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.