ACL 2023: Pre-festival summary

Here is my ranked schedule from Friday through Sunday in order of appearance.  This should make it easier to review each band before they go on stage.  Click the name to see the preview.  To see the spreadsheet in full-page click here.

ACL 2023: Labrinth

 Sunday at 7:15pm.  Right before Mumford and Sons.  Wikipedia says:

Labyrinth is an Italian power metal band formed in 1994 in Massa, Italy. The band underwent a change in style and themes after the departure of Olaf Thorsen in 2002.

An interview with the lead singer online starts with this:

A band that seriously need no introduction, Italian dragonslayers Labyrinth practically invented the style of music derived from there home land, and whilst releasing such monumental milestones of greatness as "Sons of Thunder" and "Return to Heaven Denied", Labyrinth should be considered amongst the greatest living performers of the style, along with bands like Helloween and Stratovarius, whose supreme influence in this genre was paramount.

Obviously they need no introduction. I'm not sure I agree that they invented a style of music. The songs I heard remind me of a mix between Iron Maiden and Judas Priest.  In the interview it is claimed their new stuff is slowed down and fans want a return to the sound of "Return to Heaven Denied".  Here are two songs from that album: "Moonlight" and "Thunder" (best I heard).

I'd watch some of this. Not sure you'll enjoy it.  Here they are live in 2002.  Make sure you watch until 1:10 when the guitar (and hair flinging) kicks in. Classic.  

ACL 2023: Death Grips

 Sunday at 7:15pm on the Barton Springs stage.  Wikipedia says:

Death Grips is an American experimental hip hop group formed in 2010 in Sacramento, California. The group consists of Stefan Burnett, also known as Ride (vocals, lyrics), Zach Hill (drums, production, lyrics), and Andy Morin (keyboards, production, lyrics). Though he is not the group's frontman, Hill has been credited with being the driving creative force behind the project.  Drawing from punk rock, electronic, noise, and industrial styles, the band's innovative and often difficult-to-categorize sound has earned critical acclaim and a cult following, while their aggressive performance style and cryptic interactions with their fans and the media have gained widespread notoriety.

Interesting tidbit: "The actor Robert Pattinson is a fan, friend, and collaborator of the band; he played guitar on the song "Birds" from Government Plates."  I think he's still dating Suki Waterhouse who plays at 3:15. I bet he shows up to play guitar with them.  Here's that song: "Birds"

ACL 2023: Cigarettes After Sex

Sunday at 7:15pm. The 6:15 timeslot has Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Hozier, and a techno DJ duo in the tent (Sidepiece). I'd like to see Yeah Yeah Yeahs. 

Three bands on at this time. I don't recognize any of them. Strange to not know the primetime headliners. I guess I'm old.

This is a dream pop band started by El Paso native Greg Gonzales. He has since relocated to Brooklyn. Wikipedia describes their sound:

The band is known for their ethereal, limerent and often dream-like musical style, lyrics often based on the themes of romance and love, as well as Gonzalez's voice, which has been described as "androgynous". While marketed as an ambient pop band, Cigarettes After Sex are also considered to be shoegaze, slowcore and indie rock.

It also mentions Mazzy Star. They did a Tiny Desk Concert and the intro says:

This comes close to the quietest Tiny Desk Concert we've ever had. The music Greg Gonzalez makes with his longtime bandmate Phillip Tubbs as Cigarettes After Sex is hushed. The common thread in these songs is minimalism, heard in both Greg's guitar and Philip's synth, that lay just under Greg Gonzalez's barely audible, somewhat spoken singing. Yet, somehow, this sound that barely exists holds together because of the strong melodies in these songs.

 Here's their big hit. 180M views!

ACL 2023: Little Simz

Sunday at 5:15pm.  Wikipedia says: "Simbiatu "Simbi" Abisola Abiola Ajikawo, better known by her stage name Little Simz, is a British-Nigerian rapper, singer and actress. "

Sometimes I Might Be Introvert won the Mercury Prize in 2022. It also was named BBC6's Album of the Year. 

"Introvert" was on that album. Great song.

"Boss" was in an episode of Insecure.

She did an episode of Tiny Desk (Home) Concert for that album. She also did a Tiny Desk Concert back in 2017. That's a good one.  She may be my first choice.

This song is getting lots of airplay on KUTX. It's from her latest album that came out in December.

ACL 2023: Korey Kent

Sunday at 5:15pm on the BMI stage. Country. He's originally from Oklahoma but now lives in Frisco, Texas. As this article states: 

Corey Kent is 28 years old, married and a father to three kids, age five, two and one...Kent's new Blacktop album is a study in contrast. A decade in Nashville with little to show for it made him patient, but it also taught him a few hard lessons. Most of these came through friends who made poor decisions and paid for it. The road life is filled with temptation, and he knows it.

This article says he joined a Western Swing band at 11 years-old and toured around the country. It eventually disbanded and he moved to Nashville to make it big. When that failed he moved to Texas and started making music he wanted to play while working at a pavement company. His hit song below went viral and Nashville came calling.

"Something's Gonna Kill Me" is his latest single.  

This is his big hit that got him signed to RCA Records Nashville. I can see why. Good song. Great lyrics:

She ain't living for a diamond ring

Just living like the rock'n'roll song she sings out loud

We're burnin' it down

Blazin' up a trail of smoke

Wherever we are, wherever we go

Yeah, that's where she calls home 

ACL 2023: Iván Cornejo

Sunday at 5:15pm. Four acts on at this time. The Breeders are probably my first choice. They play the Barton Springs stage.

This is a 19 year-old from Riverside, California. He won Best New Artist at the Latin Grammys in 2022 and his debut album was chosen as one of the best albums of 2021 by the New York Times according to Wikipedia.

I like his guitar playing. "El Greñas Mentado" is good.  "Aquí Te Espero" is his newest single. It's more of a mellow ballad.

This was his big hit.  After that success there was a bidding war to sign him and he chose to sign with Interscope Records according to this article.

ACL 2023: Niall Horan

Sunday at 4:15pm. Former One Direction member.  Playful pop. This stage also has Hozier and Mumford and Sons.  Good musical synergy.

ACL 2023: Yves Tumor

Sunday at 4:30pm on the Tito's stage. Three bands on at this time. M83 is probably first choice.

Every year ACL books at least one band that defies convention.  According to Wikipedia:

Sean Lee Bowie, best known by the recording alias Yves Tumor, is an American musician and producer of experimental music, born in Miami, Florida and currently based in Turin, Italy...Raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, Tumor started making music at age 16 as an outlet away from "dull, conservative surroundings." Tumor is self-taught, and plays drums, bass, guitar, and keyboards. Describing its experience growing up in Tennessee as unpleasant, Yves moved at age 20 to San Diego, and then after college, to Los Angeles.

Sounds pretty normal so far. Um, no. Reviews call the music  "spellbinding art rock", and a "Romantic, corporeal, gothy" offering that disrupts "hierarchies of gender, race, desire...and performance" via its "intense magnification and worship of life, death and spirituality."

Art rock is a good term for it. "Gospel for a New Century" has a good sound.

"God is a Circle" has a TV on the Radio feel.

 If anything this show should be a visual spectacle.

ACL 2023: Celisse

Sunday at 3:15 on the Tito's stage. We have to check this out. She was on CBS Morning News where they called her the "Go-to guitarist for some of music's biggest names." She performed with Brandi Carlisle for her ACL TV taping, Lizzo (on SNL), and Joni Mitchell (who compared her to Jimi Hendrix.), to name a few.

The clip says she doesn't just play guitar, she shreds. It also shows that she has a tattoo of Sister Rosetta Tharpe on her arm.

She has toured in "Wicked" and played on Broadway in "Godspell" but gave up a career in theater to play guitar. Now she's releasing her first album.

Here she is performing live. Here she is performing "All Along the Watchtower" with Dave Matthews. Oh, she played with Jon Batiste for his Tiny Desk Concert.  Yes, she shreds. I can already hear the roar of the crowd in the tent.

ACL 2023: Del Water Gap

Sunday at 3:15pm. Indie pop from Brooklyn-based Samuel Holden Jaffe.  He went to NYU music school with Maggie Rogers. She was in Del Water Gap for awhile, too.

Here he is on Late Night with Seth Meyers playing "Ode to a Conversation Stuck in Your Throat".

Not bad. Probably not my first choice, though.

ACL 2023: Suki Waterhouse

Sunday at 3:15pm. Five bands playing at this time. There's Morgan Wade on the Barton Springs stage and Caramelo Haze on the BMI stage. We've seen both of them. 

I only know Suki Waterhouse from "Daisy Jones and the Six" and her modeling/celebrity. I hadn't really listened to her music.  She released a few singles over the years but her first album came out less than a year ago on Sub Pop Records. 

"Good Looking" was her first hit.

Kind of a mix between Mazzy Star and Lana Del Ray. She even covered "Fade into You". "Nostalgia" is good. Her music is better than I expected. I guess I was expecting bubblegum pop.

ACL 2023: Kevin Kaarl

 Sunday at 2pm. This article has a nice summary:

In the vibrant landscape of Mexico’s music scene, a shining star has emerged, captivating audiences with his soulful melodies and heartfelt lyrics. Kevin Kaarl, the young singer-songwriter hailing from Chihuahua, has rapidly ascended to prominence, leaving an indelible mark on the industry with his unique sound and relatable storytelling.

With a distinctive blend of folk sensibilities and modern pop elements, Kevin Kaarl’s music strikes a chord that resonates deeply with listeners. 

 This song has 235M views. Wow. Indie folk sound.

ACL 2023: Quin NFN

Sunday at 2pm on the Tito's stage.  Another example that shows I'm out of touch.  This is 22 year-old Austin rapper Quinlan McAfee.  An article in Texas Monthly from 2019 says: "With a signed record deal, millions of video views, and an upcoming SXSW show, Quin has become a leader of the Austin rap scene."

He's even been on the cover of Austin Chronicle. 

This song has 15M views on Youtube.  

ACL 2023: Dope Lemon

Sunday at 2:15pm.  Three choices at this time.  First up is the moniker of our old friend Angus Stone! It's his solo project outside of Angus and Julia Stone who we saw at SXSW (Buffalo Billiards in 2009). 

He has released 4 albums under this moniker.  The latest just came out. "Kimosabè" is his latest single. Nice.

"Marinade" is another old song from his first album.  The video is straight from "Moonrise Kingdom"

Here's one of his older songs.  One Youtube comment says: "This song makes me feel cooler than I really am.".  Right on.

ACL 2023: Penny & Sparrow

Sunday at 1:30pm. Local indie folk from Austin. They played Old Settler's in 2019 (The Jason Isbell year) but I don't think we saw them.  I don't recall. They played the Bluebonnet stage at 4:50pm Saturday. 

According to Allmusic:

Penny & Sparrow formed while members Andy Baxter and Kyle Jahnke were living as roommates at the University of Texas in Austin. The two friends began writing and singing together in 2011...They signed a record deal with Single Lock Records, an Alabama-based label co-founded by John Paul White (the Civil Wars) and Ben Tanner (Alabama Shakes). Both White and Tanner would end up co-producing Penny & Sparrow's 2016 label debut, Let a Lover Drown You, which they recorded in historic Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

"Bed Down" came from that album.  Bon Iver sound.

I've heard their name and see that they play around town but never really listened to them. You probably know them. 

Most of their songs are really mellow.  This is a little more upbeat. Sweet video, too.

ACL 2023: Randall King

 Sunday at 1:30pm on the Barton Springs stage.  Country.  Saving Country Music says:

If you want to hear the continuation of country music that sounds like the stuff George Strait and Alan Jackson released in the late 80’s into the 90’s, Randall King takes the crown. This isn’t “90’s INSPIRED” country. This isn’t some retro gimmick or hipster put-on. Randall King was born and raised on this stuff, and lives and breathes it every day.

I think he's taking a dig at Midland there. 

His voice is a lot like George Strait.  "Hey Moon" is an older song.

This is a newer song. Wear your cowboy boots.

ACL 2023: Corook

Sunday at 1:30pm on the BMI stage. Indie pop.  It's the moniker of Corinne Savage. Originally from Pittsburgh, they attended Berklee College of Music and now reside in Nashville.

According to Wikipedia, they went viral on TikTok with "If I Were A Fish" and "It's Ok!".  Good lyrics.

Quirky.

Here's their latest single. Phoebe Bridgers sound. 

ACL 2023: Mimi Webb

Sunday at 1:30pm. 4 bands on at this time. This is a 23 year-old singer from England.  Pop. Her breakout came via TikTok when "Before I Go" went viral in 2020.  Nice voice.

This is from her latest album.

ACL 2023: Madison Cunningham

Sunday at 12:45pm. I guess I should know this artist. Her first album was nominated for a Best Americana Album Grammy and her 2nd album won the Grammy for Best Folk Album.  She opened for My Morning Jacket at Moody Amphitheater.

Wikipedia says:

In 2017, Cunningham joined the cast of American Public Media's show Live from Here, presented by Chris Thile, of whom she became a frequent collaborator. She also toured with multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird, being credited for vocals in his 2019 album, My Finest Work Yet.

She's hanging with some big names. 

Here is her Tiny Desk Concert. 

"Sunshine Over the Counter" reminds me of Joni Mitchell.

This was the 2nd song from the Tiny Desk Concert. The video has her playing all the instruments. It's good.

ACL 2023: Sisi

Sunday at 1pm on the Tito's stage. 3 bands on at this time.  We saw Michigander at High Noon during SXSW and he put on a good show.  Great indie-pop songs.

This article describes the next artist:

Teesside-based singer-songwriter Sisi is only 18 but has already made her mark by winning the Young Songwriter of the Year (UK and Ireland) for 2022. Her new single Fallen Angel is a cool, understated pop song that’s likely to further enhance Sisi’s growing reputation as one to watch.

Sisi cites Afropop and garage as two of the many influences on her music.

Teesside is Northern England and includes Middlesbrough. 

"I Know" is her live for the BBC. 

Here is her new single.

ACL 2023: Leon III

Sunday at noon. The Moriah Sisters are the 4th band on at this time. Gospel singers playing the Tito's tent. They've done Stubb's Gospel Brunch as well. 

The final choice is this duo out of Austin. Their bio on Youtube says:

Leon III (say it “Leon the Third”) is Andy Stepanian (vocals, guitar, songwriter) and Mason Brent (guitar, bass, banjo) along with a revolving cast of studio and live players...Many know Stepanian and Brent from their other band, Wrinkle Neck Mules, a 19+ year old project with a cult-like following that, to date, has 7 albums of cerebral country and bluegrass-leaning rock under it’s belt. They also collaborate on Howler Brothers, a popular outdoor clothing line based in Austin, Texas, which they help operate and which bears their artistic imprimatur.

They call themselves psych-folk.  "Fly Migrator" has the psych feel for sure. It's almost 10 minutes long. A good mellow way to start the day.

This has a Pink Floyd feel.

 

ACL 2023: Kathryn Legendre

Sunday at noon. Five bands on at this time. There's Katy Kirby who we saw open for Andy Shauf. She was good. "Jupiter" is one of her singles. She performed solo as the opener so if she has a full band it may be worth checking her out.  Also playing is Myron Elkins.  I previewed him for SXSW in 2022.  I like his voice.

This singer-songwriter is a fixture in the local Austin country scene. She plays Sagebrush and White Horse regularly but we've never seen her.  At least I can't recall seeing her. She's playing the Barton Springs stage.

ACL 2023: Noah Kahan

Saturday at 7pm. This slot also has Tove Lo and Bob Moses playing.  They've both played SXSW and ACL but we've never seen them live. We may want to wander from stage to stage before heading out.

This 26 year-old singer-songwriter from Vermont has blown up recently. He played Emo's in January and is now playing before Foo Fighters in a prime timeslot. 

According to Wikipedia he cites some of his inspirations as Paul Simon, Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens), Counting Crows, Hozier, and Mumford & Sons.

He sings on Joy Oladokun's song "We're All Gonna Die". 

This song gets lots of airplay on KUTX.

Updates: Ok he's really blowing up. He's playing Moody Center in June. He's also playing Fenway Park TWICE next summer. He even has a song with Zach Bryan now: "Sarah's Place".

I listened to "Stick Season", his massive breakthrough album. It reminds me of Langhorne Slim with a little Band of Horses mixed in (especially on "Everywhere, Everything"). I like it. I think we should make this the first choice just to see what he's all about. Based on the frenzy it could be massively overcrowded on the T-Mobile stage.

ACL 2023: Coi Leray

 Saturday at 5:15pm on the Barton Springs stage.  According to Wikipedia:

Coi Leray Collins was born on May 11, 1997 in Boston, Massachusetts, and raised in Hackensack, New Jersey. She is the daughter of rapper and media mogul Benzino. 

Her breakthrough song was "No More Parties". 

This is her new hit.  She samples from Grandmaster Flash's "The Message".

Fun dancing.

ACL 2023: New West

Saturday at 5pm on the BMI stage.  Tanya Tucker is on at this time so that's my first choice. Three other bands playing at this time. We saw Poolside at SXSW in 2013 at Tap Room.  Mellow tunes.

This is a "collective" out of Toronto. Strange name for a band from Eastern Canada. They call themselves a collective instead of a band for some reason. It's just 4 guys.  When I think of collectives I think of New Pornographers or Elephant 6. 

"IYKYK" is a new song. Coldplay vibes.

This was their breakthrough hit.

ACL 2023: Sudan Archives

Saturday at 4pm on the Tito's stage. She's well known and has already taped an Austin City Limits episode but I wanted to listen to more of her songs.  I found a Tiny Desk Concert that is good. In the notes Bob Boilen says he first saw her at Cheer Up Charlie's during SXSW in 2018.  I looked and she played Wednesday at 5:15pm.  We were at Blackheart that day and saw Mt. Joy. What a coincidence. Both bands are now playing in same time slot at ACL.

I like this song.  It's the last song in her Tiny Desk Concert, too.

ACL 2023: Rina Sawayama

Saturday at 4pm.  This time also has Sudan Archives (on the Tito's stage! That will be insane.) and Mt. Joy.  

This singer/model/actress is originally from Japan but grew up in London. She was in the latest John Wick sequel. 

"Hold the Girl" reminds me of Lady Gaga.

Pop. This was the best I heard.

ACL 2023: Snõõper

 Saturday at 3pm on the BMI stage.  Pitchfork has a good introduction:

Before Jack White signed them to Third Man, Snõõper staked their claim in Tennessee’s DIY scene as the sound of egg punk in the 2020s: fast riffs, fun antics, and no-fucks-given misfit pride. While Indiana torchbearers the Coneheads and Liquids played hardcore-inspired weirdo punk in a Hardee’s parking lot, Snõõper raided the arts and crafts closet. At live shows, the Nashville five-piece rip through minute-long songs, perform choreography in matching tracksuits, and march bug-eyed papier mâché puppets around the stage as singer Blair Tramel curls a comically large cardboard dumbbell. The goal, as guitarist Connor Cummins put it: “Go as crazy as possible for 30 minutes.” A band with an insatiable desire to shred and a keen eye for bold visual aesthetics? Of course the guy who co-founded the White Stripes couldn’t call dibs fast enough. Snõõper’s debut, Super Snõõper, is a highlight in the world of “Devo-core,” with unpredictable riffs and voltaic singing that strike just the right balance of delightful and detached.

I think that about sums it up.  "Running" has the Devo-core sound.  Here's another.

 

ACL 2023: Amaarae

Saturday at 3:15 on the Barton Springs stage.  This is the moniker of Ama Serwah Genfi, a Ghanaian-American singer-songwriter. She is known for her fusion of Pop, R&B, Afrobeats, and Alté music according to Wikipedia.   It says she was born in Bronx, New York to Ama Bawuah and Kwadwo Boateng Genfi and was raised between Atlanta and Accra, Ghana.

Here is her Tiny Desk Concert.  Nice sound.  I like the horns. I could be talked into watching her set.

Her latest album, Fountain Baby, is Ranked #2 for the year on Metacritic. Damn. I just listened to the whole thing and it is really good. "Reckless & Sweet" is a great song and so is "Wasted Eyes". There's not a bad track on it. I think this is my first choice now.

This is her big hit.  Kali Uchis joined her in a remix of it.  I wonder if she'll stick around and perform on stage with her.

ACL 2023: Gus Dapperton

Saturday at 3pm.  Basically 5 artists on at this time. Calder Allen is playing the Tito's stage and Ben Kweller is on the Miller Lite stage. I'm fine with either of them.  

This is the moniker of Brendan Patrick Rice.  He's originally from New Jersey but moved to NYC and now resides in L.A. 

He's called bedroom pop. His new stuff is more straight-up pop in the Justin Timberlake style, though.  Listen to his new song "Homebody" then compare it to his older hit below.  It has a Smiths guitar groove and more of a bedroom pop sound.

ACL 2023: Declan McKenna

Saturday at 2pm. Another English singer/songwriter. I previewed him before SXSW in 2016. 

According to Wikipedia: "He is a vegan and supports Tottenham Hotspur F.C." 

Indie pop/rock. His first hit was "Brazil". It's nice.  He was a kid then.  

"Beautiful Faces" has a very Kinks sound while "Be An Astronaut" is very Bowie sounding.

He just released this new single and has a new album coming out soon.

ACL 2023: Jessie Ware

Saturday at 2pm. Three acts on at this time.  Angel White is on the Tito's stage at 1:45pm. I previewed him for SXSW and we saw him at Luck Reunion. He was entertaining.

This is an English singer/songwriter with 5 albums out. Dance/pop. She seems to be popular in England. According to Wikipedia: "Ware has been nominated for a total of six Brit Awards including one for Best New Artist and four for British Female Solo Artist."

Her latest single is "Free Yourself". Nice throwback dance beats. 

She did a Tiny Desk Concert as well. The stripped-down sound highlights her voice. 

This is her biggest hit from 11 years ago.

ACL 2023: Eddie Zuko

Saturday at 1:30pm on the Barton Springs stage.  The title of this article sums it up: "Meet Eddie Zuko, the Mexican-American Singer Mixing Hip-Hop, Reggae & Rock en Español". 

"Still" went viral on Tiktok and I guess it's what got him recognized. He has been playing for years but hasn't released a full album yet.

This was the best I heard. Others have a more reggae beat.

ACL 2023: Eloise

Saturday at 1:15pm.  Rattlesnake Milk and Devon Gilfillian are both playing at this time. The third choice is this singer born in London but raised in rural Normandy, France.  Her bio calls her music "breezy, acoustic soul...entrancing, jazz-tinged cadence...honeyed tones."  Ones to Watch calls it "a trip to the sublime, a momentary escape from this world into an ethereal dreamscape."

Mellow tunes. She would be great to see in a small, quiet venue.  Of course ACL put Rattlesnake Milk on the BMI stage across from her so the sound bleed could be distracting. I still don't understand why they moved the BMI stage to that location.

 "Enough" is good.  

ACL 2023: Sincere Engineer

Saturday at 12:30pm.  Punk/indie-rock from Chicago.  For some reason they remind me of Old 97's. Her lyrics/singing reminds me of Rhett Miller and the choruses sound like them, too.  Compare this to "Timebomb".

ACL 2023: CVC

Saturday at 12:30pm.  This is a 6 piece band out of Church Village, Wales.  Their name stands for Church Village Collective.  They say they are inspired by 60's psych rock.  They mention George Harrison in this interview.

They remind me of White Denim.  This song reminds me of "Street Joy".

ACL 2023: Valley James

Saturday at 12:30pm on the Tito's stage. 3 bands on at this time. Not much online about this band but it appears to be the moniker of Caitlin James who used to perform under her name but adopted this name recently.  She's originally from Idaho but is now in Nashville according to this interview.  In the interview she cites Allison Kraus and Patsy Cline as influences.

No press or even a website for Valley James. The only thing I found is this video.  Nice country/folk sound. I think there's a reference to Gillian Welch in there.

ACL 2023: Nemegata

Saturday at noon on the Barton Springs stage. It's a power trio of members originally from Columbia but now in Austin.  The Austin Chronicle has a writeup on them.  A good synopsis:

The LP mines the tension between past and present, deeply rooted in tradition without ever being tethered to it. Hypnotic chants and traditional Colombian rhythms conjure ancestors as searing psych rock guitar and explosive percussion propel the project forward.

"I'm interested in psychedelia from the Sixties and Seventies," says Cruz, "but the way South Americans and people in the Caribbean and Africa interpreted that concept: Peruvian chicha, Brazilian Tropicália, Kompa from Haiti, sounds from Nigeria, Pop Makossa from Cameroon, desert blues from the Sahara. Those sounds have been filtered through these cultures and there's a language that's been created from the results of that."

Definitely hear that in this song.

 

ACL 2023: Blakchyl

Saturday at 11:45 on the Tito's stage. It's the moniker of Te'aunna Moore from East Austin. The Austin Chronicle has an article and interview with her.

Hip hop.  This video has her driving around East Austin.

ACL 2023: Pony Bradshaw

Saturday at 11:45am. Damn you ACL. Another band I'd like to see playing at the same time as Miya Folick and Goodnight, Texas.  Why do they book similar styles all together instead of spreading them out?

Rolling Stone calls him:

a rambling singer and songwriter in the Hank Williams or Merle Haggard vein, the kind of always-on-the-run lifestyle that informs the title of his latest album, North Georgia Rounder. While he resides in the same mountains as the record’s namesake, the 42-year-old born James Bradshaw is forever in motion, be it touring the road or writing during a brief stop in between.

Saving Country Music says:

North Georgia native Pony Bradshaw is uninterested and your priorities though. Instead, he’s allured by the idea of resurrecting this proud art form in the musical realm with snapshot stories full of Southern vernacular and worthy aphorisms. It is mostly Americana in sound, but most importantly, it’s strongly literary, aided in this pursuit by a compelling voice reminiscent in some respects to the elusive Willis Alan Ramsey.

Good sound. Tough choices.

  

ACL 2023: Miya Folick

Saturday at 11:45am. I previewed her for SXSW in 2016 and you mentioned seeing her in the NYT. She didn't release her first album until 2018 and just released her 2nd album.  

This is off her latest album. Reminds me of Sharon Van Etten. I like it.

ACL 2023: Goodnight, Texas

Saturday at 11:45am.  Five bands on at this time. That seems stupid. They split the small early crowd into 5 different stages yet only have 3 bands during peak 6-8pm times. 

I'll look at all 5 but we've seen these guys and I really liked them. They played at 1am on the Late Night stage on the hill at Old Settlers after Scott Strickland.   According to Wikipedia:

Goodnight, Texas is an American folk rock band named after the town of Goodnight, Texas, the geographic midpoint between the working locations of songwriters Avi Vinocur (formerly of The Stone Foxes) in San Francisco and Patrick Dyer Wolf in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The band has performed in the tiny town of Goodnight three times as of 2017.  

 "Tucumcari" is good.  This is, too:

ACL 2023: Above and Beyond

Friday at 7pm.  Techno. We won't see them but I thought this fireworks show was cool.  It goes on for over 7 minutes. Damn. It's from a live set they did in Las Vegas. I skipped to the good part so you don't have to watch the whole 2 hour show. 

ACL 2023: Kali Uchis

Friday at 6:10pm. I've heard the name but haven't really listened to her. I'm not hip. Her full name is Karly-Marina Loaiza.  She was born in Alexandria Virginia but spent summers in Columbia where her father lived.  

She has opened for Leon Bridges and Lana Del Rey. 

Here's a song recorded live in Austin at Moody Amphitheater. "After the Storm".

"Just a Stranger" features Steve Lacy.

ACL 2023: FKJ

Friday at 6:10pm on the Tito's stage. This is the moniker of Vincent Fenton out of Tours, France. It's short for French Kiwi Juice. It looks like he performs solo and loops multiple instruments on stage. Could be cool to see. Here's an example called "Improvisation"

Here he is in an interview and playing a song live.

Mellow instrumental dance beats.

ACL 2023: GloRilla

Friday at 5:10pm.  This is the moniker of 24 year-old rapper Gloria Hallelujah Woods from Memphis. She broke out on TikTok with "F.N.F. (Let's Go)" and hit the big time on this song with Cardi B.

165M views

ACL 2023: d4vd

Friday at 5:10pm on the Barton Springs stage.  This is the moniker of David Anthony Burke who was born in Queens but grew up in Houston. He's 18 years old. Two of his songs blew up on TikTok and now he's playing ACL. I can't find any press on him so the media hasn't caught up yet.  He signed with Interscope Records so expect more press soon.

Soulful ballads. "Romantic Homicide" has 71M views. "Sleep Well" is nice.

Similar sound but I like this one. It only has 62M views.

ACL 2023: The Moss

 Friday at 5:10pm on the BMI stage. This article calls them Surf Rock.  It says:

Salt Lake City-based indie rock band the moss is starting their 2023 on an emotional roller coaster with the release of their latest EP, Insomnia. The quartet, comprised of vocalist and guitarist Tyke James, guitarist Addison Sharp, drummer Willie Fowler, and bassist Brierton Sharp, dissect young love, pairing it with uptempo guitar reverb while paying homage to the founding members' island days on Hawaii with warm, sun-drenched instrumentals.

"Willie's Song" has a reggae beat. It's one of their older songs. 

"Blink" is pretty good. I wouldn't call it surf rock.

Here is another new one. Not bad. 

 

ACL 2023: The Teskey Brothers

Friday at 5:10pm. 4 choices at this time. The first option is blues/soul. It was started by two brothers from Melbourne, Australia.  

His voice sounds like a mix of Sam Cook and Otis Reading. Not bad for a white guy from Australia.

"I Get Up" is them live in studio. 

I think this got airplay as it sounds familiar.

ACL 2023: Blond:ish

 Friday at 4:10pm on the Tito's stage. Techno DJ from Canada.  For the dance crowd.

ACL 2023: Raye

Friday at 4:10pm. I guess I should know this artist. She has been on Late Show with Stephen Colbert.  Great song. According to Wikipedia: "Rachel Agatha Keen was born in Tooting, London, to a Ghanaian-Swiss mother and an English father, originally from Yorkshire."

She has opened for SZA and her album is up for the Mercury Prize. She did an NPR Tiny Desk Concert. It's worth a listen. It says:

In the game for over a decade, RAYE's debut album was 7 years in the making after being stuck in a major label deal that had her confined to recording mainstream pop and electronic records, and penning hits for other artists instead of executing her own creative vision. Now independent, she released the genre-busting My 21st Century Blues this year, an impressive and raw album that touches on some of the artist's most vulnerable life experiences.

I don't think she'll be doing 4:10pm slots much longer.

ACL 2023: Oliver Hazard

Friday at 3:10pm on the BMI stage. Even though I bookmarked weekend 2 of the ACL lineup it takes me to Weekend 1 when I go to the bookmark so I ended up previewing bands we won't see.  Web 2.0 for you.

Back to Weekend 2.  Breland is still in this slot but Ethel Cain and Abraham Alexander are in the other slots. She had to cancel Willie's SXSW show when they changed the date so we didn't get to see her and we've seen him. 

This is an indie folk band out of Ohio. They've toured with Mt. Joy and have played Americanafest. 

Good afternoon listening music.  I'd say either them or Ethel Cain

ACL 2023: half-alive

Weekend 1 only. Friday at 3:10pm.  This band out of Long Beach has been around since 2016 and I've never heard of them. The song below has 75M views.  Another generation gap I guess.  A comment on their "NPR Tiny Desk Concert" says:

they've gone from that one band people thought was a twenty one pilots copycat to a low key refreshing band with a whole other refined style and they're gonna keep getting better and bigger and i'm so excited

Not bad. Indie rock/pop.  NPR says:

half•alive is a band with a clear vision and gift for design, not just in the earworms they write, but in their entire presentation, with often-matching outfits and carefully selected color schemes. It wasn't at all surprising to see and hear the care they took to make their Tiny Desk debut a memorable one.

Good dancing, too.  Check it out on the 3rd song of their Tiny Desk Concert here. Clever.  

Could be quite entertaining. 

ACL 2023: Deyaz

 Weekend 1 only. Friday at 3:10pm on the BMI stage. The Guardian calls him One to Watch. It says:

The 22-year-old singer-songwriter taught himself guitar, piano, bass and violin, and crafts intimate, intense music that shifts softly between genres. When Deyaz’s parents left London for Devon six years ago, he stayed behind, slipping into the life of a nomadic teenage bluesman, battling homelessness, anxieties and addiction, busking on guitar for rent and food. 

Nice mellow tunes. Unfortunately the BMI stage gets sound bleed from the Miller Lite stage where Breland will be playing. 

"I'll Scream (All the Words)" is good.

This was probably the best I heard.

 

ACL 2023: Breland

Friday at 3:10pm.  This artist was featured on "For Love and Country", the documentary we watched about Black singer-songwriters trying to make it in Nashville as country musicians.  His breakout hit was "My Truck" which sounds like "Old Town Road" to me.

This is much better.  

ACL 2023: Brittney Spencer

Weekend 1 only. Friday at 3:10.  Four choices at this time.  This is the only one I recognize.  She has opened for Jason Isbell and played with the Highwomen.  Her most popular songs are covers: she did "Cowboy Take Me Away" and "Crowded Table".  Great voice.

Here is one of her originals.  She's on the Barton Springs stage.

ACL 2023: BAILEN

Friday at 2:25pm on the Tito's stage.  They were at SXSW in 2019. I previewed them but we didn't make it to their show. It's a trio of siblings out of NYC.

I previewed "I Was Wrong" before. It starts with a "Madman Across the Water" hook mixed with CSN&Y vocals.  I like it.

Here is one of their latest. Catchy. They may be worth checking out.

ACL 2023: Nessa Barrett

Friday at 2:25pm.  Three choices at this time.  My first choice is Thee Sacred Souls.  They were good at SXSW.  

This is a 21 year-old out of New Jersey.  Pop-rock.  For the kids. Here is her big hit.  

ACL 2023: The Altons

 Friday at 1:40 on the Barton Springs stage.  This article sums them up best:

The Altons are a five-piece band from East LA led by Bryan Ponce (singer/guitarist) along with Adriana Flores (singer/percussionist), Gabriel Maldonado (bass), Joseph Quinones (guitar), and Carlos A. Canovas (drums). Coming from a more punk and rock n’ roll background, the Altons took a couple of years to really figure out their own sound. Flores came into the fold and changed the dynamics into something unexpected and fresh. “When Adriana came into the scene, she came from more of a rock steady, more soul, more blues, more funk scene, and so it definitely opened up a whole new world and possibilities,” 

It calls their music a blend of funk, blues, and rock.  Good festival music.

"Float" is their newest release on Daptone Records. It's nice.  Here is one of their older songs.

 

ACL 2023: Emlyn

Friday at 1:40 on the BMI stage.  Alt-pop.  She's originally from Nashville but now in L.A. She cites Taylor Swift, Paramore, and Demi Lovato as influences.

The kids will be there.

ACL 2023: We Don't Ride Llamas

Friday at 1:40pm.  Five bands on at this time.  The Huston-Tillotson University Jazz Collective plays the Tito's stage and Jaime Wyatt plays the T-Mobile stage.  I'd like to see her.  Let's look at the others playing.

This is a band of siblings out of Austin.  They get airplay on KUTX.  Here's an article on them in the Chronicle. It says they've worked with BLK ODYSSY.

"Blueberries" is nice.  I like them.

ACL 2023: Font

Friday at 12:55pm.  The schedule is out so here we go.  Jimmie Vaughan gets the 2nd weekend opening slot that Asleep at the Wheel fills the first weekend.  This band is playing opposite him.  They are out of Austin. The Austin Chronicle listed them as one of "10 Bands Under 25 that Make Me Feel Alive".

Reminds me of early Talking Heads.  

SXSW 2023: Recap

 Monday March 13th

@GSD&M

Texas String Assembly
The Heavy Heavy
Devon Gilfillian
The Nude Party

Tuesday March 14th

@Waterloo Records
Good Looks

@Ray Benson's Birthday Party
The Tiarras
Asleep at the Wheel w/
The Shootouts
William Beckmann
Willis Allen Ramsey
Spoon

Wednesday March 15th

@High Noon
Devon Gilfillian
Andrew McMahon
Barrie
Kate Davis
Michigander

@Side Bar
Near Bear

@Cedar Street Courtyard
Lime Garden (partial)
Brooke Combe

@GSD&M Sonic Guild
Rattlesnake Milk (partial)
TC Superstar

Thursday March 16th

@GSD&M Bloody Mary Morning
Como Los Movies
Hermanos Gutiérrez

@Waterloo
Juliana Riolino

@Parish
Bartees Strange

@Inn Cahoots (Bose/BME)
Danielle Ponder

@High Noon (Paste)
Overcoats (2 songs)
Bonny Dune
Sunny War

@Cedar Street Courtyard (BME)
Far Caspian

Friday March 17th

@Luck Reunion
Bella White (Saloon)
Angel White
The Golden Dregs (Saloon)
Devon Gilfillian
The Heavy Heavy
Sadurn (Saloon)
Sierra Ferrell
Margo Price with Band of Heathens
Arcy Drive
Leon Russell Tribute
The War and Treaty
Spoon
Thee Sacred Souls
Willie Nelson and Family

SXSW 2023: TALK

 Also playing Friday at Whole Foods is this artist from Canada.  He plays at 5:45pm.  This article has a summary: 

Calling fans of Guns N Roses, Foo Fighters, and Elton John. In need of a bright and bold modern rockstar to spice up your playlist?

Well, 25-year-old independent artist TALK from Ottawa, Canada is just that. Plus, he writes, plays all instruments, and produces his own tracks.

 

SXSW 2023: L.A. Edwards

Friday at Whole Foods has a pretty good afternoon lineup. It has Krooked Kings at 4:15pm, Dream, Ivory at 6:30pm and this band in between at 5pm. 

This article sums them up:

L.A. Edwards is a Nashville-based quartet, comprised of brothers Luke (vocals, guitar), Harry (drums), Jay (keys), and Alex Edwards (lead guitar). The band imparts graceful Laurel Canyon songcraft on groove-driven rock with sun-soaked twang...Their debut record, “True Blue” (produced by Ron Blair of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers) provides a fresh take on the Laurel Canyon sound, combining Eagles-esque harmony, Stones-inspired guitar weaving, the melancholy of Jackson Browne, and the working-class optimism of Tom Petty himself.

Sign me up.

 

SXSW 2023: Texas String Assembly

 This is the first band on the GSD&M party so they probably play first. Do512 describes them thus:

"They are exactly what they sound like - accomplished acoustic string musicians playing in the venn diagram of bluegrass, folk-country, and hippie jugband music - and they have a fast-growing fanbase."

It looks like they are from San Marcos.

Fun song.

 

SXSW 2023: Darling West

I finally found the Paste Magazine schedule. It's at High Noon on the east side. This is Friday's lineup:

12:00pm – C K Talkington + Renee Zellweger (you think it's the actress?)
12:40pm – TBA
1:20pm – Far Caspian
2:00pm – Fruit Bats
2:40pm – Why Bonnie
3:20pm – Darling West
4:00pm – Cheekface
4:40pm – Hannibal Buress
5:20pm – Death Valley Girls
5:55pm – McKinley Dixon
6:30pm – Ron Gallo

That Far Caspian/Fruit Bats combo could be worth the bike ride.  We saw the band after Why Bonnie, Darling West, at Whole Foods in 2017. It was on the small stage. I think they just did acoustic but I remember liking it.  They are described on do512 as "Norwegian Cosmic Folk/Americana.  

This is a new song.

SXSW 2023: Emily Nenni

Oh my goodness.  Someone took a picture of the billboard at the Yeti store of their SXSW day parties and the Friday show is incredible.  I haven't seen it announced anywhere yet but here are the performers:

Myron Elkins
Abraham Alexander
Bella White
Arcy Drive
The War and Treaty
Vincent Neil Emerson

Damn.  That's now my first choice. I really want to see Myron Elkins. No times listed but based on the order he may go first at noon.

The only artist I don't recognize is Emily Nenni. She's originally from the Bay Area but is now in Nashville. Here's her whole bio.

Classic country sound. Nice.

SXSW 2023: Garrett T. Capps & NASA Country

Jody Denberg has an introduction to this band from San Antonio on the KUTX "Ones to Watch" series.  He mentions this Rolling Stone article titled: "Meet the Texas Weirdo Mixing Kraftwerk with Doug Sahm to Create ‘Kraut-Country’"

They play White Horse Wednesday at 5pm, right before Carson McHone and Daniel Romano's Outfit.  

The song below is rocking.  "Gettin' Better" is more traditional alt-country. 

SXSW 2023: Say ZuZu

I discovered this band thanks to Dave Olbermann's friend Shawn from Old Settler's. He has a blog and just reviewed their new album. As it happens the band is at SXSW. No day parties yet.  Here is Shawn's description:

Thirty years ago a group of young New Hampshire musicians bonded over the burgeoning alt-country music scene. They formed a band, Say ZuZu, and met with success, putting out half a dozen albums over the next decade. But, as they say, life happens, and in 2003 the members went their own separate ways. Fast forward to 2020 and New West Records owner George Fontaine decided to follow up on a deal he didn’t get done earlier. He called two of the band members, Cliff Murphy and Jon Nolan, and signed the band to his own label, Strolling Bones. Fresh off a couple of reunion dates that energized the band, they went into the studio and made short work of cutting a new album, No Time To Lose.

He says:  "You can clearly hear the Tweedy and Farrar influences throughout the record. Climb in the River could be a Wilco number, while Old Soldier feels like an earlier incarnation of the alt-country vibe."

Right up our alley.  I'll keep an eye out for other shows.

SXSW 2023: San Soucis

 Dream pop from London.  This article is a good introduction: 

Sans Soucis is the project of Giulia Grispino, whose new EP is beautifully sparse and dreamy.  Italo-Congolese Sans Soucis is a vocalist, guitarist and composer based in London. 

In that interview she says:

Sans Soucis is the nickname my Congolese grandmother gave me when I was a child. It literally means “no worries’. She used to refer to me with this nickname because she believed I was fearless, carefree and joyful regardless of the environment I was placed in. I decided to keep Sans Soucis close to my image as an artist because that’s what I’m working towards everyday. In facts, my songwriting is heavily based on this attitude towards life.

We've heard her on KCRW.  This song is on their Top 30 Chart:

She plays at 3:50pm Friday at Cedar Street for the British Music Embassy party.

SXSW 2023: Jane Weaver

The White Horse has a day party Wednesday with Carson McHone at 6pm and Daniel Romano's Outfit at 7pm.  Their show at 3Ten was excellent. I could handle seeing them again.

This British artist is playing at 3pm. She has a long bio with multiple bands as well as solo and also runs a record label, Bird Records. Here's her Wikipedia entry.  Jeff McCord played her last night on "What's Next".

This was my favorite song.  Chill dream pop.

SXSW 2023: Ruby Red

This band plays after Krooked Kings Wednesday at the Yeti BMI party. It's composed of Daniel Laner and Fernando Fine who are an Oakland born and LA based indie-pop duo.

Nice mellow tunes. It could be fun to hang out at Yeti.

SXSW 2023: Krooked Kings

This band out of Salt Lake City is playing the Yeti BMI showcase Wednesday at 3:20pm after San Gabriel at 2:20pm. 

Indie pop. Nice sound. "'96 Subaru" was their first viral hit.

This song is more upbeat sounding.  

SXSW 2023: Been Stellar

Shoegaze/rock out of NYC.  They met at NYU and formed a band.  NME has their background.

They are playing the 3rd Man Records show Thursday at 13th Floor as well as Cheer Up Charlie's Friday. 

They are compared to Slowdrive and cite Television and The Strokes as influences. I hear Radiohead in there as well. 

"My Honesty" is ok.  I liked this one best:

Indigo De Souza

This name is showing up at all the big parties and showcases.  She's also on the Chronicle list.  They call her third album coming out in May a masterpiece. Damn. 

NPR talks about her song "Younger and Dumber" and the video here.

She's playing Mohawk every afternoon Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Her evening showcase is Saturday, also at Mohawk. Damn.

SXSW 2023: Bonny Doon

The Austin Chronicle just came out with their list of the 80 bands to check out at SXSW.  Perusing it I found this:

Waxahatchee tapped Bonny Doon to be her backing band for 2020's Saint Cloud. The Detroit trio captured Katie Crutchfield's attention with their 2017 debut, Longwave (Woodsist), a hammock-ready collection of elevated indie folk, and the band proved the perfect complement to the singer-songwriter's personal examinations of sobriety and the South. Crutchfield returned the favor on Bonny Donn's melancholic new single for Anti- Records, "San Francisco," which chronicles co-founder Bobby Colombo's move to the Bay Area.  

Sweet.  They are playing Cheer Up Charlie's on Friday at 5pm according to their Instagram.

"Long Wave" is a nice tune. We've had good luck at Cheer Ups on Fridays.

SXSW 2023: Alaska Reid

Sophia Alaska Reid was born in Montana but grew up in L.A. She's playing Cheer Up Charlie's on Friday but no times yet.  After that it looks like she opening for Maya Hawke (Ethan's daughter and on "Stranger Things") in Europe. 

Her new album is being released in July on Luminelle Records (Gorilla vs. Bear label). She also playing the GvB shows but they are on Thursday. 

I'd categorize this as dreampop.

SXSW 2023: Olivia Jean

I won't bury the lede: this is Jack White's long-time girlfriend and now wife. They got married on stage in Detroit last year.  Now to her: full name Olivia Jean Markel White from Detroit. She is in the "garage goth" rock band the Black Belles (along with Shelby Lynne) while also putting out solo work.

She's on Third Man Records (natch) and plays their day party Friday at the 13th Floor (formerly Beerland and Green Jay) at 4:15pm. She also plays SxSanJose on Saturday at 4pm.

She's also playing the Parish on June 3rd.

This is her newest song. I like it. Her third album is supposed to be released in May.

SXSW 2023: Baby Rose

I'll continue with the female artists for International Women's Day. Jasmine Rose Wilson aka Baby Rose is playing the BMI Brunch Friday at 12:50pm.  She's also playing on KUTX Wednesday. 

"Show You" was featured on Insecure. BMI says:

Baby Rose is a GRAMMY-nominated singer/songwriter and producer who makes healing music for the aimless and broken. Her uniquely rich voice lends itself perfectly to her smoke-filled ballads that lament lost love and broken futures, and her musical inspirations—Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, and Janis Joplin—are all present in her diverse body of work. 

Here is her NPR Tiny Desk Concert. Great voice.

SXSW 2023: Sisi

This is the first artist playing the BMI Brunch on Friday. She plays at 10:30am.  It's Sisi Berry who is/was the lead singer of local rock band Torino Black.  Here is a KUTX performance by them.  Her solo project has no website that I've found nor any videos.  She has two songs up on Spotify.  The BMI website says this about her:

The American-Venezuelan artist performed her first show at last year’s SXSW festival and has wasted no time in knocking out milestone after milestone. She has already released two singles, packed out several performance venues, and been a featured artist alongside Eric Tessmer at ACL, all while working on her debut album. 

Her new style is more R&B than rock from the two songs I've heard.  "Good Time" is nice.

This was my favorite song of the two but they're both good.

"Rich or Dead"

SXSW 2023: Sunny War

This artist may get the prize for most shows at SXSW. She's playing the SPIN Party at Stubb's, the BMI Brunch on Friday, the Luck tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe on Sunday as well as the New West Showcase, SXSW Day Stage, and the ACL Radio broadcast. Phew. Our best chance to see her is the BMI Brunch.  Oh, she's also playing Old Settler's so we've got that going for us.  Good job Talia.

It's the moniker of Nashville born but now in L.A. Sydney Ward.  She's now on New West Records. Her just released album has collaborations with Dave Rawlings and Jim James. Oh, and Allison Russell on "Love's Death Bed". Holy moly.

She is jamming on this song.

SXSW 2023: Brigitte Calls Me Baby

The Brooklyn Bowl Family Reunion is back and they are at Empire Control Room this year. They have the lineup for Friday and Saturdays shows but no times yet so I'm not sure which bands are playing which day.  There are some really good bands on the list.

This is a band out of Chicago.  Thanks to their Instagram I know they are playing Saturday at 1pm.  They only have a few songs out that I can see and not much press yet. Good sound though. Reminds me of Morrissey mixed with Orville Peck mixed with Roy Orbison. 

Here they are live doing a couple songs.  Apparently "Eddie My Love" is getting airplay on KCRW.

SXSW 2023: Free Range

I just found a day party at Continental Club on Wednesday that has Brooke Combe playing at 1pm. That is a great place to see her. 

Looking at the Wednesday SxSanJose lineup they have Charlotte Rose Benjamin, Ratboys, Bailen, Why Bonnie, The Lemon Twigs, and the Heavy Heavy.  That would be a great day.  This artist is listed second so she's probably playing at 1pm when Brooke Combe is playing.

This is the moniker of 18 or so year-old Sofia Jensen from Chicago.  Indie folk.  This article compares her to Julien Baker. Nice mellow tunes.

SXSW 2023: Bloomsday

Indie folk out of Brooklyn.  They are playing two shows on Tuesday. The first is up near Hancock Center at a house party that also has Why Bonnie, Enumclaw, and Barrie. Nice lineup.  They also play at Long Play East (formerly Stay Gold) at 5:30pm after Shooks (4:30pm) and Girl Scout (3:30pm).  

Reminds me of Big Thief.

SXSW 2023: Hayes Warner

Pop/rock out of NYC. She's playing the BMI Yeti party on Wednesday as well as the BMI Brunch on Friday.  BMI says she delivers:

a new sound full of electrifying beats and melodic strains that invoke the style of artists like P!nk and Fletcher.

This is her big hit. She's working on her first EP.  It definitely reminds me of P!nk.

 

SXSW 2023: Arcy Drive

This band out of Northport, NY (Long Island) calls their music "attic rock". They won the Luck contest to perform on the main stage at Luck Reunion so they play first.  They are also at the BMI Brunch on Friday at Hotel Van Zandt. 

Nice mellow throwback tunes. Kind of a mix between Vampire Weekend and Jack Johnson. "Orange" is good. His voice reminds me of Zach Bryan's. 

SXSW 2023: Zoe Ko

Wednesday at Yeti in partnership with BMI has San Gabriel at 2:20pm.  It also has Enumclaw at 12:45pm. This artist is playing at noon.  

Alt-pop is how she is described. She's out of NYC.  "Line" was her first single. 

This song is the best I heard. Catchy.