SXSW 2017: Recap

I think this covers it.

Tues 3/14
@Dogwood
The Mastersons
Band of Heathens
Major and the Monbacks

Wed 3/15
@Blackheart
Oliver John-Rodgers
Blank Range
Allison Pierce
Dams of the West
Linying
Nick Hakim
Sykes
The Secret Sisters

@Latitude 30 (British Music Embassy)
Let's Eat Grandma
Mt. Wolf
Flamingods (briefly)

@Shiner's
Wild (end)
Run River North

@Austin Taco at Hilton
PAVVLA

@Hilton
Molly Burch (end)

Thurs 3/16
@GSD&M
Lillie Mae
Lizzo

@Waterloo
Real Estate

@Whole Foods
Darling West
YOUNGR
The Aces

@Gingerman
Juanita Stein
She Devils
Hand Habits

Friday 3/17
@Weather Up
Madeline Kenney
QTY
Hoops
Teen Daze (partial)
Yoke Lore
L.A. Salami
Undercover Dream Lovers
Big Thief
Future Generations
Mobley
Calliope Musicals
Born Cages
Rainbow Kitten Surprise
Overcoats (partial)
Horse Thief
Nicole Atkins

@Town Lake trail across from Auditorium Shores
Prince Tribute

Saturday 3/18
@Woodrows
Jared and the Mill

@Threadgills
Kinky Friedman (end)
Whitney Rose (partial)
Blackfoot Gypsies
Shinyribs (partial)
Sunny Sweeney
Ray Wylie Hubbard

@Hyatt
Michigan Rattlers

SXSW 2017: Michigan Rattlers

I thought I had posted this band already.  It's a duo originally from Michigan that is now in L.A.  I like their sound.  Americana/country.  His voice reminds me of a young Uncle Tupelo-era Jay Farrar, especially on "Brutus Road".

They're playing quite a few shows this week.  They're playing Shiner's Saloon at 4pm on Wednesday if you can get out of work that early.  Otherwise we could try Friday at 7pm at the Hilton.  They're also playing Saturday at 6pm at the Hyatt.

My thought on Friday is stay on the east side for the Frontgate and Weather Up parties.  Then we can venture back through town and stop if we want to see more.

Last Week

SXSW 2017: Jamila Woods

The other option after GSD&M on Thursday is to head over to the French Legation Museum for the Pitchfork party.  That afternoon is a full slate of female-fronted bands.  The line to get in could be long by that time, though.


5:00 p.m. Hurray for the Riff Raff
4:30 p.m. Lydia Ainsworth
4:00 p.m. Noname
3:30 p.m. Jay Som
3:00 p.m. Jamila Woods
2:30 p.m. Vagabon

This is a Chicago-based singer that Pitchfork loves.

LSD

SXSW 2017: Kučka

Thursday may be a good day to stay around West 6th/Downtown.  We can do the ACL Bloody Mary Morning, then maybe go see Real Estate at Waterloo at 2pm.  Brew Exchange came out with their schedules and I don't see much on Thursday unfortunately.  This is the best I heard.  It's the moniker of Laura Jane Lowther out of Perth, Australia.

Nice mellow R&B sound.  She plays at 2:30pm at Brew Exchange.  My thoughts are to go to Gingerman after this.  I'd like to see Jessica Stein there at 4:30.

Unconditional

SXSW 2017: Linying

Time to make plans for each day.  First up is Wednesday.  I'm not too impressed with Lambert's so I see two options.  My first choice is the Blackheart.  Second choice is SXSanJose.  It's a fundraiser for Planned Parenthood and Whole Women's Health and is an all-female lineup.

This singer from Singapore has big label backing in Universal and Nettwerk Music Group.  She plays at 1:30pm at Blackheart.

My thought is to spend Wednesday around Rainey.

Alpine

SXSW 2017: Colter Wall

This 21 year-old country singer from Saskatchewan is about to be big.  Even "Rolling Stone" is talking about him.  His next album was produced by Dave Cobb and is coming out soon.

He'll be at the Bloody Mary Morning party, Willie's Luck Reunion, Spoon's Friday showcase at the old Emo's, and the Yeti flagship on Thursday.  All the high profile gigs.  Those are just the day parties.

This song was on the soundtrack to "Hell or High Water" and is from his first album.  Here it is on Amazon Music.

He's got the Johnny Cash voice going for him.

Sleeping on the Blacktop

SXSW 2017: Paul Cauthen

Lambert's lineup is out.  The first name on the list is probably the one playing at noon.  He was in Sons of Fathers, who we saw in the chapel at Willie's picnic in 2014.  I really liked them but they broke up soon after that.  Now he's solo and apparently his first album is getting lots of praise.

Very country.  "Saddle" is pretty good.

Still Drivin'

SXSW 2017: OJR

Still nothing for the Lambert's day party on Wednesday.  Plan B could be Blackheart.  The first act on the bill at 11:30am is Oliver John-Rodgers aka OJR, a singer-songwriter originally from Virginia but now in Nashville.  World Cafe highlighted him and he's playing Friday at 8am for the KUTX Live at the Four Seasons as well.  World Cafe says "The music on his stylistically diverse new album, Nashville Demos, ranges from grunge to alt-country."

Numb

SXSW 2017: Gibbz

Here's another band playing at the Frontgate party.  It's the moniker of Mike Gibney out of Brooklyn. He's already played Coachella and Bonnaroo and is preparing the release of his next album.


This has a little LCD Soundsystem in it.  His stuff is more soul/electro-pop, though.

Bright Lights

SXSW 2017: Khruangbin

I just found the Frontgate party invite.  Here's the band list:

SOHN
Youngr
Khruangbin
Gibbz
Gabriel Garzón-Montano
In The Valley Below
Sad13
Alchemist Prime

This band is a trio out of Houston that has been booked to play Bonnaroo.  The Guardian and Vice both really like them.

Nice sound. "People Everywhere" is worth a listen.  This video for "A Calf Born in Winter" is worth checking out, too.

Two Fish and an Elephant

SXSW 2017: Durand Jones and the Indications

Old school soul from this trio out of Indiana.  They are playing Waterloo on Thursday at 5pm.  Chastity Belt plays after them at 6pm.  They are also playing at Whole Foods on Thursday but those times haven't been announced yet.


Smile

SXSW 2017: Chastity Belt

KEXP posts about this band as they're from Washington state but I assumed they were garage punk and never gave them a listen.  I was wrong.  More mellow guitar like Real Estate.  "Joke" is a good song but I'll highlight a new song that is going to be on their album that comes out June 2nd.

They are playing SXSanJose on Wednesday on an all-female bill.

Different Now

SXSW 2017: Overcoats

One more for International Women's Day.  This is a duo out of NYC that plays "folktronica", whatever that is.  They are touring with Tennis and Maggie Rogers.

The best chance to see them is at Weather Up on Friday at 6:30pm after Rainbow Kitten Surprise and before Horse Thief who I really want to see.


Hold Me Close

SXSW 2017: Woodes

This is the moniker of Melbourne-based Elle Graham.  Mellow electronic pop.  She plays after Allison Pierce at Lambert's on Wednesday night.  I don't see her at any day parties yet.

I'm thinking Lamberts could be the pick for Wednesday night.

Good song.  She liberally borrowed the riff from "Reckoner", though.


The Thaw

SXSW 2017: Big Moon

Here's an all-female quartet out of London.  Their first album comes out April 7th and right now they're touring with another London female with SXSW buzz: The Japanese House.

Their sound leans towards garage rock but this song is a little more mellow.  They play Lustre Pearl at 2pm on Wednesday on the same bill as Lewis Del Mar.  They also play SXSanJose on Thursday between Nick Hakim and Lemon Twigs.


Formidable

SXSW 2017: Allison Pierce

I'll try to pick female artists today.  This is a singer originally from Birmingham that now lives in L.A. She is in the band "The Pierces" with her sister but is now releasing her first music solo.  She is signed to Sony Masterworks and her album is being produced by Ethan Johns who has produced Ryan Adams and Ray LaMontagne.  The album comes out in May and right now she's touring with the Wind and the Wave.

There are no studio produced songs online and the only thing I've found is live recordings by fans so here's the best I could do.  She has a nice sound.

She's playing Lambert's at 8pm on Wednesday which could be an early option that night.  She's also playing at 12:30pm at Blackheart on Wednesday so if there's no C3 party at Lambert's we could meet there at lunchtime.  It has a good lineup.

Follow You Down

SXSW 2017: Communist Daughter

The Tiniest Bar in Texas is having shows every day but it looks like Friday and Saturday are the best.  Woodrow's also has some good bands on Saturday so we could plan to spend the day around West 6th.

This band out of St. Paul has been around for a few years.  They are playing the Blackheart on Tuesday with Temples and they play at 5:10pm Sat. at Tiniest Bar.  Nice sound.  Kind of reminds me of Raveonettes.

Keep Moving is good, too.

Roll a Stone

SXSW 2017: James Hersey

Universal Music has taken over Antone's this year and is putting on shows each day.  The best one to me is Thursday:

JAMES HERSEY
MONDO COZMO
JACOB BANKS
THE JAPANESE HOUSE
TEI SHI
MAGGIE ROGERS

I've previewed most of those and like all of them.  All big-label acts we could see at a small venue (if we can get in).  Obviously we would need to get there early.  I assume the first act is this electronic/pop musician from Vienna, Austria.  He is releasing his first EP after a string of singles took off on Spotify.  Here's one of them.

Miss You

SXSW 2017: Hand Habits

Blurt Magazine has curated all the parties from Wed. to Sat. at Gingerman but it looks like they may be skipping this year.  That's unfortunate. So far Thursday has been filled by Gorilla vs. Bear in what they call a "#way-slower curated jam."

The first act on the bill is the moniker of Upstate New York/L.A. musician Meg Duffy.  She has backed bands such as Kevin Morby and Weyes Blood but this is her solo project.  Mellow stuff.

All the While

SXSW 2017: Girlpool

All the SXSW internet is abuzz for this new Girlpool song that was released today.  It's on their new album which comes out May 12th.  They also announced a show at Mohawk on June 17th.  We'll be out of the country.

This is a duo from L.A. that is going to be big with the kids I guess.  They are playing quite a few of the marquee shows during SXSW week but the best chance for us to see them is at 12:30pm on Friday at the Pitchfork party.

"Chinatown" is an older song that isn't bad.  More mellow.


123

SXSW 2017: Half Waif

ABGB has put on day shows the last few SXSWs which are usually pretty good but this year they turned it up a notch.  Friday is especially impressive.  It would be a commitment to bike down there but if the weather is bad or we're looking for a single venue to camp all day this is a good option.  It's a day/night lineup so I'll watch out for the set times.

Half Waif is the moniker of Brooklyn-based Nandi Rose Plunkett.  She's compared to Enya but this song is more poppy.  It's off her new EP that just came out.

Frost Burn

SXSW 2017: Julie Byrne

Pitchfork is going to be at the French Legation Museum this year on Thursday and Friday.  If the weather is nice I'd be happy camping out all day there.  Here's Thursday's lineup:

5:00 p.m. Jidenna
4:30 p.m. Lydia Ainsworth
4:00 p.m. Noname
3:30 p.m. Jay Som
3:00 p.m. Jamila Woods
2:30 p.m. Vagabon
2:00 p.m. Kweku Collins
1:30 p.m. PWR BTTM
1:00 p.m. Priests
12:30 p.m. Julie Byrne
12:00 p.m. Downtown Boys


Julie Byrne is from Buffalo and has released two albums.  Pitchfork loves her new album.  She's also playing the "Twin Peaks" day show.  Mellow music to start the day.  "Follow My Voice" is also good.

I Live Now as a Singer

SXSW 2017: Diet Cig

Here is another band playing lots of day parties.  Our best chance to see them is at Waterloo on Friday at 3pm.  It's a duo out of New Platz, NY.  Not really my usual style as most of their music is garage/punk but this song is pretty good.  It's off their first album which comes out April 7th.

Tummy Ache

SXSW 2017: Dams of the West

Here's another band that is showing up on all the big day party schedules.  It's a solo project of Vampire Weekend drummer Chris Tomson.  His first album was produced by Patrick Carney and just came out in January.

Nice casual pop song.

Death Wish

SXSW 2017: Yoke Lore

The After the Gold Rush day party on Thursday at Sidewinder always has good bands.  I've already previewed quite a few.  This is the moniker of Adrian Galvin from Brooklyn.  He seems to be playing many of the bigger day parties.  He's compared to Animal Collective and Shins.  Quite a mix.

Hold Me Down

SXSW 2017: Aaron Lee Tasjan

The NPR Austin 100 is out and this is the first name on the list.  He's in Nashville now but used to be Brooklyn-based.  This is a more Nashville sound.  He's on New West Records and is playing Willie's Luck Reunion.

Very throwback 70s sound on this one.  "Memphis Rain" is more country like Roy Orbison.

Little Movies

SXSW 2017: Let's Eat Grandma

Had to post this for the name alone but it just so happens that they are pretty good.  It's two teen girls out of Norwich, England.   They're playing the "Twin Peaks" party but are also at the British Music Embassy day party on Wednesday at Latitude 30.  That could be cool.

This song is perfect for David Lynch fans. "Eat Shiitake Mushrooms" is a little more uptempo.

Deep Six Textbook

SXSW 2017: L.A. Salami

Here's another buzz act.  Lookman Adekunle Salami is out of London and goes by L.A. Salami.  He released his debut album in 2016 to rave reviews.  He's playing the "Twin Peaks" show at Clive Bar on Thursday and the Weather Up show on Friday.  Two big gigs.

Very cool sound.  Love the organ.  NPR likes him.  "The City Nowadays" is also pretty good.

Going Mad as the Street Bins