SXSW

SXSW 2014- Thursday Recap

Posted on by Amanda

Fact: It is currently 3:03am in Austin, Texas and I’m just sitting down to write this recap. That should give you an idea of how well the day went. Although it must be said that today definitely had a theme amongst our camp which in it’s most basic terms was, be prepared and go with the flow because things will generally work out better than you might expect.

Today I was all about having a plan and I quickly threw it out the window because even the best laid plans can have a wrench thrown in. My original intent was to start the day with Mia Dyson but I was not able to get myself out of the hotel in time. Instead, I journeyed over to Palm Door just in time to catch Morning Parade who are a band from the UK. I was so enchanted by them that I found myself unable to move on or away from them. “One more song” is what I kept telling myself. Judging from fan reactions in the crowd, they played some favorites from old albums to newer ones. I really enjoyed myself there. I went to the indoor stage for Tove Lo who was running behind. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen a set up with two percussionists and a synth player to accompany a singer and I honestly enjoyed it more than I thought I would. She had a lyric that really grabbed my attention which was, “I’m not on drugs, I’m just in love.” A sentiment I’m sure a lot of us can relate to.

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I decided to journey down the road in the spirit of checking in on things, although I’m not really sure when that idea kicked in. I went over to Jackalope for our friend Jo’s Badass Bands Blog showcase. I got there just in time to catch the tail end of Little Wild which was definitely a little wild with one of the band members getting on the bar with a tambourine and what appeared to be a conga line going through the bar. Next up was Shakers, a band that was new to me and very fun to catch. Since I missed Mia Dyson earlier, I wanted to catch some of her set which was just up the road at Rustys and on our way to see Parade of Lights at the Brew Exchange. Kristen and I bopped in for part of a song before making the hike over to the west side. I finally got to see Parade of Lights play after far too long between shows. It was loud and it was good. It was familiar and new all at the same time.

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Just up the street was Blacklist Royalty, which we (Kristen and I) sampled before parting ways. I was on a trek back to the hotel on the east side and Kristen was staying on the west side for Nightmare and the Cat as well as The Kin. I moseyed back over to Jackalope to catch the tail end of The Janks. Also new to me but not my LA counterpart. I walked up the street to Rusty’s again to catch The Silent Comedy when I found out the venue was running half an hour behind. Hello wrench in my plans. However, it all worked out because my west side cohort suffered the same problem and came back over to the east side and I caught some of Yellow Red Sparks on the patio at Rusty’s. There was some much needed resting a a bit of restorative yoga before a gang of us sang and danced along with The Silent Comedy to a very small crowd.

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Since I had gone over to the west side it only seemed fit that I travel to the east side as well. Thankfully we found a wonderful pedicab driver by the name of Holt who happened to be driving a cab that was free! My feet were very thankful. The Rachel Ray Feedback House wristband was acquired and we went in to find G. Love was playing. In the spirit of sampling (my newfound “go with the flow and see what you can” motto), I went up the street to catch a band called Strypes, who are from Ireland and apparently playing their first US shows here at SXSW. Admittedly I didn’t know what to make of them at first but I quickly found myself really enjoying them. However, my feet were back to being angry. So after 4 songs in from Strypes, I wandered over to the IFC Fairgrounds to catch The Mowglis but truth be told, I wasn’t feeling well. After a brief respite (aka: twoish songs while I sat on the ground), I made my way back to the hotel in need of a break.

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My break didn’t last very long but after some ginger ale and leftover fried rice, I was feeling a lot better than I was earlier. I accompanied Chelsea on the trek back to The Brew Exchange on the west side to catch Foreign Resort. I was waiting to meet back up with Kristen on the west side for a second round of Parade of Lights and The Silent Comedy. On my way over to the venues on Colorado, I heard a wonderful sound coming from the Wahoo’s Fish Tacos. Yes you read that right. I hung outside to listen and asked someone if they knew who was playing. I was informed that the trio I was watching went by the name of David and Olivia. The gentleman I spoke with was playing there on Saturday with his band J. Roddy Walston and they were on the bill with The Silent Comedy. I told him I was on my way to see them when he told me they were going on an hour later than the schedule said. Hello again, wrench. This was a conflict because now Parade of Light and The Silent Comedy were going to be playing at the same time! But, I kept it cool. I walked over to The Tap Room to confirm the news. Then I wandered up the block to TenOak to chat with the Parade of Lights fellas. As it got closer to show time for them (and the conflict) it because evident they were going to have to cancel their show. Big bummer. I was really looking forward to seeing a longer set from them but it just wasn’t in the cards for tonight. Instead, I enjoyed some of The Griswolds who were dealing with a very drunk and kind of amusing-but-only-because-I-don’t-have-to-deal-with-it crowd. They finished just in time for Trina, Kristen and I to join up and end our night with The Silent Comedy. This particular set was different from the previous ones and featured older songs like Gasoline, Impossible Name, and Road Song. To name a few. It was the perfect way to end my way. Like a cherry on top of a neapolitan sundae.

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Honorable mentions from Kristen today go out to Brick + Motor and Nina Nesbit.

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Recommendations for Tomorrow:
10:30am-1pm: BMI Brunch at The Lawn at The Four Seasons (98 San Jacinto Blvd)
11:35am: Finish Ticket at Whole Foods Rooftop (525 N Lamar Blvd)
12pm: Hozier at Hype Hotel (301 Brazos St)
12:30pm: Noah Gundersen at Buffalo Billards (201 E 6th ST)
12:30pm: The Strypes at Palm Door on 6th outdoor stage
2:35pm- The Heavy Heavy Hearts at Rusty’s (405 E 7th St)
3pm: Kid Karate at Cheer Up Charlies (900 Red River)
3:20pm- Dear Boy at Rusty’s (405 E 7th St)
5:10pm: Barcelona at Whole Foods Rooftop (525 N Lamar Blvd)
6pm: Ingrid Michaelson at The Market (319 Colorado St)
8:30pm- Night Terrors of 1927 at Bangers (79 Rainey St)
10pm: Queen Caveat at Firehouse Lounge (605 Brazo St)
10pm: Sir Sly at Trinity Hall at Old School (401 E 6th St)
12am: Magic Man at The Market (319 Colorado St)-
1am: Shakey Graves at The Gatsby (708 E 6th St)

 

SXSW 2014- Wednesday Recap

Posted on by Amanda

We are in the full swing of SXSW craziness over here in Austin. I have been keeping a low profile until today due to the fact that I picked up a cold the night before I flew out here for all the madness. My day was supposed to start at 12:30pm with John Flanagan but sadly I was still in bed sleeping off breakfast and trying to catch up on rest from the night before. However, I did manage to get myself out of the hotel room in time to catch Nicole Atkins at the Antiquiet show at Rusty’s. From there it was a very short walk outside to the patio to catch Sad Robot for the Swinghouse Showcase.

 

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The fact that I was still up and running after two shows seemed like a good sign (as opposed to yesterday) so I journeyed on a caught a touch of Wounds at the Annex. They were not what I had anticipated and although I appreciated the idea of getting in the crowd to sing and mosh, it seemed like too much energy for me to deal with at that moment in time. The beauty of SXSW is that everywhere you turn, there is music. So, I wandered up the street with Kristen and caught the last two songs from No at the Empire Control Room. We stuck around debating our next plan of action (we sometimes have to take this hour by hour) when The Crooks came on the stage. They were new to me, very enjoyable, and not to be confused with Crooks, mind you.

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  From there it was a semi-mad dash over to the west side to catch what we thought was Dear Boy’s first show of SXSW but it was more of a interview with a cover song. Not complaining mind you because afterwards, we ended up right across the street at the W Hotel for the Music Media Welcome Reception. Complete with tasty snacks like a small lobster stuffed sandwich, cheese filled puff pastries, and a potato mousse with avocado on top. Pretty swanky. We made some new friends and watched the Mayor of Austin speak. After he was done, they featured a lady named Jazz Mills, who had a beautiful voice. We picked up some swag bags on the way out which included some coupons, a few cd samplers, ear plugs, a harmonica, and some other fun goodies. We had to swing back to the hotel to drop off our swag before getting back to Rusty’s patio to catch the very first band we saw last year, Moon Taxi. Moon Taxi was the first band of the day to make me dance around. I’m not sure if it’s because I was feeling good or they just had the tunes. They played old favorites like “All The Rage” and “Mercury” as well as new ones like “The New Black” and “The Morocco.” Seriously good fun.

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The dancing only intensified later on in the evening with Dear Boy’s first full out SXSW show at the BMI showcase. En route to catch The Silent Comedy tear up the Crave showcase at Rusty’s (are you picking up a theme here?) we caught part of “Howl” from Beware of Darkness. As expected, The Silent Comedy put on a crazy good show and played all new tunes. There was a quick dash to catch Meg Myers over at Red Eyed Fly and a quick dash back to catch Semi Precious Weapons, who also played new music. They had a surprise guest show up in the form of one Lady Gaga. Needless to say, it got a little crowded up in there. But Semi Precious Weapons put on a hell of a great show, ending with a stage dive/crowd surfing from frontman Justin Tranter.

 

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Honorable mention goes out to Queen Caveat who I heard were “on point” tonight. I had already wandered back to the hotel to save my energy for the madness of tomorrow. We would also like to take a moment to think about all those affected by the deadly car accident here at SXSW. We are thankful that all our friends are safe and our hearts go out to those affected by the incident. Tomorrow is not likely to let up on the insanity. Here are some of our top picks.

  • Wind-up Records party at La Barbecue (1200 E 6th St) f. Jillette Johnson, Crobot, The Revivalists, Great Good Fine Ok
  • Badass Bands Blog show at The Jackalope (404 E 6th St) f. No Small Children, Little Wild, The Shakers, The Heavy Heavy Hearts, The Janks, The Soft White Sixties
  • We Met Tomorrow 1pm at Austin City Hall (301 W 2nd St)
  • Parade of Lights 3pm at The Brew Exchange (706 W 6th St)
  • Sir Sly 4pm at Bar 96 (96 Rainey St)
  • Nightmare and The Cat 4pm at The Brew Exchange (706 W 6th St)
  • Sam Smith 4:30 at Fader Fort (1101 E 5th St)
  • The Kin 5pm at MUVE Music Showcase ‘Fish Bowl’ Stage (4th and Congress)
  • Queen Caveat 6pm at Amped Downstairs (300 E 6th St)
  • Brick + Motor 9pm at Metal & Lace
  • American Authors 9pm at IFC Fairgrounds
  • Mighty Oaks 10pm at Lucille (77 Rainey)
  • Kid Karate 11:15 at Holy Mountain
  • The Silent Comedy 12am at Tap Room at The Market

SXSW 2014 – Tuesday Recap

Posted on by Kristen

Today was another winner. Tuesday is when Music is beginning and Interactive is coming to an end and the cross-pollination makes for interesting conversations. I met quite a few cool people today! It all started at The Great Brisith Breakfast where I enjoyed quality people, quality food, and a quality musical act in the form of Rams’ Pocket Radio. The addition of a violin really upped the live performance from my last Rams’ show.

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I found myself back at the Trade Show, where something unexpectedly not-SXSW occurred…we might call it a miss. I wandered around a bit with the intent of heading to the Swedish Booth to see when the band We Met Tomorrow was going to do their acoustic session on Wednesday. After being slightly distracted (A Trade Show hazard), I found the booth and oddly enough the band who had just finished their acoustic set which I guess had been moved to Tuesday? Tragedy! Although, in the end, they gave me a memory stick with songs, videos, pictures, etc. so…maybe not a clear loss after all. I will just have to try harder to see them later in the week.

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I stuck around the Trade Show floor long enough to enjoy some of the delectables put out for the block party. SXSW really does food quite well. There were different stations with different types of comestibles ranging from chicken salad and pita chips, to mini BBQ sandwiches, to the most interesting combination of spicy and sweet in the form of something that resembled a thumb print cookie, but tasted like fire and ice at the same time (clearly I’m not a food blogger).

After food, I ran to my most anticipated show of the day, The Kin playing the Sounds Australia day party at B.D. Riley’s.  When I walked in, Sun Rai was on stage. He quickly won me over with some dance-able piano-based tunes. The bar was crowded, and not all were there for music. It was noisy and a bit awkward. The Kin began playing a more acoustic set and then, one by one, patrons were drawn to what was happening on the little stage. I wasn’t sure if the trio were going to do their usual, come out into the audience and sing bit, but they did, and by that time they owned the room (standing on top of the tables might have helped). After their set, I chatting with some of their new fans. There is nothing like seeing others fall in love with a band you think is the bees knees. 

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I met a few more kindred spirits at a networking event at The Chicago House, made a quick stop back at the hotel for snack hour and some tea and then my evening of musical adventures began! After sampling a bit of The Belle Game, I started wandering down 6th St and had a series of amazing run-ins. 3/4 of Dear Boy, Badass Bands Blog’s Jolynn, my High Voltage cohort Trina Green, and possibility the best run-in of the week, the one and only Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons (below with Trina). That last one was a bit of a SXSW flashback…and made up for the Imagine Dragons/Coldplay/London Grammar ticket I forfeited earlier in the day.

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The SXSW gods were smiling upon me again when I made a new friend who helped me get into the near capacity French Tech Party to see another one of my most anticipated bands, Heymoonshaker. This band is like nothing I have seen before. They define their genre as beat-box/blues, and, well, that’s exactly what it is…an intriguing combination that this dynamic duo puts together like peanut butter and jelly.  A definite must-see if you get the chance. The duo also gave the audience pointers in the proper way to shake ones hips; a lesson I employed and took with me the rest of the evening (p.s. my knees really hurt now)

P1500698From Heymoonshaker, I ran to Dirty Dog Bar and arrived just in time to see Driver Friendly play “Run”, the song that got me to put them on my list. Then I was off to the British Embassy to catch a snippet of Wolf Alice before the entire set from Glasgow band, Prides. I was skeptical when I saw it was two guys on keyboards plus a drummer, but as the set went on, I was more and more…involved (hip shake practice) and by the end when they played the familiar “Out of The Blue”, Prides had become one of my favorite new musical discoveries. Since I had a great position up front, I stuck around the Embassy to sample a bit of Bi-Polar Sunshine before running (again) to Buffalo Billards for the rest of Caught A Ghost. At this juncture I just want to state once more how much I enjoy the forthcoming Caught A Ghost album (out in April). I must thank the publicist who sent it to me because it was well-timed and basically necessitated catching the band here at SXSW. The songs were just as catchy and dance-able in their live form.

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At this point, my feet were aching, but I still walked more blocks than I care to mention to catch a late-night set from Nashville’s Dinner and a Suit, a band I already adore. One song in and I knew I made the right choice. What a perfect way to end my day.

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Tomorrow is going to be insane. There are way too many bands I want to see playing at the same time. Here is a sampling of what I would recommend if you’re here in Austin.

* Antiquiet and Swinghouse have Day Parties at Rusty’s staring at noon and featuring some great bands (John Flanagan, Sad Robot, Ume, Moon Taxi)
* 8pm: Dear Boy’s SXSW debut at Bar 96
* 9pm: The Silent Comedy at Rusty’s
* 10pm: Queen Caveat at Chuggin’ Monkey
* 11pm: Semi Precious Weapons at Rusty’s

 

~ Kristen

SXSW ’14- Monday Recap

Posted on by Kristen

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Music doesn’t technically start until tomorrow, but we arrived in Austin today and the magic of SXSW immediately took over and I thought, that’s worth a post, no? After a very (very) early morning wake-up call, a quick flight and a short bus ride, I found myself in downtown Austin. As if to remind me of what SXSW can give you, within an hour, I had been offered an assortment of free food and drinks including espresso brownies, energy candies, coffee from a coffee dome (are we picking up a theme here?), etc. The best swag, however, had to be a battery powered phone charger kindly bestowed upon me by the lovely folk supporting Titanfall. They also gave me the most delicious Kind bar I have ever tasted…I think there were cranberries involved…

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And if that wasn’t exciting enough, while gathering credentials, we ran into one of my top ten SXSW picks, Sir Sly, and George Takei (!).

*imagine non-blurry picture of George Takei here*

Before the music really takes over, we took the opportunity to wander around the Trade Show, learning about a variety of products and services, collecting a week’s worth of t-shirts, and trading business cards with interesting vendors. I’d say the most mind-blowing conversation was with The Postal Service booth where we shown the lately in print technology, ads that when viewed through a lens have digital “pop-up” components.

As far as music goes, the day presented itself with a few too many almost amazing moments. I was at the Spotify House when Jetta was on stage, but because of a set time change, I only got to hear (and not see) her. Later in the evening, I heard a couple songs from The Colourist while standing outside the venue, getting only a peak at their heads. We met a similar fate trying to catch some of comedian, Bill Cosby’s set with Funny or Die. The best I did was see a bit of Phantogram at The Spotify House and Reggie Watts at Vice’s The Mobile Movement party.

Phantogram              Reggie Watts

Perhaps the most satisfying part of the day was the free burger and fries sponsored by Late Night with Seth Meyers. That burger from ShackBurger was one of the most delicious things I have eaten in months. Definitely worth the lengthy wait in line.

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I capped my evening with a quick stop at The British Embassy for the Belfast party where I danced off those burger calories with Unknown. I left when I saw the rain was picking up. I guess it was a relatively early night. Probably a good thing looking at my schedule for the week to come.

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Speaking of, if you’re in Austin, here are a few things I’m most looking forward to tomorrow, Tuesday 3/11:

* 10:30-1pm: The Great British Breakfast at Parkside Austin f. music from Rams’ Pocket Radio
* 4:30- The Kin at BD Riley’s Pub
* 6pm- Mighty Oaks at Embassy Suites
* 8pm- heymoonshaker at Trinity Hall
* 9pm- Driver Friendly at Dirty Dog Bar
* 10pm- Kiven at Soho Lounge
* 11pm- Caught A Ghost at Buffalo Billards
* 12am- Dinner and a Suit at Headhunters Patio

 

It’s going to be such a great week. I can’t wipe the ridiculous smile off my face…

~ Kristen

Kristen’s Top 10 Acts to See at SXSW ’14

Posted on by Kristen

Heading to Austin tomorrow for what is always my favorite week of the year, SXSW Music! I’ve sorted countless invites, emails, RSVPs, parties, lineups, etc. and settled on a lovely 25 page schedule of possibilities. There are seemingly endless options when it comes to SXSW, and not many of them are bad, but if you’re still looking for some guidance, here are some of the acts I’m most looking forward to next week.

1. Dear Boy

Nothing beats watching one of your favorite local bands experience their first SXSW.  This year, it’s all about Dear Boy. This will be the band’s first trip to Austin and first tour out of California. They are one of my top bands on the rise and I can’t wait to see how they do away from home.  It’ll be thrilling to watch all the music fans fall in love.

Where to see them:

Wednesday 4pm at On-Airstreaming Studios (210 Guadalupe St)
Wednesday 8pm at Bar 96 (96 Rainey St) – BMI Official Showcase
Friday 3:20 at Rusty’s (405 E 7th St) – Swinghouse/D’Addario Day Party

 

2. The Kin

If The Kin are playing, I am there. That’s how good these guys are. Their live performance will mesmerize. The Kin recently got off the road with Pink and are currently in the middle of their first big headline cross-country tour so catch them while you can!

Where to see them:

Tuesday 4:30 at BD Riley’s (204 E 6th St) – Sounds Australia ‘Sound Gallery’
Tuesday 8pm Magical Mystery Bus Tour (RSVP thekinlist@gmail.com for info)
Wednesday 8pm Magical Mystery Bus Tour (RSVP thekinlist@gmail.com for info)
Thursday 5pm at the ‘Fish Bowl’ Stage at 4th and Congress – MUVE Music Showcase
Thursday 8pm Magical Mystery Bus Tour (RSVP thekinlist@gmail.com for info)
Friday 12:30 at the Lawn of the Four Seasons (98 San Jacinto Blvd)- BMI Brunch

 

3. Meg Myers

If you have ever seen Meg Myers, you would know why she is on this list. Meg is the kind of performer who completely inhabits her songs and her recent EP (one of my favorite releases this year), is full of emotion-laden rockers. I could watch this girl all day.

 


Where to see her:

Wednesday 12-5pm Lawn Party at Empire Control Room and Garage (604 E 7th St)
Wednesday 3:40 at IFC Fairgrounds (E 3rd & Red River)
Wednesday 9:50 at Red Eyed Fly (715 Red River St)
Thursday  4:25 at 78 Rainey St
Friday 8pm at The Market (319 Colorado St)

 

4. Sir Sly

Every year there is a band or two that I feel like I need to say goodbye to. They are becoming too big for me to afford to see every time they play and I just need to acknowledge the fact that they are no longer going to be one of “my bands”. This year, Sir Sly is that band.

Where to see them: 

Monday 1pm at Roku Streaming Lounge – Vevo Showcase
Thursday 4pm Bar 96 – Dr. Martens/Filter Showcase
Friday 4:45 Palm Door on 6th – Universal Music Group Showcase
Friday 10pm at Old School – Cherrytree Records Showcase

 

5. The 1975

When I saw them at SXSW 2013, I was not impressed, but I have since become obsessed with a few of their tunes. Is it something about their live show that I struggle to connect with? Was someone having a bad day back in 2013? Was I just an idiot? Now that I’m more familiar with the group, I’m terribly curious to see these Brits again.

 Where to see them:

Thursday 3-10 mtvU Woodie Awards (corner of first and Red River)
Friday 1:30 at Palm Door on 6th outdoor stage (508 E 6th St)
Friday 5pm at The Hype Hotel (301 Brazos St)
Saturday noon at Waterloo Records (600 N Lamar Blvd)
Saturday 12:30am at Stubb’s (801 Red River)

 

6. The Silent Comedy – If you want an all around good time, head to a Silent Comedy gig. yes.
See them: Wednesday 9pm at Rusty’s (405 E 7th St)

7. Queen Caveat – My fave LA rockers finally put out a new EP, and they are ready to take Austin by storm
See them: Friday 7:45 on the Whole Foods Rooftop (525 N Lamar Blvd)- Quantum Collective Party

8. Parade of Lights – Another local fave that I’m excited to see take on Texas
See them: Saturday 1pm at The Cedar Door (201 Brazos St) – The Naked Music Box Party

9. Hozier– because his song, “Take Me To Church” has been stuck in my head for weeks now
See him: Friday 12pm at The Hype Hotel (301 Brazos St)

10. Heymoonshaker– I’ve never seen this band, but they have songs with the genre “blues-beatbox” and they just sound like the kind of party I want to be a part of
See them: Friday 3:45 at The Lodge (411 E 6th St)

Kristen’s SXSW ’13 Mix – Part 7 – Haley Bonar, Kodaline, Frank Turner

Posted on by Kristen

SXSW is my favorite time of the year for collecting new artists to watch. Far be it from me to keep these gems to myself. Here are some of bands and songs I discovered this year:

 

19. Haley Bonar – “Bad Reputation”

I was attracted to the tone of Haley Bonar’s voice. It stuck out in a sea of voices while I was going through all the SXSW announced artists and got this Minnesotan a spot on my best of SXSW playlist.

 

20. Kodaline – “All I Want”

These Dubliners made it into one of my top sets of SXSW, partly due to the circumstances surrounding my first seeing them and partly due to their intoxicating tunes like this one. The way this song builds gets me every time. A Kodaline show = a magical experience.

 

21. Frank Turner – “I Still Believe”

I had heard of Frank Turner prior to SXSW 2013, but I hadn’t given him a proper listen. I saw two of his sets this year and, especially the one with The Sleeping Souls, they could be described as one of the more energy-packed, empowering sets I’ve seen. Turner has an impressive ability to stir a crowd into fist-pumping madness. Giving his tunes a few listens, I can tell why. His recently released album, Tape Deck Heart, is packed full of gems.

 

~ Kristen

Kristen’s SXSW ’13 Mix – Part 6 – The Field Effect, Wildlife Control, The Wild Feathers

Posted on by Kristen

SXSW is my favorite time of the year for collecting new artists to watch. Far be it from me to keep these gems to myself. Here are some of bands and songs I discovered this year:

 

16. The Field Effect – “Ogunquit, ME”

This group from Boston was one of my post-SXSW discoveries. I heard this song on the Berklee Party Sampler and found it fun and refreshing. Here’s a clip:

 

17. Wildlife Control – “Analog or Digital”

Wildlife Control is one of those bands whose songs get into your brain without you even noticing. One day I just woke up with this song in my head. I actually had to track down where it had come from.  I immediately put it in my “SXSW mix” folder.

 

18. The Wild Feathers – “Backwoods Company”  

This band I saw a couple different times at SXSW and their live show elevated them from a band to check out to a must see.

 

~ Kristen