SXSW 2026: Recap

For searching purposes.

Friday March 13th

@Colton House

Eliza Thorn
Patton Magee
Olivia Ellen Lloyd
SUSTO String Band

@Scoot Inn

Six Foot Blonde
The Nude Party

Saturday March 14th

@ San Jose

The Bures Band
Angela Autumn
Calder Allen

@Magdalena Hotel

Little Mazarn (end)
Boomershack

Monday March 16th

@High Noon (Paste)

TTSSFU
Buddy Red
Swapmeet
Diles Que No Me Maten
Liz Cooper

@GSD&M

Next of Kin
The Droptines
Los Lobos

Tuesday March 17th

@Ray Benson's Birthday

Los Lonely Boys
Asleep at the Wheel

Thursday March 19th

@Luck Reunion

Tom Jenkins
Penelope Road
Frank Mastra
Deloyd Elze
Joshua Ray Walker
Dylan Earl
Fred Eaglesmith
Kaitlin Butts (partial)
Chuck Prophet and his Cumbia Shoes
Luck Family Jam Carrie Rodriguez with:
Kam Franklin, Eva Ybarra, Elizabeth Goodfellow,Tami Neilson , Ellen Angelico, Bonnie Whitmore, Suzanna Choffel, Erika Wennerstrom, Melissa Carper, Lily Meola
Booker T. Jones
Willie Nelson and Family

SXSW 2026: The Bures Band

 This band starts out SXSanJose Saturday.  Their bandcamp says:

The Bures Band is a Folk Rock group from Perth, West Australia. The band formed in October 2022 and is made up of three primary song writers who came together over a shared taste in late 60s/70s music.

"Let In Outside" is good.

This is a throwback to CSNY or The Byrds.

 

SXSW 2026: Blessing Jolie

This is a late addition to Luck Reunion. She's from Houston and is playing the Jack Daniel's Stage That is inside the small Jack Daniel's building. It may be hard to get into it.

"Frown Lines" is a nice song. Her voice reminds me of Traci Chapman.

This is her first music video. Her album is coming out on Thirty Tigers.  Expect big things.

SXSW 2026: Diles Que No Me Maten

This band out of Mexico City is playing Paste on Monday the 16th at 3pm.  They are also playing SXSanjose tomorrow (Thursday the 12th). No time yet.

The SXSW bio just says: "Psychedelic Punk in Spanish. Forced Jazz meditation."

Here they are live on KEXP. They're also playing the Downright on Tuesday the 17th at 2pm as part of KEXP's El Sonido Live! day party.

Nice chill sounds.

SXSW 2026: Buddy Red

 This artist is playing the Paste Party at 2pm on Monday the 16th.  Per the SXSW bio:

Buddy Red is the Southern blues artist delivering the raw, cinematic sound of the Black American experience. A vocalist, guitarist, and preacher of truth, he stands where the cosmic mystique of Jimi Hendrix meets the uncompromising funk of James Brown and the psychedelic scope of Pink Floyd. A fixture of Atlanta's legendary Northside Tavern, Buddy is a vital voice recognized for his visceral guitar work and impassioned storytelling.

This interview says:

 Many first met him as Messiah Harris, son of hip-hop legend T.I. and stepson of Tiny Harris, on their reality show T.I and Tiny:The Family Hustle. Now, Buddy Red makes it clear he isn’t building his brand on anyone’s name but his own.

In our conversation, he opens up about what it means to be a rocker raised in a home rooted in R&B and hip-hop, how he carved out space for a sound that didn’t match his surroundings, and how picking up a guitar — and stepping fully into blues, rock and psychedelic funk — helped him find his voice, his purpose and his freedom of expression

"When I Dream" is live. Definitely a Hendrix vibe.  He jams at the end.

This is good, too.

SXSW 2026: TTSSFU

 This is another recommended artist from the Statesman.  According to Wikipedia:

Tasmin Nicole Stephens (born 2003), also known as TTSSFU, is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist based in Manchester. She played guitar in the post punk band Duvet and has since gained prominence as a solo artist in the shoegaze and dream pop genres.

The Statesman article says:

she’s from Wigan, England. She creates wispy-voiced, ethereally arranged, industrial rock with a ‘90s edge. Crack Magazine notes it captures the malaise of what it’s like to live in Wigan, partying in dives.

She plays the Paste Party Monday the 16th at 1pm.

"Forever" is good. Right in my wheelhouse.

 This is her most streamed song. Could be a good way to start the day.

SXSW 2026: The Family Battenberg

The Statesman came out with their "12 breakout artists our critics say you need to see in Austin".  I posted a few of them already. The others are not in my wheelhouse.  I'll skip most of them.  

The Statesman article says:

The Cardiff, U.K. band mates are passengers boarding the garage rock revival train that Fontaines D.C. and Turnstile already ride. Their 2025 EP “Spider Rock Forever” is an appropriate successor to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, especially the songs “Foggy” and “Gwyllgi.”

They play two day shows we could see: the Paste Party on Friday the 13th at 12:20pm and BME at Palm Door on Monday the 16th at 2pm.

The SXSW bio says: "The Family Battenberg have perfected a filthy, fuzzy psychedelic sound that they’ve coined as “spider rock.”"

"Anteater" is definitely a filthy, fuzzy psychedelic sound.

This is a little better. Has a harder "Heavy Heavy" feel.

SXSW 2026: The Braymores

 This is a band out of Chicago that's playing Radio/East and Meanwhile Brewing on Saturday. 

"Scenic Drive" is a nice mellow tune.

This is a good song. A fun Saturday afternoon band.

SXSW 2026: Tom A. Smith

This artist is playing the British Music Embassy. He's also playing Waterloo Records. SXSW says he's: "A 21 year old singer/songwriter/producer based in Sunderland, England."

"Never Good Enough" is a nice song. He looks 12 in it.

This is from his new EP.

SXSW 2026: Hot Garbage

This band out of Toronto is playing Downright Monday the 16th at 2pm right before Los Lobos does an acoustic set at 3pm.  The SXSW bios says they bring:

an exhilarating new breath into the world of post-punk and modern psychedelia, a listening experience that is equally cathartic and introspective.

They've played Levitation.  They are also playing Hole in the Wall Sunday on what looks like a really good lineup.  It's a benefit for ACLU of Texas.

"Erase My Mind" is chill. They remind me of Raveonettes.

This is their most streamed song.

SXSW 2026: Brie Stoner

This artist is playing Waterloo Records at 1pm on Friday the 13th. She has quite a story.  From this article:

"Sometimes you have to walk away from something to come back to it and know it for the first time,” Grand Rapids indie singer/songwriter Brie Stoner told Revue last month, 12 years after she graced the cover of our annual Music Issue for the first time.

She was in Michigan then moved to L.A. then Nashville then back to Michigan for marriage, kids, divorce, a Masters in theology, and now back to music.

The SXSW bio says:

Raised in Madrid, Spain, and now based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, she channels her multilingual life into indie dream-rock that feels both intimately personal and impossibly vast. Her upcoming LP "Matador" (releasing 2026) is a California-themed love letter, lush and cinematic, featuring orchestral arrangements by acclaimed arranger Kelly Pratt (St Vincent, Beck, and Beirut) and produced by David Vandervelde (Father John Misty). 

 "Hungry" is her most streamed song. Has a Mazzy Star feel. It was mixed by Josh Kaufman (Bonny Light Horseman).

She released an EP in 2026 but I don't see anything from the LP. Maybe the songs on the EP will be on the LP.

This is one of her most recent songs.  Reminds me of Lana Del Rey.

SXSW 2026: Lew Apollo

 Another one of KUTX's "One's to Watch". It says:

Minnesota-born, Austin-based neo-soul artist Lew Apollo knows how to set a mood. Inspired in equal parts by Prince, Leon Bridges and the Arctic Monkeys, Apollo’s sultry R&B soundscapes are engineered for late-night lounges or poolside hangs. 

He's playing quite a few shows including Colton House at 6pm on Saturday the 15th.

"Let the Light In" is sultry R&B.

This is fun. 

SXSW 2026: Marilina Bertoldi

KUTX came out with their "7 Ones to Watch" bands to see at SXSW.  They say this about this artist:

Genre-bending Argentine artist Marilina Bertoldi is a rock ‘n’ roller with a New Wave heart. Bertoldi deftly weaves between the kind of big, stadium-ready rock found on her award-winning 2016 album, Sexo con Modelos, and the angular, synthy post-punk on her most recent, Latin Grammy-nominated album, Para Quién Trabajas Vol. I . 

She's playing quite a few big shows including KUTX in the morning, Waterloo, and SXSanJose.

"AUTOESTIMA" is 80s inspired. synthy post-punk is an apt description. 

This is more new wave. It's good. 

SXSW 2026: Haylie Davis

This artist is playing Waterloo Records Thursday the 12th at 3pm and Continental Club Monday the 16th at 12:50pm.  According to this bio:

Raised in a small agricultural town outside of San Francisco and now rooted in Los Angeles, Haylie Davis writes songs that feel lived-in and hard won...Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Karen Carpenter, the early 1970s songwriting greats hover gently in the background, but Wandering Star never feels like an exercise in nostalgia. These are gorgeously melodic, soft-focus confessionals that land with emotional precision. It’s Laurel Canyon by way of 2026: classic in feel, yet unmistakably of the present.

Her debut album is coming out June 6th.  She has opened for Nude Party but it looks like she won't be the opener for their Friday show.

"Wandering Star" is the title song.  Definitely a throwback.

"Young Man" has an Emmylou/Gram Parsons feel.

This is good.

SXSW 2026: meg elsier

Playing Paste on Sunday at 1pm.  She's also playing Mohawk on Monday the 16th and Waterloo Records on Tuesday the 17th at 5pm.

The SXSW bio says:

 meg elsier is an indie-rock singer, songwriter, and visual artist based in New York City. One of the most exciting new voices in the indie-rock scene, meg juxtaposes sweet vocals and opulent melodies with grungy guitars and weighty production...meg's debut album 'spittake' blends elements of grunge, contemporary pop, folk, and indie-rock, and showcases meg’s ability to create dynamic, versatile, and effortlessly catchy music.

According to this interview she's from about 45 minutes outside of Boston. After college in Boston (Berklee College of Music) she moved to Nashville to get started but is now in New York City.

"iznotreal"  is fuzzy rock.

"oldnews" is pretty good. 

This is her most streamed song. It's good.  It reminds me a little of Rilo Kiley, especially "Portions for Foxes"

SXSW 2026: Jonny Fritz

Playing Paste on Sunday.  He's also playing White Horse on Friday night with quite a lineup (including Boomershack.).  We'll be at Nude Party.

Per Wikipedia:

Jonathan Russell Fritz, formerly known as Jonny Corndawg, is an American alternative country musician who was born in Missoula, Montana. He has released four albums, two under the name "Jonny Corndawg" and two as "Jonny Fritz".

I'm pretty sure he's been on bills at festivals we've attended. I seem to recall him playing with Deer Tick or one of their side-projects.  You may remember better. I don't have him on my list of bands seen, though.

According to Wikipedia, for his 4th record:

 Jonnys' 4th record Sweet Creep was released in 2016. Produced by Jim James and recorded over three days using a makeshift outdoor studio in the Montecito Hills of California. The entire record was recorded outside and featured Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes (band), playing multiple instruments, including guitar, bass, and keyboard, his brother Griffin Goldsmith on drums, Joshua Hedley of fiddle and My Morning Jacket's prolific front man Jim James also lending his voice, and guitar to multiple tracks.

Lots of big names on there.  His 5th album just came out, 10 years after his last.

"Slow Down" is good. That's Joshua Hedley on violin (We saw him at Robert's in Nashville).

"Debbie Downers" is timely:

This is a cool live performance.

SXSW 2026: Horsepower

Playing Paste on Sunday. She's also playing SXSanjose as well as quite a few evening showcases.  She's going to be busy.  

Flood Magazine says:

Horsepower is the new project of NYC-based songwriter and (mostly) reformed horsegirl Charlotte Weinman.

 Flood says of the song "Are you Blushing": 

Translating a background in theater and a prior musical career indebted to aiding other songwriters into a personal statement of her own, the track sees Weinman channeling the elegant balladry of Mitski and a modern dream-pop sensibility into a song about the involuntary thoughts that tend to come with a prospective romance.

This is her most streamed song.  In the singer-songwriter style of Mitski/Phoebe Bridgers/boygenius. 

 

SXSW 2026: Good Flying Birds

Playing Paste Sunday.  They're also playing Cheer Up Charlie's and Tweedy's on Saturday and Hotel Vegas on Sunday. Per the SXSW bio:

Good Flying Birds is a jangling, noisy guitar-pop group based in the Midwest, USA...The influence of jangly lo-fi/DIY heavyweights who came before like Guided By Voices (their namesake), Beat Happening, DLIMC, Talulah Gosh (partly their namesake), and The Vaselines, is prevalent, but they carry a unique charm all their own. It’s the sound of looking at a crumbling world with rosy cheeks and wide eyes, a tambourine by your side.

"Down on Me"  is a 90s college radio throwback.

"Fall Away" is good. 

I like these guys.

This is their most streamed song.

SXSW 2026: Still Blank

Playing the Paste party Saturday. They are also playing the British Music Embassy and SXSanJose. Per the SXSW bio:

Still Blank’s sound is a unique blend of shoegaze haze, folk intimacy, and emotionally raw ambient alt-rock grit. Ben and Jordy met by chance in Liverpool 2 years ago sparking a lightning-in-a-bottle creative partnership. 

This article says it is a duo "Formed by Hawaii-born singer/multi-instrumentalist Jordy and Manchester guitarist Ben".  It also says:

Despite a whirlwind journey, including Jordy’s unexpected deportation during the album’s creation and a move to Los Angeles following their signing to National Anthem (HAIM, Chvrches), Still Blank have quickly established themselves as one of the most compelling new voices in alternative music. 

"What about Jane" is good. Right up my alley.

This is good, too. I'd like to see them.

SXSW 2026: Sassy 009

 Playing the Paste party on Saturday.  The SXSW bio says:

Sassy 009 is the shape-shifting project from Oslo-based producer, songwriter and vocalist Sunniva Lindgård...Steered by freshly distorted vocals and elements of grunge, shoegaze, ‘90s beatronica and gauzy hyperpop, the album is a record of self-discovery and self-effacement at once, studded with guest contributions from Blood Orange, BEA1991 and Yunè Pinku.

This looks to be her only day party. 

Gauzy hyperpop is a good way to describe "Enemy".

Same with "Butterflies" 

This song features Blood Orange.  It's good. He's not in the video, though.

SXSW 2026: The Haunted Youth

Playing the Paste Party Saturday.  The SXSW bio says:

The Haunted Youth is the band of Joachim Liebens and the biggest Belgian indie rock sensation of the last few years...Frontman Joachim Liebens blends dreamy guitars, nostalgic synths, and deeply personal lyrics into songs that, while dark in theme, offer comfort and connection. 

This looks to be the only day party they are playing but they're playing quite a few evening showcases including at the British Music Embassy despite being from Belgium.

They have over 300K monthly listeners on Spotify. 

"Broken" is really good.  Mix of The Cure and MGMT.

This is good, too. May have to check them out.

SXSW 2026: Forty Feet Tall

This band is playing the Paste party Saturday.  This article says the band is originally from L.A. but is now based in Portland. It says:

The band first cut their teeth together in high school before scattering for college then reconvening in Portland to make music years later. Over time, they have managed to hone an engaging and engrossing sound and stage-presence that feels seasoned, yet not settled.

They are described as post-punk.

"Paystub" sounds like a mix of old Pretenders and DEVO.

In this article the band says of this song:

“‘Isochronism’ is a physics term describing how a pendulum takes the same amount of time to complete a swing, regardless of the starting point,” the band explains. “The song reflects on the cyclical nature of life, the passage of time, day and night, and we felt the term captured these concepts well.”

They also remind me of Jane's Addiction.

SXSW 2026: Dylan Earl

This artist is playing the Paste party on Saturday. He'salso playing White Horse on Thursday and maybe even Friday. They haven't released times for those yet.

Paste says:

Before the half-Cajun Earl became one of country music’s most vital voices, he was raised in Lake Charles, Louisiana. After his parents’ divorce, he convinced his dad to send him away to a school in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Two weeks later, Hurricane Katrina hit and he was shipped back to Lake Charles. It wasn’t long before Katrina would reach Louisiana and, to prevent Earl from missing the school year, he wound up in Subiaco, Arkansas—a priory with a population of about 600, founded as a monk-missionary settlement in the 1800s and named by Pope Leo XIII after an Italian city where St. Benedict started his first monastery. It’s a place Earl wants to protect in his music, making mention of it for a select group of people. 

Good country music.  

"White Painted Trees" is a throwback.

So is "Outlaw Country". Listen to the lyrics. 

This was my favorite. 

SXSW 2026: Bricknasty

Paste finally came out with their bands (still no times yet) and this band plays Saturday. They are also playing the British Music Embassy and SXSanJose.

This article says:

Spanning experimental jazz, hip hop and neo-soul, it’s the unexpected dichotomies that make Dublin five-piece special.

It also says:

Composed soley of self-taught musicians, Bricknasty’s debut EP Ina Crueler centred on Fatboy’s childhood in Dublin’s deprived Ballymun neighbourhood. It’s in many ways a hip-hop story, recorded in the very same council estate fire escapes and bedrooms that the project deals with thematically, but, sonically, it’s much harder to box in. With organic and layered compositions that stretch from experimental jazz to soul, Ina Crueler isn’t disillusioned kids venting their problems over Soundcloud instrumentals, it’s a collection of genuine musicians seizing the means of production to tell their own story. 

"Vinland" is chill.

"Mouthy" reminds me of Bon Iver mixed with hip-hop.

 "Boyfriend" is live. I wouldn't call that hip-hop.  Jazzy in the Sting style. I like it.

This is their most streamed song. It's good, too.

SXSW 2026: Raynes

This band is playing Waterloo Records Saturday at 7pm and also is playing the BMI Yeti Day Party on Friday at 1pm.  They are also playing Pershing on March 20th. From this bio:

Raynes is a British-American trio formed when North Dakota natives Mat Charley and Joe Berger discovered UK singer Mark Race on Instagram. After connecting online, Mark joined them in the U.S. to start the band. Since their debut, Raynes has signed with Sony Music Publishing, released multiple singles and EPs, performed at BottleRock Festival and venues across the U.S. and UK, and accumulated millions of streams.

It also says:

Known for complex harmonies, unique instrumentation, and poetic lyrics, Raynes blends folk, rock, chamber pop, and world music into a distinctive sound that defies easy categorization.

That covers a lot of ground.

"American Waters" is their latest single.  Not really up my alley.

This is their most streamed song. 

SXSW 2026: Steven Bamidele

 This artist is playing the British Music Embassy as well as the KCRW Day Stage on Friday the 13th.  He also plays ABGB on Saturday as part of a day show called "Sign of the Times". I don't recognize any of the other bands, though.

 Per this bio:

Steven Bamidele is a Nigerian-born, London-based singer, songwriter, musician and producer. His isolated upbringing has shaped the introspective nature of his songwriting, which pairs with his distinctive reverb-drenched falsetto, synth textures, and syncopated beats to create a forward-thinking soulful sound. Citing the influences of contemporary musical storytellers and genreless creators such as Frank Ocean and Tyler the Creator, to Solange, Kendrick Lamar and Childish Gambino, Steven puts social commentary and artistic narratives at the forefront of his music.

"Sitting in the Dark" is his most streamed video. Smooth.

This is his latest release.

 

SXSW 2026: Mac Cornish

This musician is playing the Lone Star day party on Saturday the 14th and Colton House on Sunday the 15th.  Both have good lineups.  

Per this bio:

Born into the confines of Canyon Country, broken through in the Northwest’s emerging enclave, and currently carving out her own niche in Nashville, Mac Cornish embraces all the parts of her journey as she approaches her songwriting. Growing up surrounded by the Santa Cruz mountains, Cornish spent her youth under the canopy of the Redwoods and exploring the expanses of her grandfather’s cattle ranch in the North Bay. Early years found her drawn to the voices that had emanated from the Laurel Canyon legends, cementing a deep love for Linda Rondstadt, Joan Baez, and Gram Parsons. Though she’s boxed her belongings more than a few times in pursuit of country’s muse, her roots in the California.

Here she is playing a set at Dee's Lounge. Good traditional country music.

"Mama Yes I Do" is a two-stepper.

This is nice.

SXSW 2026: Scott Ballew

This Austin artist is playing Waterloo on Thursday the 12th at 5pm. He's also playing Colton House on Friday the 13th. 

The Austin Chronicle has a good article about him.  He's got quite a story. The subtitle sums it up: "Running back-turned-filmmaker reflects on the whirlwind journey that finally got him to songwriting"

"Middle Aged Lazy" is humorous.

This was probably my favorite.

SXSW 2026: Aubrie Sellers

Waterloo Records just dropped their in-stores for SXSW. This is the first artist on the first day. She plays Thurs. the 12th at 1pm.  She was at SXSW in 2016 (preview here) promoting her 1st album.  Per this article:

Nashville artist Aubrie Sellers has officially announced her third studio album ‘Attachment Theory’ which is set for release on March 20 via Casual Records and Carnival Recording Company. This collection represents a significant sonic evolution for the self-proclaimed garage country pioneer as she leans further into a darker, cinematic rock sound. 

She's also playing Sagebrush on  the evening of Thursday the 12th (Shakey Graves headlines).  She's also playing Saxon Pub on Monday April 27th.  

"Little Rooms" is good.

Here is the first release from that new album.  

SXSW 2026: Eliza Thorn

Another Nashville-based country/blues artist for today. She's playing the Lone Star day party on Saturday, Colton House on Friday, as well as a showcase at White Horse and a gig at Devil's Backbone.

Here is her background from this interview:

I’m just kind of this feral rat kid that came from rural western Connecticut. Our little town had one real store, called Eastern Village. It sold sub sandwiches and wraps. There was an antique store, and not a stop light but a yellow blinking light at the time.  Growing up it was all we had, so we spent a lot of time in nature. There was a post-Woodstock group of folks who migrated from upstate New York over here. And my mom was a native New Yorker. She moved to Connecticut because my grandparents had moved to Connecticut to kind of restart life in a more rural environment. My grandma was a playwright in New York City, but retired out of it as I grew up. She had some notable plays. Her biggest was called, Seven, which toured internationally. She wrote books too.

She's led quite an adventurous life on the road. It's worth a read. 

Saving Country Music says:

Similar to other fast-rising country and roots musicians of our era such as Charley Crockett, Sierra Farrell, and Melissa Carper, Eliza Thorn is slightly less interested in “genre,” and more attune to how “era” can help define how her songs unfold, using a wide array of sounds to capture the ideal mood for each one of her original tunes.

Commenters compare her sound to Melissa Carper.  

"Fool" is a good two-stepping honky-tonk song. 

She did a live session at Dee's if you want to listen to a 2 hour show.

"Moonshined" has an old Sierra Ferrell feel.

Here she is live at Acme Feed & Seed.

SXSW 2026: Kristina Murray

I'll stick with female country artists today.  She plays Colton House on Saturday the 14th.  Here is the lineup:

Emily Nenni

Theo Lawrence 

Kristina Murray 

The Mellows

Reilly Downing & The Acid Cowboys

Possessed By Paul James

This article says:

Georgia-born artist Kristina Murray has been a leading light in the underground East Nashville traditional country music scene for over a decade. From performing at the legendary dive joint downtown, Santas Bar, or being one of the earliest artists to perform at, and put Honky Tonk Tuesdays at The American Legion on the map, she has remained steadfastly true to country music. 

I just realized I previewed her last year but we didn't see her.  She had signed to New West Records.  Here's the preview.  I shared "Watchin' the World Pass Me By". 

Here's a sad breakup song.

SXSW 2026: Olivia Ellen Lloyd

 Colton House has a pretty good lineup on Friday the 13th. No times yet:

Rattlesnake Milk 

Scott Ballew

SUSTO Stringband 

Olivia Ellen Lloyd 

Patton Magee (of The Nude Party)

Eliza Thorn

I assume this artist will go on in between Patton Magee and SUSTO Stringband.  This bio says:

 Olivia Ellen Lloyd will try anything once. From flight attendant school in Dallas to producing theater in New York City and teaching in Guatemala, Lloyd sought an adventurous life, but struggled to find a greater sense of purpose. That is– until she found her way back to music. Lloyd channels her restless spirit into songs that pay homage to her Appalachian roots while charting fresh territory for a sound that is uniquely her own. Her debut album, Loose Cannon, has been streamed over 1 million times while Olivia has been crossing the country playing shows, winning songwriting contests (like Kerrville in 2023) and generally eating life down to the rind.

It also says:

 Heavily influenced by country, folk, and indie rock, Lloyd’s sound combines the rooted sounds of her traditional Appalachian upbringing with the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants nature of her current life. She is inspired by the rich sounds of New York City, the peaceful quiet of her small hometown, and everything in between.

"Do It Myself" is good.

"Loose Cannon" is the title track of her debut album. That link is an acoustic version. Here it is with her full band.

This is from her latest album. It was her Tiny Desk entry. A humorous breakup song.

SXSW 2026: Reilly Downes

 This artist is playing a lot of the country/Americana parties including Colton House, Sagebrush, and the Dainty Dillo.  I'll post more about those when they announce their schedules but here is her schedule.

This site says of her:

Reilly Downes has long been known as the Sad Cowgirl of Chicago. An Americana artist hailing from the Texas Hill Country, she cut her teeth as a session musician in Nashville, singing behind some of Americana’s favorite singer/songwriters.

In this interview she says:

Q: Chicago has its own Americana sound (i.e., Wilco), and so do Austin and Nashville. How do these various Americana “moods” differ, and how do you bring these influences together in your own music?

A: Like I said, I’m a lot more indie in the Americana genre, think early Noah Gundersen or David Ramirez (an Austinite himself!). They were huge influences for me, but as I’ve grown as an artist and come to respect old country more, you’ll see a lot of that influence in my newer work.

Here is a live set. The third song "Another Sad Waltz" is good.

Her cover of "Wicked Game" is pretty faithful to the original.

This is one of her few music videos. It's good.

SXSW 2026: Adult DVD

This band is playing quite a few shows so far including the British Music Embassy and the KCRW day show on Friday the 13th at 2pm.  Per the SXSW bio:

Adult DVD, the Leeds based six piece have become known for their relentless output of euphoric hooks and grooves along with a relentless touring schedule that has taken them to Glastonbury, Greenman, End Of The Road and several European festivals this Summer.

They are signed to Fat Possum Records. Wikipedia calls them dance-punk and dance-rock.

"Real Tree Lee" is their newest release. One comment compares them to Fontaines DC.  Probably not your cup of tea.

"Dogs in the Sun" is compared to Kraftwerk.

This is their most streamed song and I think their set closing song. They don't have a video for it so here it is live.

SXSW 2026: Radium Dolls

KCRW is hosting the Day Stage at the Downright (formerly Sheraton on 10th and I35) outside on Friday the 13th.  They have my already previewed reno plum at 1pm and the Tullamarines at 3pm. 

This band is playing at noon.  Per this article:

Hailing from Brisbane, Radium Dolls have built their reputation on explosive live shows that feel uncontainable, fueled by a deep love of 70s-inspired rock and a sharp, modern lyrical bite. There’s a physicality to Radium Dolls’ music that’s sweaty, loud and unapologetically alive, that has made them one of Australia’s most exciting live rock acts. After a run of back-to-back sold-out shows across the country this year, the band is charging toward 2026 with undeniable momentum.

"Daddy" is catchy.

 "Scorching Heat" is a good rock song.

"Rat Song (For a Film)" is the one I bet you will like the best.

This is one of their older songs. I like it. The video is good, too. Very Australian. Warning: the ending goes to 11.

SXSW 2026: Swapmeet

 This band out of Adelaide, Australia is playing a bunch of shows, including the Paste party and the Winspear party at Cheer Up Charlies.  According to this article:

This was the second time in just over a week that I had the opportunity to see the Adelaide four-piece – Venus O’Brion, Maxwell Elphick, Jack Medlyn, and Josh Doherty – play; the first being in Sydney for SXSW Sydney, where they won the awards for Best Performance and Best Emerging Artist. The two awards are well deserved. The former, a no-brainer, playing with such pure energy and excitement, watching them live is a joy, and the latter, an affirmation of my prediction that they’re going to be the next big thing to come out of Australia. 

 This article says:

Swapmeet (formerly known as Soursob) is a band based on unceded Kaurna land. With an ever changing energy and aesthetic, Swapmeet’s sound is at once light-hearted and raw. With indie rock foundations, characterised by sonic experimentation, and a punk spirit, Swapmeet are known in the Adelaide circuit for their playful, chaotic onstage presence.

They don't have many videos.  "Ceiling Fan" is one of their bigger songs.  Probably their set closer. I like it. 

"Collision" is also good. I wouldn't mind seeing them.

This is the one video they have.  It has as Spoon feel.

SXSW 2026: runo plum

 This artist is playing all the big shows: Paste, KCRW Day Stage, and Winspear @Cheer Up Charlie's.  She has 203K monthly listeners on Spotify.  Rolling Stone says: 

 When we speak at the end of 2025’s long summer, runo plum is settling into her new home in the city of Minneapolis. The story behind her emergence as a special new songwriter and upcoming debut album, patching, takes place in a polar opposite setting though.

At the onset of the COVID pandemic, plum left the city for her family’s base in the Minnesota wilderness. As she describes it, her writing desk looks out over 40 acres of woodland. “There’s a creek that runs along, and there’s a beautiful trail that goes through the woods. It was the inspiration for a lot of my songs,” she smiles.

While her earliest material was written and performed alone on acoustic guitar, transmitting the woods-y feel of her surroundings, debut album patching – announced today – fleshes out her sound and sees her digesting and processing a period of personal upheaval.

It’s done through frank and open-hearted lyrics, with the added instrumentation giving her words even greater heft.

"creek" is one of her acoustic early songs. It's nice.

"Sickness" is a new one. For the boygenius fans.

This is a little more uptempo. It's off her new album. Reminds me a little of Camera Obscura.