A shortlist guide to key shows to catch at the venerable South by Southwest conference.
It’s kind of surprising that I’d never been to SXSW. It was partially for the same reason I never attended the CMJ Music Festival in the 90s, it was too much business, not enough rocking. More about networking and landing deals, and less about the music. However, there was a sweet spot sometime in the late 90s/early 00s when SXSW was mostly about music, and I’m sorry I missed it. Now it’s a gigantic tech conference that doesn’t pretend to be anything but business. However, there’s still a ton of music to be heard, and now that I live here, I’m going, as well as my riff-riding comrade Tomiiko from Oakland (soon to be a digital nomad citizen of the world). Let’s do this!
Zola Jesus
Cheer Up Charlies, Mar 14, 9:00pm
SUSS
The Green Jay, Mar 15, 10:00pm
With three albums and two EPs since 2018, SUSS have established themselves as the definitive innovators of ambient country, as somewhat surprising subgrenre that has gained traction with a number of artists, from Chuck Johnson, Bobby Lee, Matt LaJoie to Jeffrey Silverstein, Mouth Painter, Jeffrey Alexander, Andrew Tuttle North Americans and Rootless. Great music to work and nap to, and I wonder if I’ll be wishing for a beanbag chair at the show, but I’m game.
Yard Act
British Music Embassy @ Cedar Creek Courtyard, Mar 15, 11pm
Augustine, Mar 17, 12am
Radio Day Stage, Mar 18, 3pm
Swan Dive Patio, Mar 19, 1am
I’ve been anticipating Yard Act’s full-length debut since their first singles in 2020. These lads from Leeds are the kind of arty post-punk band that hit a lot of my special buttons. However when The Overload came out early this year, I had some trouble getting on board. They went more in the direction of tuneless talk-singing, which can be hit and miss for me. However, many of the songs connect better in the context of the videos, of which there are many. Certainly one of the most promising of new bands at this fest.
Rosegarden Funeral Party
Valhalla, Mar 15, 12:15am
St. David’s Bethell Hall, Mar 17
Just like younger generations are putting their own stamp on long-running genres like industrial, ambient pop and drone, Rosegarden Funeral Party has a fresh spin on gothy post-punk, with some crimson shades of psych noir. Dallas, TX must be awfully hot to wear black (or elaborate blood red finery), but this band is committed. While MARTYR made my Lucky 13 in 2019, they snuck In the Wake of Fire by everyone, releasing it on December 3 with little fanfare as year-end lists were mostly completed. From what I’ve heard belatedly, the band stands out from the dark wavers even more with their knack for the catchiest earworm melodies since peak Siouxsie & the Banshees.
Population II
Swan Dive Patio, Mar 16, 10:15
This Montreal band is named after Randy Holden’s (who served briefly in Blue Cheer) amazing debut solo album, Population II (1969), which was reissued in 2020 by RidingEasy. Even more than the guitar-tastic heavy psych and proto-metal from their namesake, Population II have just as much DNA of freewheeling German bands Amon Düül II, Guru Guru and Ash Ra Tempel, and even the vocal stylings of their label boss John Dwyer’s band Oh Sees. Their first two albums from 2017 and 18 contain a total of four more tracks, averaging just under 20 minutes each on the first, and down to under ten minutes each with the II – Onisme EP. Both are available super cheap on Bandcamp. Luxuriate in it all like an interdimensional bubble baff, and pity the fools who think the only significant psych albums this year were by The Flaming Lips and Tame Impala. This is a full on underground psych rennaissance.
Yoo Doo Right
Swan Dive Patio, Mar 16, 9:15pm
Canadian post-rockers Yoo Doo Right are named after the Can song from Monster Movie (1969). The kosmische flows strong in these lads, as does bits of shoegaze, noise and avant rock. Their full-length has been long awaited after EPs in 2016-17, and a split single with Japanese psych pioneers Acid Mothers Temple last year.
Deap Vally
Creek and the Cave Backyard, Mar 16, 11:30pm
When Deap Vally’s second album, Femejism (2016) came out, it skulked about my playlist, throwing attitude whenever a track played from it, until I was completely drawn in and rocking out with the full album. I knew I would like it, as their debut Sistronix (2013) was a nice raw, heavy Cream influenced blues rock album, influenced by the raw, stripped down guitar/drums feel of early Black Keys. The awesome poor taste in album title is perfect to sort out the idiots who might be offended (“Are feminists, let alone women, allowed to jizz?”). Meanwhile they get down to more kickass garage blues punk, but this time with the production assistance of Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, which inevitably brings to mind comparisons with early work by his band. And I love it. I also hear some nods to Sleater-Kinney, Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine among others. Most of all, these fairly simple songs are damn fun and stand up to repeated plays. Marriage (2021) was a little disappointing, but I’m still rooting for ’em.
Sunflower Bean
Cheer Up Charlie’s, Mar 16, 12am
Radio Day Stage, Mar 17, 2pm
TEKE::TEKE
Swan Dive, Mar 16, 1am
Cheer Up Charlie’s, Mar 18, 9:10pm
Montreal’s TEKE::TEKE originally formed in tribute to Japanese guitarist Tekeshi Terauchi, who pioneered a hybrid of Eleki and Ventures style surf rock with the Bunnys in the mid-60s, and later the Blue Jeans. Their full-length debut is not what you’d expect from that information. The surf guitar is no more prominent in their music as it was in the Pixies — a ghostly whisper amidst the cacophony of psych prog, noise rock, post-punk and more. In live clips Etienne Lebel’s trombone looks like it was rescued from a dumpster. The brass horn accents give me fond flashbacks of Tragic Mulatto and Dog Faced Hermans.
Wet Leg
Half Step, Mar 16, 12am
British Music Embassy, Mar 17, 10pm
Radio Day Stage, Mar 18, 2pm
It’s comforting to know an indie band can get pretty wide exposure based solely on word of mouth (that I know of) with a handful of singles. “Chaise Longue” is what did it, on the strength of it’s silly but lethal deadpan humor. I fear this will be overpacked with people who want to say they saw them before they even released their first album (self-titled is out on April 8), but good for them.
Mark Burgess of the Chameleons
Hotel Vegas Patio, Mar 16, 10:45pm
St. David’s Bethell Hall, Mar 17, 11pm
Mark Burgess’ Chameleons were the missing link between the psychedelic post-punk of Echo & the Bunnymen, The Cure, Comsat Angels, and The Smiths. They should have ruled the 80s, but instead their trio of albums from 1983-86 are lost classics. Judging from a setlist from a November, 2021 show in Scotland, it’s very promising that his set will be chock full of Chameleons tunes, and maybe a song from his The Sun and the Moon project from 1988.
Just Mustard
Seven Grand, Mar 16, 1am
Partisan labelmates Idles and Fontaines D.C. are just the tip of the iceberg of great new bands coming out of Ireland. Just Mustard’s second album of shoegaze/noise pop/post-punk, Heart Under, comes out May 27.
Ringo Deathstarr
Elysium, Mar 16, 1am
DIO: Dreamers Never Die [Film]
Paramount Theatre, Mar 17, 4pm
Sorry, they haven’t resurrected DIO (yet), nor is it a VR holograph concert. Third best thing, a documentary on the man, the legend, epic heavy metal’s golden god. The world premiere “delves deep into his incredible rise from ’50s doo-wop crooner to his early classic rock days in Ritchie Blackmore‘s RAINBOW, to replacing the iconic lead singer Ozzy Osbourne in BLACK SABBATH, to finally cement his legend with DIO. Ronnie‘s biography is completely unique to the tired sex, drugs and rock and roll clichés. The film is about perseverance, dreams and the power to believe in yourself.”
Kiwi Jr.
Radio Day Stage, Mar 17, 5pm
Lucille, Mar 18, 9pm
Elysium, Mar 18, 12am
Toronto indie rockers and jangle poppers Kiwi Jr. strum it like it’s 1992.
Dream Syndicate – The Days of Wine & Roses 40th Anniversary
St. David’s Historic Sanctuary, Mar 18, 10:20
In June, Dream Syndicate will release their fifth album since they reunited in 2017. That’s great news, as their later work has been solid. But I’m really excited to hear them play their classic debut album, which they’ve never come close to topping, and I’d never heard live.
Elephant Stone
Hotel Vegas Patio, Mar 18, 10:45
International Day Stage, Mar 19, 1pm
This Montreal band has progressed impressively since their debut in 2009, heavily influenced by British Creation records bands, reaching an ambitious peak on the 2020 concept album Hollow. This year they have a more modest EP in French, Le voyage de M. Lonely dans la lune. This is a can’t miss for psych pop fans.
Film School
Hotel Vegas Patio, Mar 18, 10pm
San Francisco dream pop/shoegaze/noise pop band has been around since 1998!
Steve Gunn
Lucille, Mar 18, 12am
Gunn-Truscinski Duo – Soundkeeper (Three Lobed, 2020)
Steve Gunn’s singer-songwriter oriented solo albums of psychedelic folk/cosmic Americana have always been must-listens, but his fourth album of improvisational collaborations with John Truscinski reaches new heights of guitar worship. Some tracks, like the 16:09 title track, were recorded live, while the carefully arranged, atmospheric “For Eddie Hazel” is like a sacred instrumental hymn for the late guitarist.
New Candys
Hotel Vegas Patio, Mar 18, 12:15am
Italian psych/shoegaze. What’s not to YUM?
W.I.T.C.H. (We Intend To Cause Havoc)
Container Bar, 3pm
Lucille, Mar 18, 1am
Big Joanie
Cheer Up Charlie’s, Mar 18, 1am
I’m excited to see these post-punkers live for the first time, and even more excited that this hopefully means they have a follow-up to Sistahs (2018) in the pipeline.
Dolly Parton
Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater, Mar 18, 8:30pm book chat, 9:15pm performance.
The crowds will probably kill me but what better way to go than to make an effort to see Dolly live.
Urban Heat
Easy Tiger East, Mar 19
April 2, 2026
Fester’s Lucky 13: 1986
February 27, 2026
Fester’s Lucky 13: 1976
