2020 brought a lot of loss and heartache, but nothing hit me harder than the last-minute cancellation of my favorite week of the year at SXSW. Last week, SXSW returned, in an online format and I’m pleased as punch to report that the event was by far the best conference/festival/online event I’ve attended in the past year. I could tell you all about the tech trends, up and coming innovations and inspiring conversations. I could rattle off my list of top films and TV shows watched or detail new products I sampled or interactive events I attended. But the overall takeaway is that the magic of SXSW was there and for me, this feels like it could be the turning point to slowly getting back some of what was missing from the past year.
The only thing that fell drastically short of the usual expectations for SXSW was the music showcases Yes, I was able to discover some new talent and sure, it was fun to see the artists perform in their own countries or backyards. The chat happening alongside the performances also made it easy to connect with both the bands and other like-minded fans and industry professionals. However, nothing will ever ever be able to replace live music, that intangible connectedness it fosters and the feeling that hits when watching a new favorite band perform for the first time.
Based on what I saw last week, moving up the ranks of “must see” acts include Nadia Reid, Hachiku, Alexander Biggs, Ryan McMullen, and Lilla Vargen.
Let’s see who else we can add to that list next week:
Monday:
11am: The Dunwells at FB/YT
AHI at swansongproject.co.uk/podcast
12:30: Scruff of the Neck at Twitch
5:30: Kate Vargas, Eric McFadden at FB
6pm: JR Moore at FB
7pm: Monday Monday at Clubhouse
Sydney Sprague at Twitch
Tuesday:
10am: The Blue Stones at Amazon Music Twitch
11am: Bandsintown #mostliked at Twitch
4pm: Hayes Carll at YT/FB/Twitch
5:30: My Silent Bravery at IG
The Band of Heathens at bandofheathens.com
6pm: Rhett Miller at StageIt
Shakey Graves at boxoffice.mandolin.com
7pm: Marlana (Milo Greene) at noonchorus.com
Weds:
9am: Lewis Watson at Twitch
11am: The Dunwells at FB/YT
Bandsintown Discovery f. hoorsees, Cannon, SWIMM at Twitch
12:30: Scruff of the Neck TV at Twitch
4pm: William Fitzsimmons at Twitch
5pm: Plain White T’s at FB
Molly Jenson at StageIt
Rhett Miller at StageIt
6pm: Tony Lucca at Mo’Verb Lounge
Lady A at CTRL_Music_ Twitch
Billy Strings at nugs.net
Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes) at noonchorus.com
7pm: Wheelwright at Twitch
7:45: Soul Asylum at FB
8pm: Rhett Miller at StageIt
Thursday:
11am: Amazon Music Sessions at AmazonMusic UK Twitch
4pm: March to Rise: A Benefit Concert for Middle Church f. Ani DiFranco, Norah Jones, Emily King, Elizabeth Stanley
Matt Scannell (Vertical Horizon) at StageIt
5pm: Roses and Revolutions at sessionslive.com
Stephen Kellogg at sktheexperiencetour.com
Jenny Owen Youngs at noonchorus.com
For King and Country at YT
Tedeschi Trucks Band at nugs.tv
Matt Sucich at Levon Helm Studios
Bobby Bazini at boxoffice.mandolin.com
Music Lives On at livexlive.com
5:30: A.J. Croce at boxoffice.mandolin.com
6pm: Matthew Logan Vasquez at privyo.io
Billy Strings at nugs.net
Julien Baker at audiotree.tv
Friday:
9am: Aaron Lee Tasjan at livesessions.npr.org/live
11am: The Dunwells at FB/YT
Lewis Watson at Twitch
Pillow Queens at dice.fm
2pm: Rufus Wainwright at veeps.com
3pm: AJR Acoustic Livestream
4:30: The Imagineries at American Songwriter FB
5pm: Switchfoot at switchfoot.com
Christian Lopez at dreamstage.live
Stephen Kellogg at sktheexperiencetour.com
6pm: Billy Strings at nugs.net
Rhett Miller at StageIt
Show Yourself Virtual Tour f. Tom Prasada-Rao, Chris Pierce, Alex Wong here
Bluebird on 3rd at nugs.tv
7pm: Wheelwright at Twitch
Pillow Queens at dice.fm
ALSO: Music Lives 2021 f. John Mayer, Betty Who, Dylan Dunlap, Ferris & Sylvester, lovelytheband, Savannah Sgro at livexlive.com (starts 3pm)
Saturday:
12pm: Band of Horses at veeps.com
Carsie Blanton at FB/YT
12:30: The North Will Rise Again f. Red Rum Club at Liverpool Music House
1pm: Waterparks at veeps.com
3pm: Low Cut Connie at FB
4pm: Hawthrone Heights at hawthorneheightsstore.com
5pm: Moon Taxi at boxoffice.mandolin.com
5:30: Jeremy Messersmith at jeremymessersmith.bandcamp.com
6pm: The Cactus Blossoms at boxoffice.madolin.com
Blue October at getbackuptv
Fantastic Negrito at boxoffice.mandolin.com
7pm: The California Honeydrops at fans.live
9pm: Matt of The Classic Crime at Twitch
ALSO: Isol-Aid Festival at isolaidfestival.com
ALSO: Music Lives 2021 f. John Mayer, Betty Who, Dylan Dunlap, Ferris & Sylvester, lovelytheband, Savannah Sgro at livexlive.com (starts 3pm Friday)
Sunday:
11am: Show Yourself Virtual Tour w/ Alex Wong, Melissa Ferrick, Mary Bragg here
11:30: The North Will Rise Again f. Ist Ist at Liverpool Music House
12pm: Grandson at YT
Passenger at FB
Diane Birch at StageIt
John Smith at boxoffice.mandolin.com
3pm: Shawn Mullins at FB
AJR at IG
5pm: Brandi Carlile at veeps.com
Parker Millsap at signaturesounds.com/homesessions
Jackie Greene at YT
Carrie Newcomer at boxoffice.mandolin.com
6pm: Joe Pug at YT
Cordovas at FB
Madison Cunningham at boxoffice.mandolin.com
Taylor John Williams at StageIt
FB = Facebook, IG = Instagram, YT = YouTube
To Keep in Mind:
March 31st: Joshua Radin at sessionslive.com (6pm)
April 2nd: Emily Kinney at The Hotel Cafe (6pm)
April 2nd: Lucy Spraggan at veeps.com
April 9th: The Sherlocks at sessionslive.com
April 11th: Andrew Bird at sessionlive.com (5pm)
April 11th: Campfire Session at sessionslive.com
April 15th: Lord Huron at noonchorus.com (5pm)
April 21st: William Fitzsimmons w/ Rosie Thomas at IG/Twitch (4pm)
May 19th: William Fitzsimmons w/ Abby Gundersen at IG/Twitch (4pm)
~ Kristen