SXSW: 6 Bands To Watch

Well SXSW music is officially here, and as I sit and ponder my existence while at work, I thought it would be fun to share some advice on bands to watch for the week. Of course you know how many bands are in town so the list can be incredibly overwhelming and daunting. After a quick scan, I picked out 6 of my “must sees” for the week in hopes you might find something to seek out. Why 6? I have no idea honestly but it seemed like enough to kick start your brain. Hit the jump for my list with some music samples.

This is of course a very short list when compared to the hundreds of bands in town so if you like one of these, maybe it will open you up to similar bands. I’m listing only free and unofficial shows since all things official SXSW can be found easily on the SXSW site.

Deeper

The ATH crew has been huge fans of this Chicago band for a long time and it should be no surprise to see them on my list. I am likely one of the few staff members who hasn’t seen them live so that’s why they are here. And hey imagine that, they’re playing our party tomorrow!

3/11 Austin Town Hall Day Party @ Barracuda – Inside Stage @ 5:30

3/14 Levitation Day Party @ Hotel Vegas – Time TBA

3/15 Romancing the Wax Party @ Hotel Vegas – Inside Stage @ 3:20

Numb.er

L.A. based post-punk outfit Numb.er put out an amazing LP on Felte last year entitled Goodbye. Since then, I’ve been anxiously looking forward to seeing a live show from the band and it seems as if SXSW will be my chance. You can join me in stalking them at these shows:

3/13 Cindy’s Wicked Waltz @ SpiderHouse Ballroom @ 2:45

3/14 Levitation Day Party @ Hotel Vegas – Time TBA

3/17 Burgermania Day 2 @ Hotel Vegas @ 4:15

The Beths

Oh how I love the bright and sunny sounds of Auckland based twee-pop band The Beths. This might be the #1 band on this here list since they are based out of New Zealand and who knows when I might get another chance to see their live show. They have a few shows so I suggest you make one.

3/12 Stereogum Range Life @ Cheer Up Charlies @ 1:30pm

3/12 HFA/Rumblefish Party @ Side Bar @ 5:30pm

3/15 Lost Weekend 3 @ Mohawk @ – Time TBA

[bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=3863393374 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 artwork=none track=4110632197]

Mike Krol

Easily the most recognizable name on this list, Mike Krol has grown in popularity over the last several years with his brand of dirty, garage rock n roll. I’ve actually never seen the guy and his band so I’m making a point to stop by one of his shows.

3/14 Hipster Robots Suck @ Side Bar @ 1:45pm

3/15 Lost Weekend 3 @ Mohawk – Time TBA

3/15 Waterloo Records Day Shows @ 1:30pm

3/16 Do512 The Big One @ Barracuda @ 3:00pm

[bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=2971440442 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 artwork=none track=626133779]

The Ninth Wave

I was recently turned on to Glasgow based new wave/goth band The Ninth Wave and I’ve been hooked on their music ever since. From things I’ve read online, it sounds like the show should be quite an intense performance. Also worthy to note that the band is from the UK and we may never know when they’ll return to our fair city. As of now, I only see one unofficial show for the group, but I’ll update as more info comes my way.

3/15 Music For Listeners @ Lazarus Brewing Co. @ 5:00pm

Shady Bug

Hailing from St. Louis, Shady Bug have this sort of bright-pop sound blended with some elements of slacker and psych rock. It sounds like an odd combination, but I can assure you it creates something really fun and interesting to listen to. Right now with only a couple of shows on their schedule, I’ll be stressing you make one.

3/15 Spokesman Coffee Show @ 3:00pm

3/16 Post-Trash Showcase @ Beerland – Time TBA

Time to rock and roll amigos!

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