, March 16 (4:15pm) – Workaholics House Party/Comedy Central @ 83 Rainey Street
Friday, March 16 (11:00pm) – Frye Presents @ Buffalo Billiard’s
Saturday, March 17 (4:00pm) – Baeble Presents The Launch Pad @ Peckerheads // RSVP
Saturday, March 17 – 40 Watt Club “Athens in Austin” 25th Anniversary Party @ The Side Bar
The first time I heard Hospitality (@hospitalityband), I happened upon them at a mini concert they were playing in the backyard of a local Williamsburg high school. Lead singer Amber Papini’s voice rang through loud and clear, hooking instantly — I knew I had to do my research. Low and behold, back in 2009, they earned “band to watch” honors from Stereogum and recently toured/are touring with the likes of Tennis, Wild Flag, Caveman, ARMS, and The Love Language. Oh, and they recently signed to Merge Records (Arcade Fire, Caribou, M. Ward), so they must be doing something right. – Eric Weiner
