South by Southwest Festival

The five biggest sellouts at SXSW

SXSW is not a music festival so much as it is an experiment in excess. If Coachella is a glass of water that keeps getting bigger until it more resembles a kiddie pool, then SXSW is a flood with a neglected cup somewhere in the middle. The natural result is rampant crowds and ever more rampant lame ... More >>

Here's what you're actually missing at SXSW

Awwwww, I know it is a shame you aren't here with us at SXSW in Austin. I can only imagine the aching and longing in your heart for walking aimlessly and standing in long lines for no reason, and sweating through your cardigan to see a band you heard on one of the Twilight soundtracks. You don't w ... More >>

Prince will perform at SXSW, says Samsung

Earlier this week, reports of noted guitar-smasher Prince finally crossing over to a national audience via a South by Southwest showcase started making the rounds. Tastemakers all over the country are finally going to understand what we've been blabbing about all these years! Okay, we kid. In the ne ... More >>

SXSW 2013: A handy Minnesota music guide

The South By Southwest Music Conference seems perfectly timed each year with the exact moment when bands and music fans from the North have reached their collective breaking points with the interminable winter months, and communally head down to Austin, Texas in a grand, musical migration. Despite ... More >>

SXSW 2012's six worst moments, brought to you by #DEWeezy

​The last few days, Village Voice Media's indefatigable music staff has been regaling you with stories of the best from SXSW 2012. In the midst of these discoveries, we've been culling another list: the worst shit. The acts that ranged from huge bore-fests to downright lame. Below, you'll find our ... More >>

The Best of SXSW Music: Thursday 3/15/2012

If you're familiar with chaos theory, which in its basic form is the attempt to find patterns in the random acts of shit on Earth, then you may understand the difficulty that comes with describing a full day at SXSW. To break down the bright, scintillating chaos, Village Voice Media's roving music e ... More >>

Five best early 2012 iTunes free MP3s

​iTunes' miserly propensity to give away a pittance of free mp3s by new and emerging artists is a sort of open secret, a veritable whisper in the blogosphere's never-settling echo chamber of mp3s and streams and tour-date listings. It'd be nice to be able to tell you that everything Apple has dole ... More >>

Alert: SXSW coverage ahead

​You don't have to spend much time at South By Southwest to know that nearly every building gets used as a music venue during the annual music festival. And starting Thursday, writers and photographers from the music blogs of the Village Voice Media empire plan to go to as many of them as we possi ... More >>

Weekend Checklist: "Are You Local?" Showcase, Punch Brothers, Galactic, Buddy Guy

​SXSW is right around the corner. And though the yearly music trade festival in Texas is definitely not happening here, there are several events that serve as our local equivalent. The first is the Vita.mn Are You Local? showcase tonight at First Avenue. A couple CD release shows to note this week ... More >>

Astronautalis, Peter Wolf Crier lead McNally Smith SXSW party lineup

Photo by Nick Wosika​The McNally Smith College of Music and Rock the Cause have announced an impressive lineup of local luminaries for its SXSW day party, which will take place Saturday, March 17 at Liberty Bar. For those familiar with Austin, this venue is a short walk east of I-35. Among the act ... More >>

Secret Cities perform for City of Music at SXSW

​For the newest edition of City of Music, producer Dan Huiting and videographers Chris Hadland and Andre Durand caught up with Fargo quintet Secret Cities down in Austin, Texas during the SXSW music festival for a take-away performance... in a tree. Watch as the band hangs from tree branches, ... More >>

SXSW 2011: Five nights in Austin

Highlights from Gimme Noise's recent trek to the festival

SXSW video: The Gimme Noise and First Avenue day party, plus Okkervil River

Photo by Erik Hess​We have one final piece of SXSW coverage to offer up this week, and then we're done -- for real this time. In this video, our team of Dan Huiting, Andre Durand, and Chris Hadland recap a few of the final shows they saw at SXSW this year, including all seven bands at our Gimme No ... More >>

Minnesota SXSW 2011 invasion: Complete

Photo by Ben ClarkPhantom Tails at SXSW​It's a strange thing, going from the constant cacophony of thousands of bands playing at once down to nothing at all. But it's a process that is as much a part of attending SXSW as all of the incidentals of the festival: BBQ, suntan lotion, beer, beer, beer. ... More >>

SXSW video: Death From Above 1979 show erupts into mini-riot

Photo by Craig Hlavaty/Houston Press​What started as a once-in-a-supermoon chance to see a one-off reunion show by cult favorites Death From Above 1979 ended in a dramatic scene Saturday night at First Avenue, as a crowd watching the show from outside the fenced-in backyard of the Beauty Bar decid ... More >>

SXSW: DeYarmond Edison reunites members of Bon Iver and Megafaun at the Fader Fort

Photos by Ben Clark​"Hi, this is our college band," Justin Vernon said after DeYarmond Edison finished their first song. "We haven't played a show in seven years until right now."

Wu-Tang, Wild Flag, Fishbone, Yelawolf among highlights at the Village Voice SXSW party

Photo by Erik Hess​Our parent company, Village Voice Media, went whole hog with their annual SXSW bash this year, moving it from its previous home at La Zona Rosa into the Austin Music Hall (which was also the site of last night's MTVu Woodie Awards), stretching out the event into the late-night h ... More >>

Wednesday SXSW video: What the fuck happened last night?

​Wednesday was the first night for a lot of SXSW attendees, including our intrepid video team led by Dan Huiting and his cohorts Andre Durand and Chris Hadland. Our videographers spent a large portion of the evening at Doomtree's official showcase at the Flamingo Cantina, which featured solo sets ... More >>

Foo Fighters, Michael Cera help ring in SXSW Music 2011

Photos by Stacy SchwartzNick Diamonds and Michael Cera of Mister Heavenly​The exponential growth of South by Southwest over the past 25 years has been simply stunning. In honor of this, and just in time for SXSW's silver anniversary, the festival's organizers opted to extend the music portion of t ... More >>

Caroline Smith, Fortified Five add last-minute SXSW send-offs this weekend

Photo by Amanda Johnson​This just in: In addition to the big SXSW tour kick-off happening tomorrow night at the Turf Club, which features Pink Mink, Hastings 3000, and Von Bondies lead singer Jason Stollsteimer's new project, the Hounds Below, there will be two more last minute SXSW send-off of so ... More >>

Minnesota SXSW 2011 invasion: The battle plan

​As we mentioned last month, we have a record number of Minnesota bands heading down to Austin, Texas March 16-20 for the South by Southwest music festival. Naturally, there are more than a few showcases planned that feature all or mostly Minnesotan acts, starting with a string of SXSW send-off sh ... More >>

Gimme Noise and First Avenue SXSW 2011 Day Party

Photo by Nick WosikaTapes 'n Tapes headline the Gimme Noise and First Avenue SXSW Day Party​Austin never saw it coming. Two weeks from today, legions of Twin Cities musicians, writers, photographers, booking agents, managers, radio DJs, and straight-up music fiends will descend onto Texas for five ... More >>

Wu-Tang Clan headlining Village Voice and Frank 151's SXSW 2011 party at Austin Music Hall

Photo by Tony NelsonWu-Tang Clan at Epic this past January​Our sister paper, the Village Voice, typically hosts a free day party during SXSW, and the lineups have been pretty fantastic -- last year brought together the xx, Superchunk, Surfer Blood, and more. But this year, they are cranking up the ... More >>

Kanye West at SXSW 2011: Let the rumors begin

​And here I was just thinking earlier today that it's weird that there haven't been any super crazy SXSW rumors yet. Well, thanks to this very suggestive video that was sent to @SXSWpartylist, we have our first tidbit of Kanye speculation for the 2011 season.

SXSW 2011: Minnesota roll call

​With South by Southwest less than a month away (the music portion kicks off on March 16), we thought it a good time to start compiling our list of Minnesotans making the haul down to Austin, Texas this year.At first glance, it looks like there will be quite a few bands repping our great state -- ... More >>

Birthday Suits, Dan and Matt Wilson, and SXSW recap featured in this week's City Pages

All the music articles from this week's print edition.

SXSW 2010: Video recap by Gimme Noise and Anthem Heart

Featuring footage of locals like Jeremy Messersmith, Jake Dilley, Off With Their Heads, Solid Gold, and Lookbook and national bands like the xx.

SXSW Aftermath: Sleigh Bells, Man or Astro Man, Liars, and finding a quiet moment in the madness

A freelancer's diary from the SXSW music festival, with notes on how to stay sane amidst the persistent chaos.

SXSW Aftermath: Radio K's in-studios with Holy Fuck, Malachai, Dengue Fever, more

Watch a few in-studio videos recorded live at SXSW.

SXSW, Ike Reilly, Norah Jones and more: Slideshow weekly wrap-up

The biggest week in music thus for 2010? You be the judge.

SXSW Survival Guide: Wear sunscreen, and don't be an a-hole

A few practical tips for SXSW attendees and remote followers.

Official SXSW showcases announced, many locals in the mix

The Birthday Suits, Solid Gold, Peter Wolf Crier, and 14 other locals have been selected for SXSW showcases.

Lookbook, One For the Team plan tours

Lookbook will sweep the East Coast, while OFTT is donating tour proceeds to the Red Cross for Haiti relief.

Devo, Janelle Monáe, and Solid Gold wow music nerds at SXSW

South By Southwest brings together a country of insatiable indie kids

SXSW: Rhymesayers showcase, the Hold Steady, and two churches

A recap of Day Two at South by Southwest.

SXSW: Heartless Bastards just kicked my ass

The Dayton, Ohio post-punk band has been the highlight of the festival so far.

SXSW: It begins

Hey, it's time to go to South by Southwest!

Dispatches from our ambassadors abroad (in Texas)

Darondo at SXSW

Breakfast of Champions: 3/14

Breakfast of Champions: 3/13

Unofficial SXSW Showcasing Bands Torrent

¡No Mas! Okay, Mas.

SXSW gives a girl more music than she could possibly need—but not as much as she wants

SXSW updates from our foreign (read: Texas) correspondents

Two Diaries from South by Southwest #19, Part Two

What's the Only Industry That Holds Its Trade Show Around a Keg?

Two Diaries from South by Southwest #19, Part One

What's the Only Industry That Holds Its Trade Show Around a Keg?

Southern Culture on the Skids

Good taste and sobriety go down fighting at the music party of the year

Bands on the Run

Road-tripping to Texas for South by Southwest

George W. Slept Here

Austin Powers

Reports from South by Southwest, where a Texas town becomes a mecca of indie music and film