A Guide to Indie Shows at SXSW

[Kooperman]

A Guide to Indie Shows at SXSW

20 minutes ago

By Chris Morris

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - If you're packing your bags for Texas right now, you might want to check out the plentiful selection of indie-label showcases during the South by Southwest Music Conference and Festival (SXSW) March 17-20 in Austin.

There are between 20 and 30 independent shows at SXSW on each of the festival's four nights. Multiply that by five acts -- the average tally per venue -- and you have an absurd bounty of musical choices to choose from if you're pursuing an all-independents course up and down Sixth Street.

We aren't offering any qualitative guarantees, but here are a few shows we're going to try to hit:

Tiger Style Records: Buffalo Billiards, March 17. We're big fans of the wonderful Memphis band Lucero, which is worth the trip by itself.

Merge Records: the Parish, March 17. Noteworthy for the appearance of both the Superchunk offshoot Portastatic and singer/songwriter Richard Buckner.

Birdman Records: Beerland, March 18. The eclectic San Francisco label presents sets by Sharde Thomas & the Rising Star Fife and Drum Band, the Cuts and the Modey Lemon.

Rykodisc: Bigsby's, March 18. Ryko offers a strong bill featuring such former major-label acts as Kelly Willis (news), Fastball and the Posies.

Domino Records: Buffalo Billiards, March 18. The U.K. buzz bands Franz Ferdinand and Electrelane top this show.

Yep Roc Records: the Continental Club, March 18. Marah, the Forty-Fives and Southern Culture on the Skids make for a potent combination.

Welk Music Group: Coyote Ugly, March 18. Vanguard and Sugar Hill offer a powerful Americana lineup of Gray DeLisle, Garrison Starr (news), Mindy Smith and Allison Moorer (news).

Matador Records: La Zona Rosa, March 18. Three words: Mission of Burma. Three more words: Get there early.

The Billions Corp.: Antone's, March 19. A highly diverse bill including Jolie Holland (news), the Legendary Shack Shakers, the Black Keys and the Mekons.

Sub Pop: the Blender Bar at the Ritz, March 19. Seattle's finest offers All Night Radio, the Catheters and Kinski.

Madjack Records: Coyote Ugly, March 19. The Memphis outfit presents Eric Lewis & Andy Ratliff, Cory Branan and Rob Jungklas. Get there early for Trampoline's act Nadine.

Touch & Go Records: Exodus, March 19. You can check out P.W. Long, Silkworm and Calexico here.

New West Records: La Zona Rosa, March 19. Holy smoke! You'll get Jon Dee Graham, Delbert McClinton, Dwight Yoakam (news), the Flatlanders and the Drive-By Truckers.

Bloodshot Records: Antone's, March 20. A potent bill of Jon Langford, Paul Burch, Jon Rauhouse, Graham Parker (news) and Bobby Bare Jr.

In the Red Records: Beerland, March 20. Supreme garage-punk from the Ponys and the Reigning Sound.

Gearhead Records: Emo's Jr., March 20. Blasting international hard rock from San Diego's Dragons and Sweden's amazing Demons.

Dualtone Music Group: the Hole in the Wall, March 20. Country and Americana fans should note an evening featuring Darden Smith, the Silos, Jim Lauderdale (news) and the legendary Cowboy Jack Clement.

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[Guest .::BeatFactory::.]

I'm going to this SXSW here in Austin... :D:D:D

[Kooperman]

We expect a full, annotated report...I know you'll keep your wits about you and have a sharp #2 pencil at the ready all the time.