Photo: Emma McIntyre (Getty Images)
South by Southwest SXSW is the perfect place to kick off 2017’s music festival marathon. One of the largest and most influential global music industry events of the year is one reason why its host city of Austin, Texas is known as the “Live Music Capital of the World.”
Unlike other music festivals that interchange their line-ups with the same rotating artists, SXSW is unique in that it features brand new, up-and-coming, international, and legendary artists performing in bars, clubs, parks, churches, hotels, and just about everywhere else you can imagine around Austin.
Also: Interview | Take A Long Drinkee Of Sofi Tukker
Curated by industry insiders, SXSW is essentially a peek of what’s the next “big thing” in music. With nearly 500 musical acts performing (check out the full line up here) there’s a lot to see, but we’ve given you a head start with the 20 Must See Bands for SXSW 2017.
The 20 Must-See Music Artists at SXSW 2017
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S U R V I V E
The local Austin band became world famous for their creepy synth score for Netflix's hit show Stranger Things.
Appearing: Hotel Vagas Patio 3/16/17, 10:45pm-11:30pm
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Gabriel Garzon Montano
Avant savant cooks up organic soul music via Brooklyn and rooted in his French-Colombian heritage.
Appearing at Lucille 3/17/17 and At The Main 3/18/17
Photo: Matthew Scott
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Sofi Tukker
What a difference a year makes. In 2016, Sofi Tukker made their SXSW debut as unknowns who earned “buzz band” status. Now, Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern return fresh off a Grammy nomination for “Best Dance Recording”.
Photo: Todd Williamson (Getty Images)
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Tei Shi
Grimes-approved indie pop darling is on the up-and-up with her quirky, future pop jams centered around saccharine vocals and loopy beats.
Appearing at Mazda Control Room 3/15/17
Photo: Frazer Harrison (Getty Images)
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New Fame with DJ Skulz
Adrienne Mack-Davis and Felecia Cruz travel the world using their superpowers to entertain and inspire those around them. The two rappers have teamed up with Vietnamese DJ Skulz to form a triad of do-gooders who make feel-good dancehall/hip hop music with a positive message.
Appearing at Karma Lounge 3/17/17
Photo: Rodney Hughes
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Sundara Karma
British newcomers make their SXSW debut after scoring a hit with "Loveblood" and garnering universal praise from BBC Radio 1, NME, and The Guardian.
Appearing: TBD
Photo: Simon Sarin (Getty Images)
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Saint JHN
Brooklyn native's intense MC skills give added gravitas to his dark, brooding beats.
Appearing: TBD
Photo: Ryan Plett
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Zipper Club
Art rock trio fronted by Lissy Trullie, a former Nylon magazine cover girl, whose lithe vocals lend a shiny veneer to playful new wave that sounds familiar, yet fresh.
Appearing at Javelina on 3/15/17 11pm-11:40
Photo: Arvida Bystrom
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The Drums
The Drums play an escapist collection of beach pop fantasies played out over longing lyrics about heartache and nostalgia. And, yes you can still dance to it.
Appearing at Elysium 3/16/17, 12:00am —12:40am
Photo: Xavi Torrent (Getty Images)
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XXX
Korean hip hop is big thing in Asia, where producer FRNK and rapper Kim Ximya of XXX, have a made a name with layered electronic hip hop anthems flavored with thumping trap-tinged beats and spicy rap bars.
Appearing at Scratchouse 3/15/17, 8:40pm —9:10pm
Photo: Beasts and Natives Alike
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Greg Graffin
Punk rock's Renaissance Man, best known as the frontman to Bad Religion and Professor Graffin to his UCLA students, has gone solo with a new American roots album.
Appearing Elysium 3/16/17, 10:00pm —10:40pm and Buffalo Billiard's 2/15/17, 10:00pm —10:40pm
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Lewis Del Mar
Best buds, Max Harwood and Danny Miller, ride back into Austin after last year's ACL appearance with their easy-breezy blend of plugged-in folk-pop.
Appearing 3/11/17 at Ships of the Sea, 9:30pm
Photo: Kris Conner (Getty Images)
Max Harwood and Danny Miller
Photo: Kris Connor (Getty Images)
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Dawg Yawp
The Cincinnati twosome play a brand of alt-folk-psychedelic music that can be distilled down to “sitar acid rock.” Think if Father John Misty collaborated with the late great Ravi Shankar’s spirit or 3-D hologram.
Appearing at Swan Dive on 3/18/17, 11:00pm —11:40pm
Photo: Michael Wilson
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The Ceremonies
With their Instagrammable looks, big social media following and streaming-friendly ‘80s-post punk songs, The Ceremonies have been labeled with the “buzz band” hashtag for a couple years now.
Appearing: TBD
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MC Lars
The Oakland rapper is the self-proclaimed OG of "post-punk laptop rap.” A kindred spirit of "Weird Al" Yankovic, MC Lars looks like Tosh.0 and flows like Edgar Allen Poe (see what we did there?). The wry, Stanford alumnus, samples from the likes of Supergrass, Fugazi and Iggy Pop, while spitting lyrics based on American literature.
Appearing at Karma Lounge 3/18/17
Scott Dudelson (Getty Images)
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Gina Chavez
The hometown girl who grew up at local festivals wheere her parents sold confetti eggs, is a SXSW mainstay. The singer-songwriter offers a bilingual blend of Latin folk and American pop that personifies the cross-cultural influences of Austin.
Appearing at Maggie Mae’s 3/14/16, 9:20pm —9:50pm
Photo by Gary Miller (Getty Images)
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Dear Boy
LA-indie quartet boast a new EP filled with bittersweet alt-rock tales shimmering with post-punk melodies that recall 90's Brit-pop bands.
Appearing: TBD
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Her's
Liverpool duo make sun-drenched electro-pop music made for daydreaming. Sweatpants not included.
Appearing at Tap Room at the Market, 12am -12:40
Photo: Ryan Jafarzadeh Khamneh
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Temples
Retro rockers psychedelic haze has the star-gazing, shoe-gaze quality of early Tame Impala, and the big hair is already rock star material.
Appearing: TBD
Photo: Ed Miles
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Lincoln Durham
Austin local and one-man-band plays Southern-Gothic Psycho-Blues Revival-Punk. Sold.
Appearing at Lambert's 3/15/17, 1:00am —1:50am
Photo: Jay Trevino
