The penultimate day of my fourth SXSW was definitely the longest in my history of SX’s. Arriving at 10:30am at the Elvis Presley-themed Beale Street Tavern to host a show, I was out on the town for 16 hours to follow. Opening the morning, Austin’s Indie-meets-retro rock quartet, Ghost Bunny, and solo, blues-rock multi-instrumentalist and loop-master, Walker Lukens, got the ball rolling. Most attendants woke up and arrived for a bevy of Brooklyn bands: Black Taxi, The Courtesy Tier, and The Click Clack Boom. The string of East Coasters was broken by LA- born Vas Defrans (pictured), who put the sound system to the test with pounding drums and intricate instrumental layering. A laid back local favorite, The Naturals, contrasted with the strobe- light and projection illuminated, electro/dance-rock quartet, Kid Savant who followed suit. NYC’s Hollis Brown closed the afternoon with straight up great blues rock and Southern rock sentiments. Yet another Tex-Mex decompression resuscitated me for an extensive evening of street performances. Renegade rocker, Tom Morello, brought the aggressive music of Black Top Demon, Outernational, Anti-Flag, and Wayne Kramer outside the Swan Dive as part of Occupy SXSW. Morello himself marched into the crowd of hundreds for a finale while police swarmed the area. All ended without any blood shed, but it was an night/early morning to remember! –Meijin Bruttomesso

Ski Lodge – who placed on #6 in our recent best of NYC poll for emerging bands – is the very new indie pop project of Andrew Marr – previously known as The Clementines. After releasing his first EP under the new moniker via Dovecote Records in September, Marr put together a band and started performing as a quartet. Their self titled debut EP is chock full of jangly indie pop gems with a nostalgic retro vibe. Songs like “A Game” and “I Would Die To Be” are instant pop classics, lighthearted and full of "mid-fi" character. Andrew’s songwriting and vocals might recall the simple magic of early The Smiths, while the band’s sonics are grounded in the Brooklyn glo-fi sound of the new decade (think Beach Fossils), with occasional tropical references. Though Ski Lodge has only been performing together since September, they’ve instantly become one of the NYC music scene’s favorite live bands, and are planning on releasing a full length of their bouncy pop later in 2012. See them live at The mercury Lounge on April 24. – Read Amanda Dissinger’s interview with the band here.

Producer and musician Bosco Delrey crafts unheard new versions of rock’n’roll that sounds like Memphis blues music mixed with a variety of other influences including church hymns, dance hall, lo-fi and southern hip hop. After signing with the well-known Mad Decent label, he released his 2010 album "Everybody Wah," a work full of catchy pop drenched in rockabilly old-timey production. Like a “garbage can Elvis” from New Jersey, Bosco brings back the nostalgia of the rock music we love, with a modern edge. – Read Amanda Dissinger’s interview with Bosco here.

Here’s a band demanding a little more their audience. Les Racquet turn through more directions in track ‘Too Young’s ‘ fantastic harmonies than most bands get through in an album. The trio met up in Brooklyn under two years, and already have a full-length under the belts. But their sound is even more ambitious. There’s an almost schitzophrenic cocktail here that moves from punk to Afrobeat to acid jazz in equal turns, but never pulls away from the meat and potatoes required of any ambitious young group. Like an iPod playlist come to life, this is a group you’ll find impossible to pin down, but easy to get down to. See them when they play The Studio at Webster Hall on April 11th with Not Blood Paint. – Mike Levine (@goldnuggets)

This band submitted their music for review digitally here.

If you’ve ever listened to The Books before and wondered what this music might sound like without all the obnoxious samples of children playing or newscasters fearing armageddon, then Threefifty Duo’s absorbing guitar work might be a good place to start. With licks as precise as anything you’d hear from classical guitar ensembles like the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, but a mood positively geared toward the instrument’s meditative virtues, songwriters Brett Parnell and Geremy Schulick will pluck you up and take you off to a very personal place occupied by rock and classical in equal measure. Check out new record ‘Circles’ to hear more, and check them out when they play Café Orwell on March 20. – Mike Levine (@goldnuggets)

This band submitted their record for review digitally here.

Attention SXSW-goers! Today, Friday, March 16, at Beale Street Tavern located at 214 E 6th Street, Rocker Stalker (with the help of Deli rock girl Meijin) presents a litany of superb acts from across the country, including:

11:00am: Ghost Bunny
11:45am: Walker Lukens
12:30pm: Black Taxi
1:15pm: The Courtesy Tier
2:00pm: The Click Clack Boom
2:45pm: Vas Defrans
3:30pm: The Naturals
4:15pm: KID SAVANT
5:00pm: Hollis Brown

Doors are at 10am, and music lasts until 6pm. No badge required, free entry, and 21+

Day 2 of SXSW 2012 was a mishmash of musical genres. I started my day with Brooklyn-based dance-rockers, Black Taxi, at the Parish before jetting quickly to the Fader Fort to enjoy some free goodies and see Santagold. However, a confusion of set times left me milling around the event while tribal electro-pop Brits, Django Django, supplied the soundtrack. Scurrying back to The Parish, I caught the last moments of Austin’s The Frontier Brothers before making my way to the Paste Magazine Party for buzz bands, Tennis and Cavemen. Taking a break , I enjoyed a serving of Korean spicy fries from one of ATX’s several delicious food truck options. As evening fell, I decided to wander into a Scottish showcase where folk/electro/country act, Woodenbox, hit the stage. Across the street at The Main, I caught a few minutes of veteran punk rockers, Pennywise’s, rowdy set, before making my way to the Flamingo Cantina for the Latin/World Showcase with Kenya’s Sauti Sol and NYC’s Outernational. Running back to the Main and completing the night, I got to check out heavy rock Austinites, The Sword, and Kentucky’s finest, Cage the Elephant. SXSW 2012 is on a roll! –Meijin Bruttomesso

Listen to just ‘Show Me All The Sounds You Know,’ and you might mistakenly think Idgy Dean’s (who placed at #98 in our recent Best of NYC poll for emerging artists) only weapons are her positive energy and beautifully sultry voice. But stick around for harder-hitting songs like ‘Bang Bang Sun’ and ‘Lung’ and you’ll soon discover some of the depths to this roaring personality. Like a cross between tune-yards and Marnie Stern, Dean’s vocals soar over a backdrop that can include anything from her tympani drum and electric guitars, to double-tracked vocals that surround and pulse through your skin with a physical energy too dynamic to ignore.

See her when she plays at Big Snow on April 15th with Howth. – Mike Levine

For any fan of Perfume Genius, here’s Aunt Ange. There’s an acute sense of dread following every twist and turn through new record ‘Olga Walks Away.’ Essentially a document on loneliness seen through the eyes of Olga’s pain. From the lush violins, accordions and toy pianos of opener ‘Black Funeral Dress,’ to the stomping march of ‘Velvet Sidewalks,’ Aunt Ange takes you from the funeral to parade grounds from deep within the psyche of their absorbing subject. – Mike Levine (@goldnuggets)

This band submitted their music for review digitally here.

Tomorrow night, the U-District’s Rat and Raven will play host to a deep roster of Northwest acts, featuring local pop-smiths the Balloons, fellow Seattleites the Hoot Hoots and the Fabulous Downey Brothers, and Portland’s Hollyood Tans. With reputations for fuelling fun-filled evenings with infectious and dance-inducing tunes, the four acts sharing the stage should offer a great opportunity to wrap up your week, and kick off your weekend, on a high note. 

Doors: 9:00 p.m.

Cover: $5

21 and over

Thursday began at the Filter Magazine party in the Cedar Street Courtyard where UK-based bands filled the afternoon. Rock ‘n roll trio, Band of Skulls (pictured) played to a packed patio along with the charismatic and energetic Kaiser Chiefs and pop act, Keane. An afternoon jaunt around downtown led me to the beautiful architecture and luxurious history of the Driskill Hotel where Fuse TV was hosting a shindig with live music and comfortable couches. Brooklyn’s Outernational performed in acoustic form after pop band, Waters, from San Francisco. I sprinted to Hotel Vegas on the very east side of the 6th Street strip to catch the last of reggae-infused Indie rockers, Deadbeat Darling, and fellow NY brethren, Black Taxi. Shortly after. 
The night was Deli partay of course! See separate blurb about it. –Meijin Bruttomesso

If Arcade Fire discusses the world as adults sharing their troubles from a child’s perspective, The Henry Millers are just the opposite. While the band’s two leading members are just in their early twenties, the group explores an enormous emotional range under an equally large musical landscape. ‘Mr. Flash Gordon’ for instance, discusses the pressures of a dying romance over grinding organs, persistent guitar strums, twinkling mallets and most importantly… a give and take between the group’s two guiding lights that give you an idea of what makes this band such a rare commodity.

Most of these songs are written by John MacCallum, but witnessing him share his woes with good friend/collaborater Katie Schecter live and on record is a big part of what makes you feel so at home with this group. Like you’re sharing a pent-up secret you’ve been holding inside for a long time, with someone you can trust with its importance. The Henry Millers’ outsized honesty and primary consideration for poetic narrative must have something to do with why they chose their band name, or it may just be something that makes sense between good friends who’ve known each other a long time.

This band submitted their music for review digitally here.