# What music acts should I see at SXSW? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 20, 2018, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231 "2018-02-20T22:25:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231/1 "2018-02-20T22:25:03Z")
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. Here’s a list of everyone performing: [https://schedule.sxsw.com/2018/artists/alpha](https://schedule.sxsw.com/2018/artists/alpha) Any recommendations? Any Can’t-Miss or Must-See acts? Thanks for the advice! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231/2 "2018-02-20T22:31:11Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231/3 "2018-02-20T22:53:23Z")
Alice Phoebe Lou - young singer-songwriter type Todd Rundgren - old singer-songwriter type ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231/4 "2018-02-20T23:04:07Z")
[Cut Chemist](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE_E2vGU_ck). Or, completely in the opposite direction, [Ida Mae](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E1aMUvmVJA), [Marlon Williams cos’ he’s a local boy and his voice is beautiful](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcTYuxKr89Q). And I’m only up to the M’s. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231/5 "2018-02-20T23:11:11Z")
Hey, [The Wedding Present](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuNYyNqCSSg) are still around. Go see them. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231/6 "2018-02-20T23:14:54Z")
More [Marlon Williams](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsQCYvS-RC0). He’s great live, too. Also the video is bloody funny. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231/7 "2018-02-21T18:33:46Z")
Awesome! Thanks everyone so far. I’m making a list… ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231/8 "2018-02-21T23:57:20Z")
I had a chance to go thru the list a little better: [Wo Fat](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNeJgOWgE6w) is a stoner metal band. More like Orange Goblin or Unida than Kyuss or Electric Wizard eh. [Victim Mentality](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGlnqQ5OzYk) is a metal band from South Korea; if you like 80s metal you’ll prolly like these guys even if you don’t speak Korean. [Dwarves](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-RSm8LdgHk) invented rock & roll ffs ;); they’re always worth seeing live. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231/9 "2018-02-22T00:35:59Z")
If I was there I would make sure not to miss Luna Lee. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/JX-T0eBr31w/maxresdefault.jpg "SRV-Scuttle Buttin Gayageum ver.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX-T0eBr31w) ---
**Author:** ![Egnu\_Cledge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@Egnu\_Cledge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Egnu_Cledge)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231/10 "2018-02-22T01:47:22Z")
[Andrew W.K.](https://youtu.be/xemLz_fR1Ac) makes super hard-rockin’ party music that is somehow simultaneously sincere and tongue-in-cheek. [Caddywhompus](https://youtu.be/zOJYdekMF5k) play melodic indie/college rock [Dressy Bessy](https://youtu.be/Vb3XCgb8vsE) make catchy twee pop. If you’ve ever seen [But I’m a Cheerleader](https://youtu.be/3vrycMmkeXs), they’re all over the soundtrack. ---
**Author:** ![Egnu\_Cledge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@Egnu\_Cledge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Egnu_Cledge)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231/11 "2018-02-22T02:11:27Z")
[La Luz](https://youtu.be/0SE94HWE3ks): haunted surf rock. [Lucy Dacus](https://youtu.be/88hQgxgqdo4): indie singer/songwriter with a dreamy voice. [Metz](https://youtu.be/krGDNbT4CSE): pinky noise rock [Mozes and the Firstborn](https://youtu.be/CfhMdBez4b4): retro rockin’ ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231/12 "2018-02-22T03:08:31Z")
[Japandroids](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tALN2S2rINw) are worth catching too, a powerful indie duo steeped in Husker Du. Saw them live last year and they bring it. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231/13 "2018-02-22T03:21:34Z")
And [A Place To Bury Strangers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFa4a56j52o) sound like early Jesus and Mary Chain by way of My Bloody Valentine with Lol Tolhurst bass. These are all good things. ---
**Author:** ![bmoak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@bmoak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmoak)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231/14 "2018-02-22T03:45:46Z")
[Lee Fields](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaUpVaFlI1g) sings with enough soul to give you the cold sweats. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231/15 "2018-02-22T04:14:22Z")
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**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkjNhXoTa8s&list=RDEkjNhXoTa8s) play the blues. Others I thought might be interesting: **Ian Moore** is local, and [can play the guitar a little](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKNC4GwpH-E). I like [**Varsity**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpWvlnMqLXc), but I’m a sucker for that jangly, female-lead ethereal pop sound. You’ve probably heard of at least this hit from **[Fastball](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0wfu3tOrtQ)**. Both [**Jesse Dayton**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11xIljKuL3g) and [**Kelly Willis**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBiFLwFUA30) 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](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qgy7PLAgF-Y)!" And you’ve also probably heard of [**Curtis McMurtry**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QqCrPWZU5Y)’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](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlb_RM3HsDc) and [Badfinger](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYtgSEjwB6g)-lite, depending on the song. That’s just who jumped out at me; there’s probably a lot more worth your time. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231/16 "2018-02-22T04:17:22Z")
Ume. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231/17 "2018-02-22T04:26:11Z")
> [@bmoak](#): > > [Lee Fields](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaUpVaFlI1g) sings with enough soul to give you the cold sweats. Oooh I didn’t see that Lee Fields was gonna be there; he’s a must-see IMO. [Cite](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8kbX5OEdn0). ---
**Author:** ![Egnu\_Cledge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@Egnu\_Cledge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Egnu_Cledge)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231/18 "2018-02-22T04:27:18Z")
> [@Penfeather](#): > > And [A Place To Bury Strangers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFa4a56j52o) sound like early Jesus and Mary Chain by way of My Bloody Valentine with Lol Tolhurst bass. These are all good things. Amen to all of this (except Simon played bass. Lol was drums and keyboards) [Night Beats](https://youtu.be/p9DdlyRL9o4): garage psych [Nox Boys](https://youtu.be/adhP4xHs5kE): garage punk [Samantha Glass](https://youtu.be/drD_9KuIWns): hypnotic, weirdo electronics [Speedy Ortiz](https://youtu.be/NdKZDWldEy8): 90s style alt rock [Shopping](https://youtu.be/1zGMmAhoHFw): post punk ---
**Author:** ![Egnu\_Cledge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@Egnu\_Cledge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Egnu_Cledge)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231/19 "2018-02-22T04:52:31Z")
[U.S. Girls](https://youtu.be/4IHTRpBWtQs): pop deconstructivism (see also her eerie, discordant cover of [The Boy Is Mine](https://youtu.be/BbeQ3Mmye9E)) [White Mystery](https://youtu.be/yE9gh4COMdI): Flaming hot garage rock [Wye Oak](https://youtu.be/wF7sAjVcFJM): noisy dream pop ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231/20 "2018-02-22T05:27:48Z")
> [@Egnu\_Cledge](#): > > Amen to all of this (except Simon played bass. Lol was drums and keyboards) :smack: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-acts-should-i-see-at-sxsw/809231.md?page=2)