10 SXSW 2014 breakout bands to watch

Quiet Company

South by Southwest (SXSW) closed with a bang Saturday despite drizzly weather that put a damper on outdoor shows during the day. We saw sets by Snoop Dogg, Gary Numan and Phantogram among others. Snoop was fun. Gary Numan could teach a few young artists a thing or two about stage presence. Phantogram (sounds like a start-up app) were good too. But what we are really excited about are the breakout bands we saw perform for the first time during the festival; Desert Noises, July Talk, Future Islands, Bearcubbin, Lucius and Lucas Nelson and the Promise of the Real. Our list includes top tier Austin bands... Continue reading at Examiner.com 

Live music review: Willie Nelson rocked Heartbreaker Banquet at SXSW 2014

The third annual Heartbreaker Banquet sponsored by Electric Lady Studios and Robot Fondue at Willie Nelson's Luck, Texas ranch Thursday during SXSW featured a surprise appearance by the red-headed stranger himself. The event held during South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival has featured Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Gary Clark Jr., Father John Misty and Shovels and Rope in the last couple of years. This year's lineup was possibly Heartbreaker Banquet's finest as The Wild Feathers, Lucius, Shakey Graves and Lucas Nelson and the Promise of the Real performed in front of approximately 1,000 fans at the intimate venue. The evening ended with... Continue reading at Examiner.com

Exclusive Interview: My Jerusalem's Jeff Klein speaks out on SXSW

Austin indie-rockers My Jerusalem have had a hell of a year. After releasing their second album, "Preachers" recorded at producer Jim Eno's Public Hi-Fi studio, they embarked on tours with Psychedelic Furs, Electric Six, played Austin City Limits Music Festival and toured Europe. Founder and lead singer, Jeff Klein was also featured in Forbes Magazine last week after local radio personality and music critic Andy Langer quoted the musician in a Facebook rant on the crass commecialization of South by Southwest (SXSW). The post and subsequent article re-ignited an ongoing debate regarding SXSW. Has the festival become too commercial and lost the original purpose of the festival (to get bands noticed and signed)? Who better to ask than the well-read Klein? Read why Klein might take sponsorship dollars from... Continue reading at Examiner.com

Live music review: SXSW 2014 kicked off with Octopus Project, Jason Schwartzman (Photos)

The behemoth that is South by Southwest (SXSW) kicked off yesterday in Austin. Both the Interactive and Film portions of the festival officially began on Friday as attendees arrived from all over the world to participate in what has become the largest independent festival of its kind. Early in the evening we caught an excellent Overheard PBS taping with host Evan Smith (Texas Tribune) and film actor, Jason Schwartzman. The evening featured several big name performers. Director, Jon Favreau hosted a party with surprise guest, Gary Clark Jr. at the Mohawk after the screening of his road trip foodie film, "Chef." Big Boi headlined the Verizon opening night party at Cedar Street. Local Natives performed at ACL Live as the featured act for the Umbel / Vox event. G Love and Special Sauce (see slideshow) entertained fans at Stubb's BBQ. Examiner opted to support local artists at Do512's Epic Interactive Party featuring Robert DeLongwith one of Austin's best acts... Continue reading at Examiner.com

Top 5 Free SXSW 2014 music parties with RSVP links

Flaming Lips at Auditorium Shores SXSW 2013  Photo: Tye Truitt for SXSW

There are thousands of events scheduled during South by Southwest (SXSW) 2014. Admittedly that is an unmanageable number so we waded through the mountain of parties to find our top five music parties for you to attend. Announcements on artists just added to SXSW in the last 48-hours are included in this party round-up. We love headliner acts, Kurt Vile, Gary Numan, Washed Out, Soundgarden, Phantogram and Blondie as much as the next guy, but we urge out-of-town attendees to see some of our favorite Texas bands like... Continue reading at Examiner.com