This band from Melbourne is playing Cheer Up Charlie's on Wednesday and the Paste party on Thursday. They call themselves post punk. According to Rolling Stone:
There is something intriguingly Aussie-anomalous to Radio Free Alice’s sound: it’s a heady throwback to the guitar music that spread across the Atlantic at the beginning of the 2010s, when Twin Peaks and Parquet Courts roamed Chicago and Brooklyn, and The Vaccines and The Maccabees did their exuberant thing in Britain.
For the most comprehensive list of all the unofficial parties go to the Austin Chronicle.
I've narrowed that down to the top day parties for each day, mostly in order of my preference. The links are for bands I sampled and a quick overview of them.
These are a work in progress as changes happen daily.
This country artist is playing quite a few evening shows but only one show at a reasonable hour: Saturday at 6pm at the Fairmont Hotel. Per SXSW:
Bobby Dove, the Montreal born singer-songwriter, is quickly becoming a magnetic presence in the world of Country and Americana music. With a voice as powerful as their storytelling, this trans/non-binary troubadour pays tribute to the golden age of honky tonk, while crafting original, emotionally charged songs that “blend genres with the touch of a master.” (Mary Gauthier)
Currently based in rural Manitoba, Bobby Dove is preparing to release a new full-length album in the spring of 2025, including a cowrite/duet with grammy winning songwriter, Jim Lauderdale.
This artist is on the big British Music Embassy night showcases but I find only one day party: Thursday at 1pm at Waterloo Records. Her bio says:
Jo Hill is a singer/songwriter from Cheddar. Taking influence from Fleetwood mac, Remi Wolf, Kasey Musgraves, and Benee, her music is a combination of indie pop/rock/soul with a sweet smattering of country.
"Off the 45" is a single off her new album. Not sure what to think of it.
"Honeymoon" is her most streamed song. Catchy pop.
This band out of L.A. is playing a few big day parties: Paste at High Noon (no date yet), Cheer Up Charlie's on Wednesday at 5pm, Valhalla and the 13th Floor on Thursday. Per their bio:
the LA County-based band of lifelong friends Jack Nugent, Conner Reeves, Davis Stewart, Noah Kurtz, and brothers Shane and Hayden Barton — today announce their Fat Possum debut, Moneyball, out March 21st
This artist is playing Wednesday at 3:30pm at Palm Door for the British Music Embassy. This article says:
Twenty-six year old folk songwriter Amelia Coburn originally hails from Middlesbrough and has spent time travelling and living abroad in Mexico, Russia and France... Despite being classified as a folk singer, she didn’t want to work with someone who had solely produced artists from the folk genre. “The inspirations behind my music are wider than that,” she explains. “I totally get why I was nominated for the BBC Young Folk Artist award, as I am a folk singer in some ways, but I didn’t want to go for a folk producer and then be put into that box forever.”
This artist is playing Palm Door on Wednesday at 4:10pm for the British Music Embassy. Per SXSW:
Finn hails from the industrial town of Middlesbrough in the North East of England and his songs come from places of real truth, deliver anthemic melodies and shine light on the trials and tribulations of his youth told through captivating vocals...Independently featured on BBC Radio 2, Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch and picked as a ‘BBC Introducing One To Watch’ artist, Finn then signed to Interval Records (Universal/EMI North)
This band plays Yeti on Thursday at 1pm as part of the BMI showcase. They are also playing SXSanJose but they haven't put out schedules yet. Per their site:
A band led by songwriters Casey Walker and Spencer Tweedy, Case Oats hails from Chicago, and creates songs about relationships and experience with an unadorned delivery and an unflinching eye. Casey Walker’s lyrics cut to the “gooey heart” of relationships and experience of bringing a city-dwelling life back down to earth. Their yet-to-be-announced debut album is a well-defined, inviting labor of love that is light on pastiche and heavy on intention.
In case you didn't notice: Spencer Tweedy.
Also, they just signed to Merge Records who will be releasing their debut album.
No other day shows I can find yet.
Here's a cover from a couple years ago. "Drivin' on 9"
They have only one original on Spotify and Youtube. This was just released. "Unflinching" is a good description.
This artist is playing Yeti on Thursday at noon as part of the BMI Showcase. He doesn't have any other day parties at this point. Per BMI:
Raised in small-town central Texas and based in Nashville, Tennessee, Joelton Mayfield crafts hard-hitting alt-country that’s at home in any setting. Mayfield’s distinct take on the genre blends his experimental musicality with a dynamic edge. At the center of it all is Mayfield’s deft lyricism, which draws from a Southern Gothic literary sensibility and deals intimately with the tensions embedded in family, religion, masculinity, and love in the American South.
The small town is Marble Falls.
He only has two songs on his Youtube page. "Pretty Linda" is him live.
Here he is live in Brooklyn. "The Reason". I like him.
This artist is playing Mohawk on Wednesday for the Marshall day party and he's also playing Chess Club the same day at noon. Per this article:
'Can I go again?', the debut full-length album by Richmond, VA-based singer-songwriter Benét (Benét Nutall, pronouns He/Him) is a diverse collection of contemplative, tightly-crafted indie-pop, rock, and soul tracks as emotionally resonant as they are immediate and infectious.
There isn't much online about him other than that but he's on two high profile shows so something is up.
This band is playing all the big shows: SXSanJose, Paste, Brooklyn Vegan, Third Man Records, etc. According to Pitchfork:
fantasy of a broken heart is an art-pop two-piece from Brooklyn. The duo splits vocals, songwriting credits, and guitar duties, while Wollowitz supplies some bass, piano, and drum programming...Feats of Engineering refuses to settle on a single set of styles. Each song follows its own logic as the record expands and contracts on a track-to-track basis.
This is another Artist on the Rise at Luck Reunion. Of the three bands he is the most streamed on Spotify: 865,000 monthly listeners. Damn. According to this bio:
Marlon Funaki is a 22 year old solo artist who songwrites, creates, mixes and masters all of his work. With a very strong voice, Marlon implements a unique alternative rock vocal with a jazzy/ psychedelic style of guitar playing. Marlon’s unique style of playing attracts an energetic yet calming audience to his live performances, making his shows a show for everyone. Marlon is an up and coming artist who was born and raised in California, however his music has reached an audience all over the world.
"When Sunday Comes Around" is one of his most streamed songs. It's really good. Energetic but calming is a good description.
"Running Away" was his Tiny Desk Contest submission. Nice bluesy tune.
This is a more recent song. I like his guitar playing.
This is a Band on the Rise at Luck Reunion. According to this interview:
When asked to describe the project, Improvement Movement spokesman Joel Rogers said:
“Depending on the day of the week, Improvement Movement might be described as a loose amalgamation of Atlanta songsmiths, a hostile corporate takeover of your dads favorite band, or a generous waste of time.”
Breakout alert. We have to go see this guy. He is one of the Artists on the Rise at Luck Reunion. From this article:
Evoking the lush Lauren Canyon sounds of The Eagles, Jackson Browne, Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young, and so on, Luke Tyler Shelton is a fresh face with an old soul: Hailing from the San Fernando Valley, the 25-year-old singer/songwriter captures the sweet heat of the sun and the warm glow of love in his third career single, a radiant, harmony-soaked ode to intimacy produced by Shooter Jennings (Brandi Carlile, Tanya Tucker) and Jonathan Wilson (Father John Misty, Angel Olsen).
That's some serious backing. He's opening for Joy Oladokun on her current tour. She'll be playing Scoot Inn March 22nd. He's also playing Mohawk on Wednesday for the Marshall day party. No time yet.
"Hell of a Ride" is good. It reminds me of "Tumbleweed Connection"-era Elton John.
This artist is playing Luck as part of Aaron Lee Tasjan's showcase. According to this interview:
Q: What are you best known for?
A: Probably "I'm a Survivor (Lafemmebear Remix)" which I produced last summer as part of Reba McEntire's new REVIVED, REMIXED, REVISITED collection. Because of that remix, I'm now the first ever Black trans woman to produce a record on a Billboard Top Ten-charting album.
Most of her music on Spotify is dance-pop oriented. As to why she's at Luck this may be why:
Q:What are you working on that no one knows about yet?
A:Mya Byrne (she played lap steel and mandolin on the "I'm a Survivor" remix) and I are releasing some new music this year that's going to test the bounds of the country and folk genres - more accurately, it'll test the allyship of the white country audience. There's a Black and queer revolution happening for sure in the country music scene, which is long overdue especially since country music originated with Black folks.
Interesting. She also did a remix of an Aaron Lee Tasjan song which is maybe how she got on his radar. Here it is:
This artist is playing quite a few shows: Brush Square Park on Friday at 4pm after Mobley, and 2pm Friday at Mohawk are the day parties. They are also playing Moody ACL for Rolling Stone and the British Music Embassy. This article says:
Jasmine.4.t is the solo project of Jasmine Cruickshank, a trans, alt-rock/alt-pop singer-songwriter out of Manchester, U.K. She recently announced their debut album You Are The Morning, which will be coming out on January 17 on Phoebe Bridgers’ label Saddest Factory Records, making them the first U.K. artist to be signed to the label.
"Elephant" is good. In that article she describes the song:
“I wrote ‘Elephant’ very early in my transition about my first t4t love,” says Cruickshank. “It’s about when it hurts because you’re trying to be friends but you both want to be more. My life in Bristol fell apart when I came out and, having no safe place to live, I was staying on queers’ sofas in Manchester, traumatized and in no place to start a relationship. It was beyond healing recording this track in LA with Phoebe, Lucy, and Julien, along with my Manchester dolls Eden and Phoenix, and with extra layers from local trans musicians Vixen, Bobby, Addy and of course the incredible Trans Chorus of Los Angeles.”
Boygenius produced this song and Julien Baker sings on it.
This band is playing Brush Square Park at 2pm on Friday (before Mobley) for the NPR Live Sessions party. According to SXSW:
Ali is a three-piece musical project originating from Jakarta, Indonesia. Initiated by Arswandaru and John Paul Patton, the desire of Ali is to incorporate Middle Eastern culture with elements 70’s Indonesian psychedelic funk, cinematic soul, afro beat, and disco to create a new groove and sound to the contemporary and vibrant Indonesian music scene.
KEXP is curating the Day Stage at Brush Square Park on Monday as part of its Eastern Echos program. It says it is "a new sonic destination to celebrate Asian artists who are shaping the future while honoring the roots that ground them."
This is a husband and wife in Seattle. They are also playing KUTX at Scholz on Wednesday and Lazarus Brewing at 4pm on Saturday. They met in 8th grade in Spokane. This article has a good background on them. Cool story:
“I think we had very different childhoods,” Anne says with a chuckle. She met Bryce in the eighth grade while living in Spokane, but before her and her family landed in Eastern Washington, they lived in a variety of locales after leaving China when she was six or seven years old. Anne and her family lived in Michigan, Arizona, and West Virginia before venturing to Washington State. She recalls having attended seven different public schools before her family found a permanent home in Spokane, due to the nature of her father’s work and “getting settled in the country as immigrants.”
This band is playing at 1pm Wednesday at Cheer Up Charlie's. They are also playing the KCRW day party on Tuesday at 4:20pm. hmm. Per their bio:
Los Angeles-based trio untitled (halo) is composed of Jack Dione, Jay Are, and Ariana Mamnoon. Known individually for their sonic, visual, literary, and film contributions, untitled (halo) come together to create a unique sound inspired by and for the hazy culture of Southern California.
They announced the Wednesday day party at Cheer Up Charlie's, called "Friendship is Beautiful". This band is playing outside at 12:30pm. They also play Tuesday on the Radio Day Stage as part of KCRW's day party and they're doing SXSanJose, too. They'll be busy. The SXSW bio says:
Formed in 2017, Terraplana is a four-piece band from Curitiba, Brazil, blending atmospheric shoegaze with indie rock... their debut album 'olhar pra trás', released via Balaclava Records. Praised as one of the best Brazilian albums of the year, it resonated with shoegaze lovers for its lush guitars, haunting melodies, and introspective lyrics.
This alt-pop band from Dublin, Ireland is playing a few shows: the Paste Party (no date/time yet), Brush Square Park (Tuesday 8pm free to public), and the Full Irish Breakfast at Dead Rabbit on Friday at 2pm. Per Wikipedia:
Soda Blonde are an Irish alt-pop band from Dublin, formed in 2019 by former members of Little Green Cars...Their second album Dream Big was released in September 2023 to critical acclaim, later ranked by the Irish Independent as Number 1 on their list of "Best Irish Albums of 2023".
the band is known for their atmospheric synths, glassy guitars, dynamic rhythms, and introspective lyrics that explore identity, relationships, and self-discovery...With a sold-out orchestral performance at Dublin’s National Concert Hall and new music on the way, Soda Blonde is set to bring their eclectic and captivating sound to SXSW 2025.
Waterloo Records came out with their in-stores. A few Luck Reunion artists are set to play. This artist plays at 5:15pm before Brittany Spencer (6pm) on Tuesday (pre-Ray Benson's birthday). She has a Wikipedia page, which says:
Hope Tala was born in West London to a Jamaican-descended Black father and a mother of British and Irish heritage. She learned to play various musical instruments during her childhood...Tala studied English literature at the University of Bristol. graduating with first-class honours in 2019. Tala turned down the chance to pursue a master's degree at the University of Cambridge in favor of pursuing a career in music.
Most impressively:
Tala's All My Girls Like To Fight was listed as one of Barack Obama's favourite songs of 2020.
I just found the Second Play stages schedule. This is the happy hour shows at hotels. This artist plays the Hilton on Wednesday at 6pm. He also plays the Day Stage at Brush Square park but it's Thursday.
Growing up in Chesterfield, a market town in the English midlands as an only child with a penchant for the spotlight, Casey was exposed to and inspired by the greats of 00s English pop culture, including Robbie Williams and Arctic Monkeys. He initially played the clarinet while developing his musical skills and tastes, before he started writing songs at 14.
It looks like he has just releases singles so far.
He doesn't have many videos up so I'll post a Spotify link. I liked this song:
This is the only video. It starts acoustic but picks up.
This artist is playing KUTX (Thursday morning at 10am), Waterloo Records at 1pm, and SXSanJose, According to Wikipedia:
Born to Iranian and Austrian parents in California, Royer began her studies in violin and viola at the Vienna Conservatoire. She withdrew from the institution to live between New York, London and Los Angeles...In addition to her work in music, Sofie also studies Philosophy, Psychology and English at the Universitaet Wien, as well as painting at the University of Applied Arts. As an active artist, she has exhibited her work at L Art Galerie in Salzburg and at Pina in Vienna.
"Abeja" is her most streamed song. It's all instrumental. Chill.
This artist is playing the British Music Embassy on Wednesday at 5:30pm. Per the BME website:
Hailing from Halifax, Ellur is an infectiously authentic indie-pop artist who sings about the challenges and thrills of modern-day romance and break-ups with compelling originality. In the last year she’s released a number of widely praised singles, including ‘Anywhere’ and ‘Boys’ and picked up support from BBC Radio 1, 6 Music, The Line of Best Fit and Clash.
According to this article she's is selling out headlining shows in England. They say:
It’s a sound that draws from the storytelling prowess of Sharon Van Etten and the anthemic sweep of Wolf Alice, while remaining distinctively her own.
"God Help Me Now" is a mellow ballad. Definite Sharon Van Etten sound.
Brush Square Park is hosting the International Nights and they are open to the public this year. This band is playing at 7pm on Wednesday. They are also playing St. Elmo Brewing on Saturday at 4 or so. Per the SXSW website:
Yndling is the dream pop project of Norwegian artist Silje Espevik, and started - like so many other projects - as soft demos whispered into a microphone at night in an effort not to disturb a sleeping house. Inspired by bands such as Mazzy Star, Beach House, Cocteau Twins and Men I Trust, to name a few, she’s created a distinct sound within the realm of dream pop, characterized by big arrangements surrounding a whispery voice. With the release of her debut EP in 2022, and her first studio album ‘Mood Booster’ in 2024 released on Spirit Goth, she’s cemented a sound blending shoegaze and dream pop.
This band out of Melbourne is playing quite a few of the big parties. They're doing KUTX on Friday at 9am, Mohawk also on Friday at 2:30pm, and SX San Jose (no day or time yet.)
They are described as garage punk. They just released their second album.
"Floored" has a drum and bass line that reminds me of Joy Division.
This band out of Cork, Ireland is playing the KUTX morning show on Wednesday at 9am and they're also playing Mohawk on Friday at 3:30pm. The SXSW bio says:
Their critically acclaimed debut EP Cardinals, is an eclectic gothic amalgam of shoegaze, pop, Irish trad folk, and rock which incorporates 60s Wall of Sound and poetry inflected punk.
That's quite the gamut of genres.
Rolling Stone interviews them and asks them to describe their music. Their reply:
...look – it’s noise music and if you can see past that sort of like chaos and stuff, it’s just very warm. There’s pop there, there’s real vulnerability and it’s honest. I guess that’s where we’re coming from right now, we’re a band that is still exploring and creating.
Here is another Australian band playing at Lazarus on Friday. They play at 2pm. They are also playing the Third Man Records day party at 13th Floor on Friday (along with Youbet who we saw open for Ratboys and Palehound at Warsaw). No times yet for that show.
Australian six-piece Coldwave is a frantic yet tightly controlled blend of jagged guitars, booming horns and uncompromising vocal delivery that captures the abstract in life’s most mundane moments...Wielding a sound described as “post-punk pulse accelerant”, Coldwave’s EPs ‘Same Window, Different House’ and ‘No Conflict’ were met with glowing praise.
Here they are live with "No Conflict". I like them. I'm not sure you will.
Music For Listeners has released their schedule for Lazarus Brewing on the east side. I've liked the bands we've seen there before though we didn't make it there last year.
This artist from Australia is playing Lazarus Friday at noon. She is also playing the Paste party at High Noon but they've haven't released the dates or times yet. Per this site:
Stella Bridie is a 25-year-old Naarm/Melbourne-based songwriter and vocalist whose music blends the emotive storytelling of indie rock with pop’s melodic sensibility. Known for capturing the raw emotions of life’s quieter moments, her powerful delivery has drawn comparisons to artists like boygenius, Ethel Cain, and Olivia Rodrigo.
Another site compared her to Lucy Dacus and Phoebe Bridgers.
"Dog Bite" is her most streamed song. It starts off slow but picks up. It was released in 2019. Since then she has released an EP. Her Youtube page doesn't have much on it.
Do512 and C3 are putting on a SXSW showcase at Stubb's on Wednesday evening with Band of Horses as the headliners. It's open to the public but probably too late for us.
The first band playing there at 6pm is also playing Yeti at 5pm on Friday. They are also playing C3's Two Step Inn in April. They played weekend two of ACL last year.
The Droptines come from the mind of singer, songwriter, and front man Conner Arthur who founded the band in 2019. Conner originally comes from Concan, Texas where drunk coeds, tourists, and Boy Scout troops head to tube the Frio River out in the Texas Hill Country. The name is derived from the downward-facing points on a buck’s rack, so it’s pronounced like the “tines” of a fork, not “teens” when when you were socially awkward and had a face full of acne.
Floodfest at Mohawk on Friday posted their set times. First up on the outdoor stage at noon is Baths. I posted about him in 2011 and shared his song "Aminals". We saw him at the Pitchfork day party on the East side (outside field which is now condos and office buildings). I think he was just solo with a keyboard.
Based on this video it looks like he has a full band now.
Playing the Paste party at High Noon. Not sure which day yet. This is a trio out of London that is also playing BME. They are also playing SX San Jose.
This interview, titled "mary in the junkyard is the band making ‘angry, weepy, chaos rock" asked them:
How would you describe your music?
mary in the junkyard: Sparse rock, like rock but balding.
Funny. Here they are playing "Tuesday" at Glasonbury. It's good. Reminds me of a more rocking version of Big Thief.
Paste announced their day parties today. They're at High Noon again but it looks like they won't be across the street this year (Stay Gold closed last year). No times or days announced but they released the bands scheduled to perform.
This band is also playing the British Music Embassy (evening only) and the Marshall Amps day party at Mohawk on Wednesday. According to Wikipedia:
Maruja are an English rock band formed in Manchester in 2014, currently signed to Music for Nations... The band's sound has been variously labelled as post-rock, post-punk, art rock, jazz-rock, noise rock and post-hardcore. Rishi Shah of NME described the band's style as "noisy jazz-punk".
"Tinker" is a jazz-infused instrumental jam. Lots of sax solos.
Here they are live at Glasonbury. We'll need to get ready for the mosh pit.
Marshall Amps announced their Wednesday day party at Mohawk. No times yet. This band is also playing the British Music Embassy but only an evening showcase. BME says:
The name Freak Slug encapsulates Xenya Genovese’s artistic world perversely perfectly. Her releases under the name so far might have introduced listeners to a “more summery, happy, LA-sound”, but with the advent of her debut album ‘I Blow Out Big Candles’, this Slug is burrowing down into evermore unlikely places. Fresh off the back of her sold-out headline US dates at the end of 2025, Freak Slug takes SXSW.
"Radio" is one of her older songs. Summery, happy sound is an apt description.
"Friday" is catchy too. As you say, right up my alley.
This band is playing Yeti on Friday at 4pm as part of the BMI day party. According to the BMI website:
The Bends are an alternative rock band based out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The four members are seniors at LSU, and take influence from early 2000s rock bands like Kings Of Leon, The Strokes, and Arctic Monkeys. The quartet has recently struck major buzz with the debut single “Makeup.” They have gained industry-wide recognition, including Zach Bryan's endorsement across his socials.
They only have two songs on their Youtube page. This is "Makeup". Very Kings of Leon and Strokes influenced.
Playing at 2pm Friday at Yeti is this band out of NYC described as a "psych-garage" quartet per this article. It says:
Originating in high school, The Thing was founded by Michael Carter, Jack Bradley, and Zane Acord, driven by their shared love for rock & roll. Influenced by 60s pioneers and inspired by contemporary bands like Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Black Keys, the band honed their craft and generated buzz in New York City.
"Neptunne" has a nice bass line. Reminds me of White Denim. I like the guy dancing.
This band is playing Yeti on Friday at 1pm and C-Boys Saturday at 2:45pm Inside. The SXSW bio says:
Gold Star's Marlon Rabenreither grew up in L.A. with a native son's sense of what's real and true and a childhood fascination with the Beatles, teaching himself to write and play a special kind of stark guitar-noir Americana that soon got him opening for Ryan Bingham and an admiring Lucinda Williams. On his new Autumn Tone release Big Blue-named after the ramshackle Hollywood home where he produced and recorded the album-he shines and redefines the sound of his self-titled 2013 EP and his 2015 full-length Dark Days to reveal an autobiographical work as influenced by writers like Fante, Baldwin and Chandler as it is Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, Wilco or Elliott Smith. If you didn't know better, you'd think it was one of those lost classics-but really it's just a long letter from a young singer/songwriter both weary and wise beyond his years.
"Fade Away" is a mix of Ryan Adams mingled with War on Drugs. Good song.
Playing Wednesday at 2pm at Yeti after Austin band Next of Kin. According to this bio:
At the intersection of rock riffs and folk songwriting, you find The Takes, a new indie rock group hailing from Portland, Oregon. The band – composed of Sumner Rahr, Fritz Frerichs, Guido Rahr, and Phoebe Webb – weaves emotion and escapism through their songs, all while sticking to the roots of rock. On their 2024 EP ‘Lay Hold,’ the band pulls rhythm from legendary inspirations like Creedence Clearwater Revival and earnest songwriting from the likes of Noah Kahan.
Claire Ernst is a pop/R&B, New Jersey native, now fully based out of Nashville, Tennessee. Accumulating over 5 million all time streams just on Spotify alone, Claire Ernst has been ever changing since she began releasing at the age of 14. With lyrical influences of Kacey Musgraves and Allen Stone and the melodic influences of Yebba and PJ Morton, her unique sound is waiting to be heard by the right ears. Ernst’s debut full length album is set to rollout this year, and the first single released March 22nd.
"Girl in the Bathroom" is her submission for the NPR Tiny Desk Contest for 2024 and "Boots" is her submission for 2025. Soulful. Reminds me of Sir Woman. I like it.
This is catchy. It could be a good way to start Wednesday.
Playing Luck on the BMI Songwriters Circle. He's also playing Waterloo Records at 1pm on Wednesday (after Ken Pomeroy). This showcase has three artists swapping songs. We saw Valley James play at Saxon Pub and we'll see her band Valley Flower play at Old Settler's. We saw Coleman Jennings open for Briscoe at Stubb's. I liked them both.
Blue Sky Sundays is the culmination of a few years living in Nashville, chasing the dream of making a living by making music in what he thought to be the correct, the industry way. To then, with a new perspective, deciding to return the family home to Arkansas, basing the tour operation from home. Leaving home to return again is a familiar trope in many a great story but for Clayton, it’s personal.
His new album comes out Friday (Feb. 28th). "Brown Haired Blue Eyed Beauty" is his most streamed song. Good R&B song.
Born and raised in Ohio, Riddy left home after high school and began a long, winding, and interesting journey that took her to North Carolina for a year of college, to New York City where she worked as a model, and on an extended hitchhiking and train-hopping journey around the United States, just to name a few. She began writing and playing music in earnest while living on a farm in rural Virginia and eventually moved to Montana, a place she had long felt drawn toward.
She is on LaHonda Records which includes Colter Wall and Vincent Neil Emerson. Her album was released in 2021. Apparently she's working on her 2nd album but nothing has been released yet.
"Spirits, Angels, or Lies" is the first song off her album. This is her Western AF performance including the origin of the song. It's really good.
Playing Luck on the Western AF showcase. Per this article:
Hailing from the historically rich city of Charleston, South Carolina, Americana music artist Hunter Park is defining what it means to not only live in the modern South, but to be a trans woman and artist within this landscape. Combining folk-infused vocal melodies and evocative lyrics that capture the unfiltered human experience, She Returns From War is taking her seat in the Americana music world with grace, strength, and passion.
In 2023, the project shows no signs of slowing down. From opening for Bernie Sanders at his presidential rally in Charleston, to performing at national festivals like Stagecoach and High Water Festival and with artists such as Pat Benatar, Band of Horses, and Nikki Lane, She Returns From War is sharing with the world what the modern South should look and feel like: inclusive, compassionate, unfiltered, and loving.
She did an episode of a show on PBS called "Ears to the Common Ground" where she plays music and talks with some of her fans about Sexuality and Gender. I watched some of it. We may want to queue it up to watch.
Playing Luck on the Western AF showcase. According to this interview:
Kristina Murray is a Nashville-based country singer and songwriter. Over her fifteen-year performing and writing career, she has remained steadfastly loyal to traditional country music, avoiding the temptation of crossing over to the commercial crossover county/pop music currently dominating the radio airwaves. Kristina is also the Administrative Director at The Nashville School Of Traditional Music, a project established to promote and preserve ‘real’ country music. She has recorded two albums, UNRAVELIN’ (2013) and SOUTHERN AMBROSIA (2018), and is putting the final touches on her latest record, which is due for release in early 2025.
In the interview she talks about the Nashville Skinny Dennis location which was still in progress. She's playing her album release party there on May 9th.
Here's her Western AF performance of "Big Old Sun".
This is her first single off the new album. Logan Ledger is on guitar.
Playing Luck Reunion as part of the Western AF showcase. He's led quite a life. Per Wikipedia:
Harris was born in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1983. He spent much of his early life between Montgomery and Dadeville, AL, where his relatives had lived since the Revolutionary War. His mother was a teacher and his father worked in heavy construction. When he was seven, his family moved to Apple Valley, California, and later to Las Vegas. When Harris was fourteen he left home after finishing the 8th grade.
After leaving home, he spent time in Oakland, California; he chose the Bay Area as the California punk bands of the 1980s and early 1990s had a major influence on his early musical development, and later spent a year in Arizona where he worked as a sheep herder for a group of Navajo elders. Throughout this time, Harris freighthopped across the US, eventually finding his way to the town of Halifax, Vermont, where he lived for over a decade. He worked as a sheet metal scrapper, orchard worker, farmer laborer, luthier, heavy equipment operator, logger, and mainly as an historic restoration carpenter. He moved to Nashville, TN in 2011. From the time he was sixteen until his relocation to Nashville, he lived in various remote cabins without electricity or running water for nearly 13 years.
Wow. He has embraced country music, especially the old school music of George Jones and Waylon Jennings. Here is his version of the Conway Twitty/Loretta Lynn song "You're the Reason Our Kids are Ugly" with Nikki Lane. They did a live version of it, too.
Another Luck artist. I've been going alphabetically down the list. We saw Ken Pomeroy open for Kaitlin Butts at Antones. I liked her. Here's a reminder.
This singer/songwriter is originally from Manhattan but now calls Austin home. He has put out 3 albums. According to this interview he was heavily influenced by Townes Van Zandt.
Another Luck artist. Apparently he's got a loyal following that sings all the words to his songs in concerts. According to this intro:
John Vincent III, an Americana artist, intensified his love of music in Houston, TX in 2014. Gaining inspiration from unique lyricists such as Bon Iver, The Districts and The Doors, John Vincent III began the process of his own song creation. John Vincent III effortlessly blends folky, rhythmic guitar with soulful, vulnerable lyricism to create a the perfect Americana-Pop blend.
He was born in Houston, spent some time in Nashville but apparently is now in L.A. after living the van life during the pandemic after his first album. This article has a good background on his success after his first album and the 3 year hiatus that followed before his recent album.
I'd say a good modern comparison is Noah Kahan. The article above compares "Lincoln, NE" to Nick Drake. It's on his new album.
"Next to You" was the breakout hit from his first album.
More with the Luck Reunion. This band has quite a story. According to Wikipedia:
Infinity Song is a family band made up of members Abraham, Angel, Israel and Momo Boyd. The four siblings grew up in Detroit, Michigan and later moved to New York City performing in a choir directed by their father, John Boyd, and their early home life was filled with "singing and writing refrains"... In 2016, director Jeymes Samuel sent a video clip that he had seen of the band busking in Central Park to Jay Z. The band was then invited to perform for Jay-Z at the offices of his Roc Nation record label, after which Jay Z signed them to a recording contract.
It also says:
Uproxx listed the band as one of its "best bets for best new artist at the 2025 Grammys", praising their "breezy arrangements and lush harmonies", and saying in their review that the band's records "sound right at home between cuts from The Byrds, Joni Mitchell, Buffalo Springfield and other Laurel Canyon legends".
Another Luck band. There's not much on the internet about this band. This article says:
Under the veiled Hazel City moniker, Clay Frankel of Twin Peaks and Grapetooth fame sidelines his boisterous indie rocking role to take the form of an inwardly-oriented and unplugged folkie indulging in intimately soft banjo plucks and warm and well-placed piano chords for processing a fragile and sentimental side of the artists we’re not used to receiving.
I also saw they played a show in Milwaukee with Bonny Doon so they've got that going for them. Which is nice.
They have only one song on Youtube so I'll post Spotify links. "Root" is good. "Becca" is probably my favorite.
Another Luck Reunion artist. It's the moniker of Lizzie Quinlan. According to this Rolling Stone article:
After growing up in New Jersey, No, 33, spent the better part of the last decade as a harp-playing, folk-strumming songwriting virtuoso singing incisive originals in semi-obscurity. She started out in a folk duo called Devil and the Deep Blue Sea before embarking on a solo career after winning a songwriting contest in 2016 for her song “Outlaws.” Since then, she’s released two acclaimed records, opened for Iron & Wine, and helped kick off the Black Opry Revue touring collective.
According to her bio: "Lizzie has toured with Iron & Wine, Adia Victoria, Ron Pope, Sarah Shook and the Disarmers, and has showcased at festivals like Newport Folk Fest, Americanafest, South by Southwest, and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass."
She did a spot on No Depression where she talks about her latest album and plays "Getaway Car". It's good.
She played these songs live at AmericanaFest for WMOT. "The Heartbreak Store" is a good country/folk song. This is more rocking.
Another Luck artist. She's the one playing Continental Club the same night Kathleen Edwards is playing the 04 Center. Oh well. She's on the fast-track to stardom. She's already played the Grammys with Chris Martin (here's her solo spotlight). She's even been on Colbert. Not bad for an 18 year-old.
During the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, Grace recorded herself playing the guitar and posted the videos to YouTube and Reddit. She later live-streamed her practice sessions which captured attention from fans...Grace gets to show off her talents at dive bars in Nashville, where she moved to from the San Francisco Bay Area with her family. Grace posts clips from her performances on Instagram, where she has over 170,000 followers.
She plays with the band Grace Bowers & The Hodge Podge and they have one album out. It looks like she's just the guitarist. I'm not sure if she's touring solo now or with the whole band.
ARSUN SORRENTI, a New York City native, is a 24-year-old multi-talented artist who has made a name for himself as a singer-songwriter, musician, and prolific soundtrack producer. With a sound that is influenced by rock, folk, country, blues, and jazz, Arsun’s music is a unique blend of genres that captivates audiences across America and Europe.
This multi-instrumentalist country/folk artist is playing Luck Reunion. People rave about his live shows. According to this article and interview he received an MFA in poetry from the University of Arkansas. This question and answer was interesting:
Q: To my ears, songs such as "I Won't Be Afraid," "Life On the Fence," and "Your Heart's A Big Tent," from "Peculiar, Missouri" and "The Arrangements" and the title tune from "Critterland" wear their queerness on their denim sleeves. Do you have a sense of how these songs been received by folks in the LGBTQ+ community?
They seem to like 'em. Because I'm a "daywalker," and spent most of my life passing as straight. I guess I got pretty good at writing queer-coded things. Our audience is diverse and welcoming, and that's my favorite thing about my work. As many bi/pan/yes/and people do, I often don't feel "queer enough."
A:I've never been part of certain queer subcultures or visibility movements. For me, being queer always lived at truck-stops, on Craigslist, while couch-surfing, and frequently involved being afraid, closeted, and tough. It never presented itself in a "respectable" way, so I feel very seen when other LGBTQ+ people like it. At the heart of queerness is a relationship to love, friendship, and sex that goes beyond procreativity, marriage, property, or gender. If I get to sing that into the world, I'm happy.
First post this year. This band is playing the British Music Embassy (now at Palm Door on 6th. A much better location than the Sheraton) as well as the first day party I've seen at Valhalla on Thursday the 13th. That show also has Wishy who were at SXSW last year (preview here). I liked them but we didn't get to see them. I'll have to take a look at the other bands on that bill. If we don't go to Luck it may be worth checking out.
Honeyglaze are an indie rock trio from South London formed by Anouska Sokolow with Tim Curtis and Yuri Shibuichi. They released a self-titled LP in 2022 followed by the album Real Deal in 2024...The LP reached #1 on the UK Independent Album Breakers Chart. Honeyglaze were invited to support Wet Leg on the UK leg of their 2022 tour and embarked on headline dates. Honeyglaze opened the BBC Music Introducing stage at Reading and Leeds.
In 2024, Honeyglaze signed with Fat Possum Records.
They are called post-punk, indie rock, and math rock. I also hear shoegaze, especially on "Movies" which was played on KUTX's What's Next last week. It shifts from shoegaze to math rock and back to shoegaze.
