A Week Of SXSW 2008

It's time! South By South West. Possibly the biggest event in independent music, at this very moment, hundreds of bands and thousands of listeners are converging to the hotels of Austin, Texas, for a gathering of epic proportions.

SXSW is legendary - some of the hottest bands get their start right in the bars of Austin. Getting to play at South By South West and being heard by some of the most influential people in the music business who patrol the streets with the streams of everyday fans is like shining a spotlight to their (possible) future stardom.

But there is one fact that is unavoidable: THERE ARE A LOT OF BANDS.
Seriously, you can try to imagine it, but the imagination doesn't encompass just how many bands go there. It's an overloading of the musical senses. Furthermore, if you're on the streets like a commando of indie music yourself, it's tough to know even where to begin listening. How do you start? Well Voila and I are going to try to help.

Most music blogs write in-depth previews, and reviews, and overviews, and other views, all throughout the week of SXSW. Other blog-writers are also in the midst of it all. I, on the other hand, am not, nor have even been (much to my loathing and jealousy). So, once again, I pick up what I can from here. But there is plenty to pick up, I assure.

I have sifted through the "official" list of bands posted by the SXSW website. That list is by no means all the bands that attend, but I digress. I listened to as much music as I could stand over the weekend, with the goal of picking as many bands I've never heard of out of the abyssal line-up. I have picked some of my favourites from the official list. I endow this list of brand-spanking-new, unheard of or mostly unknown bands I would see to you, whether you are on the front lines, are stuck at your computer screen like myself. I will also be covering, in my own way, SXSW all week long. How, you ask? SEVEN featured bands, in the same fashion as your regularly scheduled band of the week.

Right now though, the bands haven't begun tuning the guitars. Everyone rests quietly, preparing for the big event, which officially launches off with a torrent of music on Wednesday. So, I shall do my personal planning with you, my fellow readers. The first seven bands are those which I will be featuring this week. The rest shall be the bands I definitely suggest you look into while in Austin, or while you envy those who are in Austin. The times are listed on the official SXSW schedule (search the band's name), or no doubt on the band's Myspace/significant other page, which I will provide a link to.

Last chance for homework everyone! Plan your schedules, pack some water, get that adrenaline pumping, and wait for just one more day. South By South-West 2008 is almost here...



The Weather Underground
Bam Bam
Pterodactyl
Tacks, The Boy Disaster
Madeleine
The Octopus Project
Everthus The Deadbeats

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Lucy and the Popsonics
The United Steel Workers Of Montreal
Reykjavik!
You, Me, And Everyone We Know
Bedroom Walls
Cassettes Won't Listen
The Choir Practice
The Dodos
Care Bears On Fire
Portugal The Man
Hallelujah The Hills (who has just been announced to be a featured artist by Daytrotter!)
The Russian Futurists
The Young Republic




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