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None of the Above

RUNNERS-UP: Rattletree Marimba, Steady Legend, The Moonlight Orchestra, Don Chani, Mother Falcon, John Pointer, Seu Jacinto, Golden Dawn Arkestra, A Is Red

by Chronicle Staff

Radio Music Program

RUNNERS-UP: Blue Monday (Mike Buck, Sun Radio); Horizontes (Michael Crockett, KUTX); Eklektikos (John Aielli, KUTX); No Control Radio (Chuck Loesch, 101X)

by Chronicle Staff

Band of the Year

RUNNERS-UP: Migrant Kids, Bob Schneider, Quiet Company, Shinyribs, Ulrich Ellison & Tribe, Bright Light Social Hour, Patricia Vonne, Calliope Musicals, Sweet Spirit

by Chronicle Staff

Punk

RUNNERS-UP: Hickoids, Sailor Poon, OBN IIIs, (Tie) A Giant Dog/Worm Suicide, (Tie) A Giant Dog/Worm Suicide, Riverboat Gamblers, Blxpltn, Chuck Bucket, Bulemics

by Chronicle Staff

Best New Austin Band

RUNNERS-UP: Daniel Eyes & the Vibes, Love & Chaos, Macaxeira Funk, Trouble in the Streets, Julian Acosta, Legendary Skies, Big Cat, The Cover Letter, Technicolor Hearts

by Chronicle Staff

Rock

RUNNERS-UP: Bob Schneider, Daniel Eyes & the Vibes, Ulrich Ellison, Love & Chaos, Vallejo, Bright Light Social Hour, Sam Pace & the Gilded Grit, The Warplanes, Sweet Spirit

by Chronicle Staff

Musician of the Year

RUNNERS-UP: Patricia Vonne, Shakey Graves, Kevin Russell (Shinyribs), Gary Clark Jr., Ulrich Ellison, Taylor Muse (Quiet Company), Julian Acosta, Sam Pace, John Pointer

by Chronicle Staff

Under 18

RUNNERS-UP: Midnight Butterfly, Room 24, Residual Kid, Annie & Kate, Band of Griffins, Dillon Havins Band, Peterson Brothers, Charlie Belle, Skyline

by Chronicle Staff

Album of the Year

RUNNERS-UP: These Bad Habits, Mandy Rowden; Transgressor, Quiet Company; Viva Bandolera, Patricia Vonne; Space Is Still the Place, Bright Light Social Hour; Sweet Dreaming, Daniel Eyes & the Vibes; Love & Chaos, Love & Chaos; Cuatro, El Tule; 21st Century Blues, Van Wilks; Okra Candy, Shinyribs

by Chronicle Staff

World Music

RUNNERS-UP: Atash, Macaxeira Funk, Hard Proof, Nagavalli, Atlas Maior, El Tule, Austin Samba School, A Is Red, Austin Polka Band

by Chronicle Staff

Song of the Year

RUNNERS-UP: “Viva Bandolera,” Patricia Vonne; “Understand the Problem,” Quiet Company; “Ready for War,” Love & Chaos; “Dessert Cocaine,” Daniel Eyes & the Vibes; “Get the Evil Out,” Sam Pace & the Gilded Grit; “Yours and Mine,” Dawn & Hawkes; “Salt,” Taylor & the Wild Now; “My Own Way,” Annie & Kate; “Booty Sweat,” Riders Against…

by Chronicle Staff

Bass

RUNNERS-UP: Tiffany Baltierra (Tiarra Girls), Kenneth Null (Gina Chavez), Elliot Morgan (Riders Against the Storm), Omar Vallejo, Minh Tran (More Cowbell), Matt Parmenter (Quiet Company), Javier Cruz (Conjunto los Pinkys), Jack O’Brien (Bright Light Social Hour), Speedy Sparks

by Chronicle Staff

Avant Garde/Experimental

RUNNERS-UP: (Tie) John Pointer/Golden Dawn Arkestra, (Tie) John Pointer/Golden Dawn Arkestra, A Is Red, Dead Love Club, Calliope Musicals, Mother Falcon, Francine Thirteen, Octopus Project, Chasca

by Chronicle Staff

Drums/Percussion

RUNNERS-UP: Dave Johnson & Dario Aravena (Riders Against the Storm), Keith Langford (Shinyribs), Joel Laviolette (Rattletree Marimba), Brannen Temple, Mike Buck, Sophia Baltierra (Tiarra Girls), Drew D’Entremont, J.J. Johnson, Alex Vallejo

by Chronicle Staff

Blues/Soul/Funk

RUNNERS-UP: The Nightowls, (Tie) Paul Oscher/Mama K & the Shades, (Tie) Paul Oscher/Mama K & the Shades, Eric Tessmer Band, Shinyribs, Big Cat, Carolyn Wonderland, KP & the Boom Boom, Tameca Jones

by Chronicle Staff

Female Vocals

RUNNERS-UP: Gina Chavez, Tori Baltierra (Tiarra Girls), Lex Land, Carolyn Wonderland, Emily Gimble (Asleep at the Wheel), Nagavalli, Tameca Jones, Sabrina Ellis (Sweet Spirit), Alesia Lani

by Chronicle Staff

Country/Bluegrass

RUNNERS-UP: Dale Watson, Mike & the Moonpies, Them Duqaines, Wood & Wire, Leo Rondeau, Shinyribs, Whiskey Shivers, Carson McHone, Asleep at the Wheel

by Chronicle Staff

Guitar

RUNNERS-UP: A.J. Vallejo, Tori Baltierra (Tiarra Girls), Jon Sanchez, Tommy Blank (Quiet Company), Van Wilks, Sam Pace, John Pointer, Eric Tessmer, Eve Monsees

by Chronicle Staff

Cover Band

RUNNERS-UP: Encore, The Damn Torpedoes, The Eggmen, Bidi Bidi Banda, Brown Sabbath, Think Lizzy, Skyrocket, Suede, Fridah Band

by Chronicle Staff

Horn Player

RUNNERS-UP: David McKnight (Mama K & the Shades), Jeff Lofton, Jason Frey, Elias Haslanger, Joseph Wollard, Hard Proof, Ben George, Tijuana Trainwreck Horns, Oliver Steck

by Chronicle Staff

EDM/Dance

RUNNERS-UP: Gobi, Texas Microphone Massacre, DJ Manny, Capyac, Dead Love Club, Holiday Mountain, Resonant Frequency, Total Unicorn, & 11. (Tie) Froogle/Wonderbitch

by Chronicle Staff

Keyboards

RUNNERS-UP: Jonathan Deas (Riders Against the Storm), Bill Gryta (Quiet Company), Kevin Lovejoy, Winfield Cheek (Shinyribs), Emily Gimble (Asleep at the Wheel), Stefano Intelisano, Oliver Steck, Marcia Ball, Red Young

by Chronicle Staff

Folk

RUNNERS-UP: Madisons, Calliope Musicals, Dawn & Hawkes, John Pointer, Jean Synodinos, The Deer, Wild Child, Shakey Graves, James McMurtry

by Chronicle Staff

Male Vocals

RUNNERS-UP: A.J. Vallejo, Malford Milligan, Taylor Muse (Quiet Company), Kevin Russell (Shinyribs), Mexican Chocolate, John Pointer, Sam Pace, Alex Marrero, Nakia

by Chronicle Staff

Hip-Hop/Rap

RUNNERS-UP: Magna Carda, SSB, Tee Double, MC Overlord, RNA the Messenger, Protextor, Mélat, Zeale, & 11. (Tie) J Shaq/Shaliek Mendoza

by Chronicle Staff

Misc. Instrument

RUNNERS-UP: Jan Flemming (accordion), Oliver Steck (accordion), Joel Laviolette (marimba), John Pointer (beatbox), Paul Oscher (harmonica), Gina Chavez (charango), Frank Almendra (cavaquinho), Guy Forsyth (saw), Jeff Johnston (telephone)

by Chronicle Staff

Jazz

RUNNERS-UP: White Ghost Shivers, Jeff Lofton, (Tie) Black Red Black/Ephraim Owens, (Tie) Black Red Black/Ephraim Owens, Atlas Maior, Jitterbug Vipers, Will Taylor, Los Jazz Vatos, Brannen Temple

by Chronicle Staff

Songwriter

RUNNERS-UP: Kevin Russell, Patricia Vonne, James McMurtry, A.J. Vallejo & Kendall Beard, Taylor Muse, Gina Chavez, Daniel Eyes, Jean Synodinos, John Pointer

by Chronicle Staff

Latin

RUNNERS-UP: El Tule, Grupo Fantasma, Del Castillo, Brownout, Leticia Rodriguez y La Buena Banda, Morena Soul, Patricia Vonne, Latin at Heart, Cilantro Boombox

by Chronicle Staff

String Player

RUNNERS-UP: Tosca Strings, Will Taylor (Strings Attached), Ruby Jane, Roberto Riggio (Atash), David Perales, Haydn Vitera, Cody Braun (Reckless Kelly), Mother Falcon, Bridgid Bibbens

by Chronicle Staff

Metal

RUNNERS-UP: The Sword, Snake Skin Prison, Fear Control, Broken Teeth, (Tie) Eagle Claw/Stonekracker, (Tie) Eagle Claw/Stonekracker, Immortal Guardian, Brown Sabbath, Dangerous Toys

by Chronicle Staff

SXSW Record Reviews

Andy Baxter and Kyle Jahnke possess clear vocal talents, but the former Austin duo’s determination to draw drama out of their harmonies only drowns the potential power of their songs. The influence of the Civil Wars’ John Paul White in production of their third LP may play a part, as Let a Lover Drown You…

by Doug Freeman

SXSW Record Reviews

This Los Angeles sixpiece dishes a diasporic debut, fusing bits of funk and jazz with punta, cumbia, merengue, bachata, and everything in between. While Todo Mundo is certainly a dance-floor filler, “Baté” begins as a snail-paced spiritual jazz journey accompanied by a chant as if to summon the ancestors. “Pegao” poaches a bit of Mulatu…

by Thomas Fawcett

Wednesday SXSW Showcases

Bloodshot Records 9pm, Continental Club Since its 1994 inception, this Chicago-based label’s grown known for debuts from the likes of Ryan Adams and Neko Case. Genre liberal, the company’s hands-on founders, Nan Warshaw and Rob Miller, continue to champion grit-punk bands, alt.country acts, acoustic soul singers, and blues rockers for an eclecticism that’s helped propel…

by Neph Basedow

Friday SXSW Showcases

New West Records 8pm, Maggie Mae’s Gibson Room New West Records keeps setting the standard for Americana imprints. Nashville songwriter Bryan Simpson opens with eclectically cacophonic eponymous debut as the Whistles & the Bells, his creaking vox howling over strings and aggressive percussion. North Mississippi Allstar Luther Dickinson digs revealingly retrospective for new double-LP Blues…

by Doug Freeman

SXSW Record Reviews

Billowing smoke, glowing rings, dashikis, masks, mystery, mayhem – dancing: Golden Dawn Arkestra amounts to visual LSD onstage. Austin’s Afrobeat aliens successfully etched a psychedelic jazz-funk party onto their 2014 debut EP, and now repeat the trick with sophomore vinyl that deepens the grooves into electro-funk. The 10- to 20-piece collective follows that lodestar on…

by Kevin Curtin

Thursday Night SXSW Showcases

Dirtnap Records 8pm, Valhalla Run out of Green Noise Records in Portland, Ore., Dirtnap’s roster culls the cream of modern high-energy punk. Denton/Austin trio Bad Sports combines relentless crunch and superlative songwriting skills to deliver sets that spool forth like a lost volume of Rhino’s DIY series. Their “Teenage Girls” picks up where the Undertones’…

by Greg Beets

Mr. Smarty Pants Knows

Can you translate Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän? It’s German for Danube Steamship Navigation Company captain. According to a 2011 UC-Berkeley study, there are nearly 1 billion parking spots in the U.S., about 4 per motor vehicle, for a total of about 6.5K square miles (bigger than Connecticut). According to FitBank, Missouri has the most active dogs in the…

by Mr. Smarty Pants

SXSW Record Reviews

Up the fuzz and add jangle lifted from the Strokes’ early indie rock to Hole’s Live Through This and you’ll arrive at Dilly Dally’s debut long-player. Vocalist/guitarist Katie Monks’ tough howl winds through lazy mumble on lust-driven single “Desire” to growling, “You try and stop me, but I’m not dead,” on “Purple Rage.” Lyrics skew…

by Libby Webster

SXSW Record Reviews

Tef Poe isn’t exaggerating when he raps “my city is burning” on the opening track of War Machine 3. In the wake of police officer Darren Wilson killing 18-year-old Michael Brown, the streets of Ferguson, Mo., became a war zone. If you wanted to know what was going down in the streets, the social media…

by Thomas Fawcett

Wednesday SXSW Picks

Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires 7:30pm, Stubb’s On his second Daptone Records LP, 2013’s Victim of Love, Charles Bradley transcended the club of forgotten black soul men (Lee Fields) and women (Bettye LaVette) of the Seventies to crown contemporary old-school R&B. Florida native, the Screaming Eagle, 67, drops follow-up Changes on April 1, lead-off cover…

by Chronicle Staff

Friday SXSW Showcases

Sounds From Norway 8pm, Icenhauer’s Oslo’s Brilliance Records and Jansen Plateproduksjon present some of the best band names all week. A veteran of the Norwegian scene, Torgeir Waldemar’s brand of folk and Americana is a critical favorite, having been nominated for one of his country’s Grammys. A relatively new project headed up by Bergen-based producer…

by Jim Caligiuri

SXSW Record Reviews

Recorded locally during members’ dwindling Austin days, Mirror Travel’s sophomore LP swaps (predecessor) Mexico’s melodies for mind-bending atmosphere. The trio, now dwelling in Taos, N.M., marries vocal vibes recalling Jefferson Airplane with the homegrown Black Angels’ psych fuzz. Opener “Aasim” commences Loveless-indebted, trippy and punk-flecked, while “Yesca” evolves like a stoner/acid-rock cocktail. Deciphering frontwoman Lauren…

by Neph Basedow

Thursday SXSW Interview: Dion

Dion 11pm, Victorian Room at the Driskill “‘Runaround Sue’ was a cleverly disguised blues song,” says New York rock & roll pioneer Dion. “When I did [2006’s acoustic blues covers LP] Bronx in Blue, some guy asked me, ‘Is this a stretch for you?’ I said, ‘No! ‘Teenager in Love’ was a stretch for me!'”…

by Tim Stegall

Thursday Night SXSW Showcases

Sounds from Colombia 8pm, Speakeasy Juanes isn’t the only name in Colombian music. Opener Velo De Oza hails from the Andean mountains in the Boyacá region and marries traditional carranga to rock for a Colombian analog to the Pogues. Medellín rapper/producer Kiño, a former member of hip-hop crew RH Klandestino, brings a far less trad…

by Michael Toland

SXSW Record Reviews

Songwriter Will Toledo’s label debut arrives stronger than his DIY roots impart. Compiled from the Virginian’s 11 previously self-released Bandcamp recordings, sunny garage-pop melodies encase a downer lyrical core. This bipolar nature digests authentic, familiar, the 23-year-old’s lingering adolescent angst more easily relatable than most adults would care to admit. “I want to break something…

by Neph Basedow

SXSW Record Reviews

On devotional-influenced Hymns, the trajectory of Bloc Party moves from angsty kineticism to a fully angular groove, much closer to the electronic-tinged solo work of singer Kele Okereke. Neo-quiet storm jam “Fortress” finds the frontman in breathy ecstasy, purring with a muscular femininity. Their best track in years, “Different Drugs” describes the inevitable death of…

by Kahron Spearman

SXSW Record Reviews

Sticky icky? On the plastic wrapping covering the tribal Sepultura art: “Recommended if you like High on Fire, (early) Mastodon, Yob, Black Flag.” Out of the chute, “Challenger Deep” eats waves like (early) Mastodon in frothing pursuit of their great, white whale. The clustering-riff gallop of the title track huffs High on Fire, while the…

by Raoul Hernandez

Wednesday SXSW Sleepers

Covet (with Yvette Young) 8pm, the Hideout Virtuoso fretwork making a comeback in the hands of players who favor imagination over masturbation, San Jose’s Covet flies like an eagle instead of stomping like a dinosaur. Leader Yvette Young caresses her guitar with spiderlike finesse, careful precision, and a light melodic touch, while her rhythm section…

by Chronicle Staff

Friday SXSW Showcases

Sounds From Spain 8pm, Lucille Madrid post-punk power trio Juventud Juché kicks off this annual reminder that Spain has more to offer than paella and basilicas. On Lacras, the group takes advantage of the stripped-down qualities of their garage rock, going no further than bass, guitar, and vocals that electrify to the bone. The ladies…

by Chronicle Staff

SXSW Record Reviews

Pushing sounds reminiscent of Nineties megastars including Janet Jackson, as well as lesser-known girl groups like Xscape and 702, Austin synth trio Keeper ups the ante on three-part harmonies with the spot-on Moonhigh. Richly produced by Moondoctor, the ladies’ collectivity comes accentuated by his gumbo of nostalgic sounds. Relationship struggles get hashed out over 4/4…

by Kahron Spearman

Thursday SXSW Interview: Carl Weathersby

Carl Weathersby 10pm, Antone’s Carl Weathersby has only lived in Austin a few short months, but the Chicago transplant is quickly turning heads. A week after landing in Texas, the lifelong bluesman waltzed off the Antone’s stage and right out the front door, casting hot licks into the cold night air. A few weeks later…

by Thomas Fawcett

Thursday Night SXSW Showcases

Saustex 8:30pm, Saxon Pub Every year, Jeff Smith injects a welcome dose of raunch and irreverent Texas humor into SXSW via his Saustex Media label’s annual showcase. Hardly the haybales-and-handbags lunacy of his Hickoids’ Eighties heyday, enough of the spirit remains to loosen the entire Festival’s shoelaces for a spell. Memphis soul legend Timmy Thomas,…

by Tim Stegall

Quote of the Week

“When we passed the recovery act, the stimulus, that was very controversial at the time, and that continues to be criticized by the other party, despite the fact that unemployment’s now below 5 percent and we avoided a great depression. Thanks, Obama.” – President Barack Obama joked during his SXSW Interactive keynote

by Chronicle Staff

SXSW Record Reviews

Although the admittedly intoxicating Ivy League kitsch of starting band Vampire Weekend made him famous, bassist Chris Baio has adeptly split from said polished pop on his solo debut. If there’s one commonality between The Names and his former band, it’s the brainy social commentary driving tracks such as “Brainwash Yyrr Face.” That’s the beginning…

by Abby Johnston

SXSW Record Reviews

For his third studio album, Omara “Bombino” Moctar traveled from the desert of Niger in West Africa to a lush wooded farm and recording studio in Woodstock, N.Y. Impossible to say how the change of scenery affected the sessions, but you can’t argue with the results. In the Tamasheq language of the Tuareg people, Bombino…

by Thomas Fawcett

SXSW Record Reviews

“I love God, but I also love mob movies,” says BJ the Chicago Kid in his first verse, leaving no question to the open contradiction between faith and savagery on major label debut In My Mind. The singer hopes he can “go to heaven” on “Church,” struggling to make the righteous choice between pleasure and…

by Kahron Spearman

Friday SXSW Interview: Santigold

Santigold 12mid, Stubb’s Santigold’s been busy. Since 2012’s Master of My Make-Believe, the Philly pop songstress has had a son, appeared on The Office, and released a makeup collaboration with Smashbox. “There’s never enough time,” she sighs. “Once I achieve one goal, I feel I’m behind. I never celebrate it.” Even her experience as a…

by Alejandra Ramirez

Friday SXSW Showcases

GlobalFest 8pm, Palm Door on Sixth The top of the GlobalFest bill has a decidedly arid vibe. Headlining the evening is Omara “Bombino” Moctar, a desert-blues master from Niger in the tradition of Tinariwen and Ali Farka Toure. The Tuareg guitarist teases the swirling beauty of forthcoming release Azel, recorded in Woodstock, N.Y. Noura Mint…

by Thomas Fawcett

SXSW Record Reviews

Translation of the Pleasers’ self description as “loner punk”: rough power pop for the biker colors generation. Hotel Vegas booker Ben Tipton heads the local trio on bass, initial single “Reject Teen” gunning like a Ramones demo atop less distortion and more callow vocals. That continues for the “Leading Me On” 45 whilst flashing more…

by Tim Stegall

Thursday SXSW Interview: Mitski

Mitski 10pm, Barracuda Backyard Combining both singer-songwriter storytelling and the lo-fi rock sensibilities of a full band, New York-based Mitski Miyawaki writes crushingly beautiful music in warbling portraits of vulnerability. Her work runs the gamut of the human experience, from being aboard a doomed plane to the simple image of a lover keeping their socks…

by Libby Webster

Thursday SXSW Sleepers

Purple 8pm, Lucky LoungeBeaumont-bred garage rockers Purple debuted on last year’s 409. That area-code proud LP’s follow-up, Bodacious, arrives next month. The trio’s singer/drummer Hanna Brewer suitably cites Gwen Stefani and Karen O as vocal influences, while the rest of the band channels the grungy blues-rock of the Raconteurs. The Texans’ 24-year-old timekeeper splits vocal…

by Chronicle Staff

SXSW Record Reviews

The Londoners’ sophomore effort, 2013’s Glow & Behold, floundered following the departure of frontman Daniel Blumberg. Guitarist Max Bloom adopting vocal duties, the foursome’s third LP hints resolve despite its deficiency. Self-recorded in their new singer’s parents’ house, Stranger Things commences crunchy via grungy “Hold Me Closer.” Guitar-tone goodness glistens, but the leadoff single materializes…

by Neph Basedow

SXSW Record Reviews

There’s something stiff and unyielding about Protomartyr. Joe Casey wanted a band as dedicated as he was, and in going forward, the Detroit fourpiece made music like it was a necessity, churning out three albums in four years. The Agent Intellect finds the band still heavily rooted in a nihilism and misanthropy that always hovers…

by Alejandra Ramirez

Wednesday SXSW Interview: Cian Nugent

Cian Nugent 9pm, Sidewinder Guitarist Cian Nugent uses formidable technique to paint expressive instrumental landscapes. Recorded with his band the Cosmos, 2013 breakthrough Born With the Caul blends finger-picked folk and psychedelic rock into an alternately dreamy and lively sonic storm. New LP Night Fiction showcases voice and lyrics as much as guitar. “Being from…

by Michael Toland

Friday SXSW Interview: Anderson .Paak & the Free Nationals

Anderson .Paak & the Free Nationals 11pm, Hype Hotel One of the most anticipated acts this SXSW is the mainstream close-up of Los Angeles rapper-singer-musician Anderson .Paak. Let him explain the runaway critical success of the immensely rewarding Malibu, his soulfully honest second LP. “Coming off of the Dre thing, I had a clear vision…

by Kahron Spearman

Friday SXSW Showcases

Korea Night II: Seoulsonic 8pm, The Majestic Round 2 of Korea Night concentrates on acts from South Korea’s capital. Led by drummer/singer Kim Ban Jang, Windy City mixes reggae and R&B into a sound so seamless only the language barrier gives any clue to its origin. Expansive trio Guten Birds trucks in a far more…

by Michael Toland

Thursday SXSW Interview: Timmy Thomas & the Overtown Soul Revue

Timmy Thomas & the Overtown Soul Revue 8:30pm, Saxon Pub “I was watching Walter Cronkite give the news on the Vietnam War in 1972, and he said, ‘35,000 Viet Cong died today and 15,000 Americans,'” remembers 71-year-old soul survivor Timmy Thomas. “I said, ‘Man, come on – these are mothers’ children. We’re losing too many…

by Thomas Fawcett

SXSW Record Reviews

Doom metal’s rising stars, Conan ups the ante on third LP Revengeance. A power trio from the northwest of England, they decided their prior platters were for pussies, so everything amps up here – the deep grunge of its guitar tones, the sludge/stomp tempos, the painful shouts that pass for vocals. “Thunderhoof” and “Wrath Gauntlet”…

by Michael Toland

SXSW Record Reviews

If you didn’t already know that Lil Dicky is a well-educated, white, Jewish, upper-middle-class anyman, fear not. The suburban Philly MC will pound that point into your head at every opportunity on debut LP Professional Rapper. The journey begins with Snoop Dogg playing the role of gatekeeper, grilling Dicky on his rap cred. That’s a…

by Thomas Fawcett

Wednesday SXSW Interview: Downtown Boys

Downtown Boys 11pm, Mohawk “She’s brown! She’s smart!” So bellows Victoria Ruiz on “Monstro,” a rallying cry off Downtown Boys’ 2015 debut, Full Communism. Rooted in both activism and the DIY scene of Providence, R.I., the fivepiece is definitive of “punk” in 2016, pushing for accessibility in predominantly white spaces. Cacophonous, sax-heavy, politically charged, and…

by Libby Webster

Friday SXSW Picks

Coheed & Cambria 8pm, SXSW Outdoor Stage at Lady Bird Lake This year’s big show out in the elements comes headlined by the New York quartet that made it cool for ’00 kids with floppy hair and black clothes to dream of Rob Tyner-style afros and buy used Rush LPs. Always the most prog-influenced of…

by Chronicle Staff

Thursday SXSW Picks

Mike Watt & the Secondmen 8pm, the Main II Minutemen/Firehose/Stooges bassist Mike Watt initially formed this trio with organist Pete Mazich and drummer Jerry Trebotic to perform 2004’s The Secondman’s Middle Stand. Mazich’s Hammond B-3 work and Trebotic’s thunderous fills provided Deep Purple pathos to Watt’s semi-autobiographical rock opera based on Dante’s Inferno. A pensive…

by Chronicle Staff

SXSW Record Reviews

BØRNS Dopamine (Interscope) Garrett Borns remains a Michigan transplant, but his debut encapsulates the rosy southern California sensation of falling in love and not wanting to land. Delivered in a summery, sugarcoated swoon and fused to hypnotizing basslines, Dopamine swirls in synthesizers as Borns shows off an impressive range – from the dreamy falsetto he…

by Chronicle Staff

SXSW Record Reviews

Mind bombs never aim for the middle. Accordingly, this mutant party noisescape for the maladroit demands submission or retreat. Guerilla Toss summons skull-rattling intrigue by crossing maker lab art-punk with distressed basslines and salvage-yard funk percussion. The latter elements distinguish this NYC-by-way-of-Boston crew from workaday cacophony merchants. Poetic vocalist Kassie Carlson articulates the thesis with…

by Greg Beets

Wednesday SXSW Interview: Frankie Cosmos

Frankie Cosmos 12:15am, Sidewinder Outside Greta Kline’s shy. That’s why she came up with the pseudonym Frankie Cosmos. “It’s not Greta Kline performing,” she says. “[Frankie Cosmos] fictionalizes it in a way where it makes it less scary to be vulnerable.” There’s a charming amateurism to Frankie Cosmos. Growing up in the artistic household of…

by Alejandra Ramirez

Friday SXSW Sleepers

Eerie Wanda 8pm, Hotel Vegas Hum, first offering from this Amsterdam quartet, is a baker’s dozen of sweetly warped pop songs that alternately comfort and displace. Daydreams of swaying bicycles and naps in the grass are dusted with subtle anxiety over missed connections and the aging process. Marina Tadic breathes unpredictable melodies with placid conviction,…

by Chronicle Staff

Saturday SXSW Showcases

Burgermania V 7:15pm, Hotel Vegas Breakneck garage rock and sloppy punk anthems unload 50-plus acts off the SX playlist of heroic Fullerton, Calif., imprint Burger Records for Burgermania V, sprawling across three stages at Hotel Vegas. Sarah Bethe Nelson arrives from San Francisco accompanied by warm and simplistic chord-strummed melodies in her debut Fast-Moving Clouds…

by Alejandra Ramirez

Saturday SXSW Showcases

SXAméricas: Latin, Ska, Reggae 8pm, Flamingo Cantina Billed as a hemispheric celebration of music, Saturday’s SXAméricas showcase is largely a Colombian affair, but the exceptions to that rule are two of the best acts of the night. Lima’s Laguna Pai opens with a bilingual dose of righteous roots reggae, and closers El Conjunto Nueva Ola,…

by Thomas Fawcett

SXSW Record Reviews

Sprained Ankle is a study of fragility. An acoustic folk album, the debut from 20-year-old Julien Baker plays out like a bruise spreading across pale skin, a gradual, painful reminder of moments gone awry. Revisiting prior struggles with substance abuse, the Memphis-based singer/guitarist delicately details simultaneous self-loathing and glimmers of hopeful discovery. “Rejoice” grapples with…

by Libby Webster

SXSW Record Reviews

Duende means both “demon” and “charm,” and both concepts apply to the Great Discord. With one foot in gothic prog rock and the other in chunky thrash, the Swedes’ debut concerns itself less with listener appreciation than simple expression. “Selfæta” and “Eigengrau” caress the melody bone one minute and snap spines the next, guitarists André…

by Michael Toland

Wednesday SXSW Showcases

If you’re looking for a roster with an organizing principle – record label, city of origin, style of music – then you’ll want to park yourself in one place for one of these showcases.

by Chronicle Staff

Saturday SXSW Interview: Parker Millsap

Parker Millsap 11pm, St. David’s Historic Sanctuary Something special’s going on in Oklahoma. Of late, the Sooner State supplied singer-songwriters and performers to swoon over: John Fullbright, John Moreland, J.D. McPherson. Next up comes Parker Millsap. Originally from Purcell, a small town outside of Norman, Millsap now calls Nashville home. The 23-year-old issues his second…

by Jim Caligiuri

Saturday SXSW Showcases

M for Montreal/Pop Montreal 7:30pm, Barracuda Saturday’s dual Montreal showcases, taking over both the inside and porch of Barracuda, are heavy on les femmes. Three of the acts inside at the M for Montreal showcase are led by or completely comprised of women. Motel Raphaël, which evokes Fleet Foxes-style folk musings, has a rotating cast…

by Abby Johnston

Saturday SXSW Showcases

Nine Mile Records 8pm, Parish Austin-based Nine Mile Records marks its 10th anniversary this year, and paces a representative roots-rock lineup to mark the occasion. A. Sinclair begins, the Austinites stepping out from longtime outfit Frank Smith with the rocking swagger of upcoming LP Get out of the City. Low Cut Connie continues the Philadelphia…

by Doug Freeman

Thursday Night SXSW Showcases

Levitation 7pm, Hotel Vegas Patio Outernationalist sonics. Tucson’s Xixa arrives with a disparate patchwork of Latin and African root music, including chicha and West African desert vibes. Melodic Tel Aviv trio Vaadat Charigim blend dreamy shoegaze and Eighties Israeli underground. Fellow countryman known for his famed guitar work with Monotonix, Yonatan Gat bends genres with…

by Kahron Spearman

SXSW Record Reviews

Notorious music biz impresario Kim Fowley commences this rawest of live LPs: “Is everyone ready for the next step in the evolution of pagan rock & roll music?” Sharing a name with its bandleader, this NYC blues-punk trio wastes zero precious time. Daddy Long Legs snarls long and hard while huffin’ thick, wailin’ harp across…

by Tim Stegall

SXSW Record Reviews

Launching pad Fiery Furnaces still on hold, Eleanor Friedberger continues carving her own path. Third solo album since that 2011 pause, New View focuses on the Illinois native opening up to explore bigger, looser soundscapes minted by Seventies landmarks like Van Morrison. “Because I Asked You” ventures just shy of full-tilt funk, and “Never Is…

by Abby Johnston

Wednesday SXSW Showcases

Good Vibrations 7pm, Hotel Vegas, Hotel Vegas Patio, and Hotel Vegas at Volstead Across three adjacent spaces, local hipster empire Hotel Vegas presents a compressed version of and adjunct to their 2-year-old, year-end garage/punk/power-pop festival, presenting the best raunch in the world. As with most things Hotel Vegas, “ambitious” is Good Vibrations’ byword: 29 acts,…

by Tim Stegall

Saturday SXSW Picks

Grupo Fantasma 7pm, SXSW Outdoor Stage at Lady Bird Lake Austin’s reigning ninepiece orchestra Grupo Fantasma blends Tejano, cumbia, stirring soul, and funk, for what will surely contend as the Festival’s most energetic set. 2015 powerhouse Problemas, produced to stellar effect by Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin, is the group’s sixth LP and first since the…

by Chronicle Staff

Saturday SXSW Showcases

Leaving Records 8pm, Empire Control Room Empire Control Room plays with a stacked deck, hosting an absolutely loaded showcase for Leaving Records, a label co-run by versatile experimentalist Matthewdavid. The producer flipped scripts with an unusual turn at granola-crunchy R&B on second Brainfeeder release In My World. Sun Ra-influenced Ras G re-ups with Koreatown Oddity…

by Kahron Spearman

Saturday SXSW Showcases

Berlin Beats 8pm, Plush Making music in Germany always equates to constantly riding in the throes of creative insurgency, one over the other, ad infinitum. France import rRoxymore (Hermione Frank) sails the choppy currents using escalating textures and melodies. Her earthy brand of futurestep, found on the Precarious/Precious EP, rings atmospheric and unpredictable. Providence, R.I.,…

by Kahron Spearman

Thursday SXSW Showcases

Hip-Hop From Asia 7:55pm, Palm Door on sixth Five nations under a groove. Taiwan’s rap pioneer Dwagie is a true legend, the first rapper to drop an all-Chinese-language LP in 2002’s Lotus From the Tongue, and the only performer to collaborate with Nas and the Dalai Lama (not on the same track, sadly). Underground king…

by Richard Whittaker

SXSW Record Reviews

Imagine being 17 and falling into the indoor pool at a rich kid’s house, emerging drenched in both chlorine and a detached ennui. That’s Pool. New Yorker Aaron Maine’s second album under the moniker Porches is a dreamy, carefully curated slice of apathetic youth through honeyed electronica and muted guitars. “Hour” and “Be Apart” pulsate…

by Libby Webster

SXSW Record Reviews

First known for hood smash “I Don’t Get Tired (#IDGT),” Baton Rouge, La., rapper Kevin Gates trades in cinema verité pragmatism. Throughout his major label debut, Islah, the MC doubles down on graphic realism, mincing no words. Trapped out and boastful, he informs naysayers of his credentialed realities on “Really, Really.” On “2 Phones,” he…

by Kahron Spearman

Wednesday SXSW Showcases

Bella Union 7:30pm, Elysium Proper welcome to the Bella Union family includes a SXSW indoctrination, which is exactly what Korean rockers and November signees Jambinai get Wednesday when they play the Music Conference for the first time as part of the UK label’s annual showcase. Founded by Cocteau Twins Simon Raymonde and Robin Guthrie, the…

by Abby Johnston

Saturday SXSW Sleepers

Jonathan Terrell 7pm, Central Presbyterian Church Austin’s Jonathan Terrell took a break from fronting the loud rockin’ Not in the Face to return to that which first gained him recognition, a mix of country and folk with liberal use of Texas influences. Late in 2015, Terrell released the glimmering Past the Lights of Town and…

by Chronicle Staff

Saturday SXSW Showcases

Sounds From the World 8pm, Russian House Austin’s first and only Russian restaurant features music from around the world all week. Tonight’s lineup comes up equally diverse and filled with music that might be familiar yet from unexpected locations. Kim Ban Jang/Windy City starts things off with surprisingly authentic reggae, African beats, and Latin rhythms…

by Jim Caligiuri

Thursday Night SXSW Showcases

Garden & Gun 8pm, St. David’s Sanctuary Garden & Gun is Southern Living for the 21st century, the magazine of a hip new South. Their showcase likewise expands beyond expected roots. Aoife O’Donovan opens, the Boston-based songwriter drawing lines across Americana from Celtic to bluegrass in a powerful voice recalling Alison Krauss on sophomore LP…

by Doug Freeman

SXSW Record Reviews

Anderson .Paak & the Free Nationals Malibu (Steel Wool/OBE) Milo So the Flies Don’t Come (Ruby Yacht/The Order Label) At first glance, Anderson .Paak, a burgeoning star, and Milo, an obscure rhymesayer, have nothing in common. Hellfyre Club, an eclectic collective from Los Angeles, proves otherwise as the pair’s unlikely intersection. After a star turn…

by Alejandra Ramirez

SXSW Record Reviews

Strapped with a moniker almost guaranteed to weed out reverence-seekers, this Norwegian quintet’s gravitas falls somewhere in the Handsome Dick Manitoba range. Despite that self-imposed handicap, DBUB’s turbocharged garage rock closes the deal with sheer energy and sickly sweet pop smarts. The grotesqueries of their approach center on excess rather than prurience. “Strangers From the…

by Greg Beets

Wednesday SXSW Showcases

Korea Night I: K-Pop Night Out 7:30pm, Belmont Night one with Seoul’s finest. Britpop-inspired electro-rockers Bye Bye Badman evolved beyond their Stone Roses tribute moniker to swing a cool summer groove in winning over fans of the Naked and Famous. Victim Mentality wears its Eighties glam-metal influence proudly on leather and leopard-print sleeves, a headbanging…

by Richard Whittaker

Saturday SXSW Showcases

V-ROX 8pm, Maggie Mae’s Gibson Room Russia’s biggest alt-music fest hosts metallic Nepal shredders Albatross, who fly in with heavy riffs and a reverberating backbeat that violates several laws of plate tectonics. Vladivostokians Mumiy Troll formed back in Yuri Andropov’s day and founded the V-ROX fest in 2013. Eight albums on, their utterly unique blend…

by Marc Savlov

Thursday Night SXSW Showcases

Womex 8pm, Flamingo Cantina World Music Expo corrals one of the most eclectic and diverse lineups on the festival grid this year, aiming squarely for the intersection of traditional and modern. From Colombian coastal town Taganga, always-entertaining sevenpiece Systema Solar jumbles champeta into an infectious fusion of dancehall, hip-hop, and electronica. A trio of Israeli…

by Thomas Fawcett

SXSW Record Reviews

Parker Millsap’s sophomore LP kicks off raw and raucous, “Hades Pleads” chugging a howling blues that immediately showcases the 23-year-old’s growth from his eponymous 2014 debut. The Oklahoma songwriter’s eclectic roots reach likewise stretches impressively, from the soul-tinged “Pining” and trembled touch of “Morning Blues” to the cathartic apocalypse of “The Very Last Day.” Centerpiece…

by Doug Freeman

SXSW Record Reviews

Teamed with Americana überproducer Dave Cobb, Canada’s top troubadour unloads retro reveling as both producer and songwriter, playfully matching style with song. The unlikely easy soul sway of opener “Weight of the Gun” announces as much before diving into the loping rhythm and dreamy steel wash of “Run This Town” and racing rockabilly of “Alt…

by Doug Freeman

Wednesday SXSW Showcases

The Music of Pakistan 8pm, Victoria Room at the Driskill Sponsored by the Foundation for Arts, Culture, and Education, the Pakistani showcase returns with especially eclectic talent. Co-founder of experimental collective Forever South in Karachi, Dynoman manipulates electronics into sounds – as much art as dance – as heard on his forthcoming LP Travels to…

by Michael Toland

Friday SXSW Showcases

Panache Booking 7pm, Hotel Vegas, Hotel Vegas Patio Onetime teen DIY promoter/zine publisher Michelle Cable at the helm, Brooklyn-based Panache Booking continues to mine the underground rock circuit’s bleeding edge. The inside edition of this two-stage blowout opens with affable Hamilton, Ontario, noise-pop trio Young Rival and the airy Amsterdam indie-folk strains of Eerie Wanda.…

by Greg Beets

Saturday SXSW Showcases

MMA Sounds From Africa 8pm, Palm Door on Sixth A New York-based global initiative, Music Moves Africa returns to SXSW for the second year with a series of short sets from disc jockeys and hip-hop artists hailing from a wide range of locations including Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, the UK, and Brooklyn. Headlining the night…

by Jim Caligiuri

Thursday Night SXSW Showcases

SXAméricas 8pm, Departure Lounge An ongoing Festival effort to connect the U.S. Latin community with the Latin American interactive, film, and music industries offers many such events throughout all 10 days of SXSW. Sara Ontaneda, an Ecuadorian-American singer and songwriter based in NYC, holds a strong connection to the Central American homeland of her ancestors,…

by Jim Caligiuri

SXSW Record Reviews

Brett Harris’ recent bona fides include touring as a member of the band that performed Big Star’s Third internationally and joining the reunion of the jangle pop dBs as a sideman. Both hint at what the North Carolina native delivers on his first full-length, a power-pop lover’s delight. Fans of the adult brand of guitar…

by Jim Caligiuri

SXSW Record Reviews

The Cult was perfect for the Eighties: loud, garish, over the top. Now, the band struggles to find equilibrium between maturity and fan expectations. Hidden City, the UK-to-L.A. ensemble’s 10th LP, comes close. Minus a need to shout, the quintet channels its energy into textures that simmer instead of burn. Billy Duffy paints guitar tones…

by Michael Toland

Wednesday SXSW Showcases

Modern Outsider 8pm, ScratcHouse Backyard Fresh off its fifth anniversary and rise to one of Austin’s most vital labels, Modern Outsider showcases a slew of newly signed talent expanding its roster beyond Austin city limits. Lafayette, La., quintet Brass Bed tucks in first with the sharp but swelling indie rock from upcoming fourth LP, In…

by Doug Freeman

Friday SXSW Showcases

Japan Nite 7:15pm, Elysium No Japan Nite, no SXSW. Back for a 21st spin, the annual celebration of the island nation’s music scene kicks out the jams with garage rockers Atomic Stooges, followed by Nashville-tinged Dexstrings and their string-centric folk-pop sensibilities. Art-rockers Kao=s remain a Japan Nite fixture, an honor they earned with swirling vocals…

by Richard Whittaker

Saturday SXSW Showcases

Taiwan Beats 8pm, Elysium Despite the island nation’s compact geography and proximity to larger markets, Taiwan’s vibrant pop music scene resonates throughout Asia. Saturday’s showcase, sponsored by music website Taiwan Beats, samples a broad swath of it. Queen Suitcase won the grand prize at New Taipei City’s massive Ho-Hai-Yan Rock Festival in 2010. The quartet…

by Greg Beets

Thursday SXSW Showcases

Meccalani x Empire 8pm, Speakeasy Kabaret A creator of Mexican electronic freestyle, Aztek 732 opens the night, and dance floor, with tracks meant to be adapted to the vibe of attendees. On his latest, Desde el Desnivel, Serko Fu capitalizes on utilizing riddim and his capability behind the mic to advance stories about inclusion and…

by Chronicle Staff

Hornography: Patience Is Key

Monday afternoon, Coach Shaka Smart quickly – and accurately – informed ESPN college basketball analyst/host Andy Katz that “we’re a long way from being all the way there.” The No. 6 seed Horns are battle-tested and have veteran point guards, but don’t necessarily fit the profile of NCAA Final Four contenders (at least not yet):…

by Kahron Spearman

SXSW Record Reviews

Twelve years have evaporated since Loretta Lynn’s last LP, a shocking measure of restraint for a singer who’s cranked out over 50 albums since she taught herself to play guitar as a young married teen in the Fifties. Full Circle, then, could be her swan song if she never cuts another. Unlike the double Grammy-winning,…

by Abby Johnston

SXSW Record Reviews

Easy to tell Sunflower Bean recorded debut LP Human Ceremony in their teens. Referencing Dylan, Kahlo, and Dalí on the album art, and employing blunt influences (Black Sabbath, David Bowie) in their music, the Brooklyn trio depict themselves as the try-hard hipster kids in class. Flooding with existential crisis (“I just don’t know my place…

by María Núñez

Wednesday SXSW Showcases

BBC Music Introducing/PRS for Music Foundation 8pm, Latitude 30 The Union Jack flies at half-mast over SXSW’s traditional British Music Embassy while the inside rings with the voices of “Boys That Sing.” You can bet your ears there’ll be plenty of tears, too, for Warrington, Cheshire’s pop up-and-comers Viola Beach, who along with their manager…

by Marc Savlov

Friday SXSW Showcases

Sub Pop Records 8pm, Blackheart Popped in 1988, Seattle’s landmark indie pioneered grunge, signing Mudhoney, Nirvana, and Soundgarden. Since then, pop cults from the Shins to Beach House have ruled an ever-eclectic roster. Openers Strange Wilds arrive as ferocious Olympians whose debut LP, Subjective Concepts, dropped last summer. Fellow label newcomer Porter Ray adds his…

by Neph Basedow

SXSW Record Reviews

Supposedly, Post-Pop Depression will be its Stooge’s last disc. If so, Iggy Pop’s adieu doesn’t go out in a blaze of blitzkrieging punk, but rather adopts a subtler, rhythmically diverse attack reminiscent of his earliest solo work and specifically 1977 twofer The Idiot and Lust for Life. QOTSA commander Josh Homme (guitar), Dean Fertita (bass),…

by Tim Stegall

Saturday SXSW Showcases

Trinidad & Tobago 9pm, Buffalo Billiards Best known for bringing the world the type of intensely rhythmic dance music known as soca, the twin island country located off the northern coast of South America expands its range by adding a couple of alternative rock bands to the mix. From Trinidad, 5 Miles to Midnight is…

by Jim Caligiuri

Thursday Night SXSW Showcases

ATX Composers Showcase 8pm, The Hideout DIY classical music? ATX has it all. Tetractys (a triangular shape with 10 points arranged in four rows) came to be last year, an orchestra dedicated to presenting new works by modern writers – such as this program’s Svante Henryson, Joel Love, Alex Heppelmann, and Michael Gordon. Austin’s landmark…

by Michael Toland

Soccer Watch

Atlético Madrid and Manchester City advanced through to the European Champions League quarterfinals on Tuesday; if you’re reading this early enough, you could still catch the marquee games of the Round of 16: Bayern Munich hosting Juventus after their 2-2 first-leg thriller in Torino, and Arsenal trying to come back from a 2-0 home loss…

by Nick Barbaro

SXSW Record Reviews

“Maybe it’s time that I was leaving,” sighs Lissie Maurus in opening her third LP with “Hollywood,” which plays throughout as a personal reflection of turning away from pop-star ambition to something more real. And revealing. Still armed with compositional skill and stunning vocals, Lissie’s resignation from California dreaming sets her on a better path,…

by Doug Freeman

SXSW Record Reviews

The Philadelphians’ debut LP carries a salad-days spirit that belies the frontman’s 41 years. Ten tracks cram into 26 minutes, standout “Bed Art & Weirdo Ideas” arriving brawny but kempt. The foursome’s m.o. emits similar to Dinosaur Jr. in its emotive breed of punk rock as James Alex’s guttural vocals warm with the disc’s advance.…

by Neph Basedow

Wednesday SXSW Showcases

Caradura 8pm, Karma Lounge Opening this demonstration of rock-and-beyond en Español is a trio of teenage sisters from northern Mexico whose “Enter Sandman” cover last year garnered the seal of approval from over 11 million people. On debut EP Escape the Mind, the Warning learn, explore, and incinerate their metal roots. Self-established post-everything Joliette set…

by Chronicle Staff

Friday SXSW Showcases

Infinity Cat 8pm, Barracuda Viva la Nineties! Nashville’s Infinity Cat Recordings assembles contemporary grunge merchants devoted to reminding everyone that the Nashville rock scene enjoyed greatness long before Jack White rolled into town. Music City combo Daddy Issues employs surf guitars and bratty attitudes, purring lyrics like, “You should have known I’d be full of…

by Libby Webster

SXSW Record Reviews

This young Texas City native’s eponymous debut impresses with the wide range of country he emulates – all of it original compositions. Whether adopting George Strait’s smooth croon on “I’ve Been Drinkin’ More,” honky-tonking à la Hank Williams with “True Blues,” and riding as roughshod as Joe Ely in a “Fancy Limousine,” Jason James pulls…

by Jim Caligiuri

Thursday Night SXSW Showcases

Don Giovanni Records 8pm, Velveeta Room New Jersey continues its reign as America’s most underrated state while simultaneously blessing us all with the musical treasure of Don Giovanni Records. Toting an affinity for Tri-state noise, this year’s showcase glimpses into the underground scene of the Northeast. Katie Crutchfield’s beloved Philly-based solo project, Waxahatchee, returns following…

by Libby Webster

SXSW 2016 Film Awards

Feature Jury Awards Narrative Feature Competition Grand Jury Winner: The Arbalest (D: Adam Pinney) Special Jury Recognition for Best Actor: Andre Royo, Hunter Gatherer Special Jury Recognition for Best Actress: Lily Rabe, Miss Stevens Documentary Feature Competition Grand Jury Winner: Tower (D: Keith Maitland) Special Jury Recognition for Portrait Documentary: Accidental Courtesy: Daryl Davis, Race…

by Chronicle Staff

SXSW Record Reviews

Brainchild of Ft. Worth’s Mark Ryan, frontman for formidable crunch-pop punks the Marked Men, the Mind Spiders’ fourth album in five years continues employing the former outfit’s hiatus to explore darker psychological turf and more keyboard-generated textures. Spun by Marked Man Mike Throneberry, the Bad Sports’ and High Tension Wires’ Daniel Fried, and the Baptist…

by Tim Stegall

SXSW Record Reviews

Autolux nearly revived Nineties alt-rock in 2004, but a meager two albums in 12 years prevented the L.A. trio from capitalizing on its own momentum. Third LP Pussy’s Dead drops on Danger Mouse’s label with production from Boots (Beyoncé, Run the Jewels). Wrapped in the electro atmo expected from the production team, the noisy guitar…

by Michael Toland

Wednesday SXSW Showcases

Heavenly Recordings 8:15pm, Barracuda Paragons of British indie sounds since 1990, London’s Heavenly Recordings gave the world the Manic Street Preachers’ first glam-punk-shock 45s, and such now-iconic acts as Sait Etienne and Beth Orton. Winsome Dutch lass Annelotte de Graffe plies a jangly post-K Records brand of reverb-drenched pop as Amber Arcades. Madrid snot-garage trio…

by Tim Stegall

Friday SXSW Showcases

Flower Booking/Polyvinyl Record Co./Topshelf Records 8pm, Sidewinder Outside Young + angst = Topshelf and Polyvinyl. The emo revival of the late Nineties and early new millennium remains alive and thriving in Pennsylvania’s Slingshot Dakota, a twosome communicating only through vocals, keyboard, and drums. Baltimore’s astral Wildhoney delve into shimmery shoegaze, while British trio Fear of…

by Libby Webster

SXSW Record Reviews

Slightly grizzled on the cover, Robbie Fulks now finds himself a veteran singer-songwriter capable of telling haunting stories that reach into old weird Americana with a sense of life lived simply yet richly. Upland is the southern region of Appalachia, close to where Fulks was raised. These tunes reflect the mountain music it spawned, including…

by Jim Caligiuri

Thursday Night SXSW Showcases

France Rocks/Bureau Export 8pm, Central Presbyterian Church One of SXSW’s most prominent foreign relations connections returns for an encore. Festival veterans Lys’ ever-changing lineup behind lead singer Nicolas Veron expands to include Placebo drummer Steve Hewitt. Childhood friends L.E.J. (Lucie, Elisa, Juliette) have been making a name for themselves in France as go-to openers for…

by Abby Johnston

Headlines

Council Spring Break: City Council is on break this Thursday but will return March 24 to tackle a delayed resolution seeking to reform the city’s gender discrimination policies, the Public Safety Commission’s recommendations on fire response times, and a proposal to amend the process for public comment at council and committee meetings. CMs will also…

by Chronicle Staff

Dueling Ballots

Here’s the language the City Council approved in a 9-2 vote in February, and that will be on May 7 ballot: “Shall the City Code be amended to repeal City Ordinance No. 20151217-075 related to Transportation Network companies; and replace [it] with an ordinance that would repeal and prohibit required fingerprinting, repeal the requirement to…

by Chronicle Staff

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