I’m a programmer for a film festival so will be flying to Austin to attend SXSW in a few weeks to check out the host of US indies that will be playing there.
But my pass also gets me into any and all music shows, and while I love a good concert, I know very little about modern music so have no clue about the performance lineup they’ve scheduled. Still, there are very few music types/genres I don’t enjoy and am always eager to experience something new, so I defer to the music-savvy Dopers out there for any help you’d be willing to provide.
Jesus! There’s dozens and I’m just in the A’s. Albert Hammond Jr is from the Stokes and a solid songwriter. …and you will know us by the trail of dead has been around for a while.
I detested SXSW when I lived in Austin—the traffic, being inundated with even more asshole Californians than normally exist there, the costs, the inability to get a reservation anywhere during its interminable life—and I am seriously considering driving into Austin during this so that I can listen to Cedric Burnside play the blues.
Others I thought might be interesting: Ian Moore is local, and can play the guitar a little. I like Varsity, but I’m a sucker for that jangly, female-lead ethereal pop sound. You’ve probably heard of at least this hit from Fastball.
Both Jesse Dayton and Kelly Willis are classic, Texas alt-country stars and have been playing in and around Austin for a long time. But not as long as Ray Wylie Hubbard. " Snake Farm. Ughhhh!"
And you’ve also probably heard of Curtis McMurtry’s dad, James, and granddad Larry, of Lonesome Dove fame. Not as folky or as Guthrie-esque as Pop, but still interesting.
Edit: Oops, meant to add Buxton. Houston band that sounds alternately like The Beach Boys and Badfinger-lite, depending on the song.
That’s just who jumped out at me; there’s probably a lot more worth your time.
