SXSW: A Guide to the Best Parties, Performances and Showcases

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Trying to define exactly what SXSW is has been likened to the old blind men and an elephant parable, many people grasping at it but all coming away with different impressions depending on their own experience. With over 2000 artists and 90 venues its sprawling street party atmosphere means that you can’t possible do everything but you’re never really feel like you’re missing out: it is what you make it. Whether you’re the planning type or the kind to just go with the flow, we thought we would just share with you a few showcases we are looking forward to – whether we make it to them or not is another question entirely!

Tuesday 13 March

Interactive Pitchfork Showcase:
Teengirl Fantasy + Shlohmo + Bear in Heaven + Star Slinger
8pm @ Mohawk

Yours Truly Present:
Boy Friend + Electric Wire Hustle
8pm @ Swan

Campfire Trails Present:
Ume + Poliça
9pm @ The Bat Bar

Wednesday 14 March

Eat Your Own Ears / The Windish Agency/ Austinist / Laneway Festival Present: Austin or Bust
Chairlift + Kindness + DZ Deathrays
12pm @ Mohawk

The Warby Park Citizen’s Circus:
Niki & The Dove + Father John Misty + La Sera
1pm @ The French Legation Museum

Canadian Blast BBQ
Library Voices + Zeus + Said The Whale
3pm @ Under The Big Top at Brush Square

Dummy XO (in association with Hippos In Tanks/Acephale/RVNG INTL) Party:
Sleep ∞ Over + Blondes + Pure X + Korallreven
7:30pm @ Barbarella

NPR Present:
Sharon Van Etten + Fiona Apple + Andrew Bird + Dan Deacon
7:30pm @ Stubbs

Sacred Bones Present:
The Men + Zola Jesus
8pm @ Elysium

KCRW Present:
Blood Orange + Apparat
8pm @ Haven

Transgressive / RockFeedback Present:
Daughter + Willy Mason + UMO
8pm @ Red Eyed Fly

Thursday 15 March

Double Denim, Luv Luv Luv, The Sounds of Sweet Nothing Present:
Au Palais + California X + Zulu Winter
12pm @ Tiniest Bar in Texas

Pitchfork Day Party:
SBTRKT + Youth Lagoon + Bleached
12pm @ Mohawk

Pitchfork Official Showcase:
Fiona Apple + Grimes + Nicolas Jaar
7pm @ Central Presbyterian Church

Noisey Present:
Chairlift + Friends + Slow Club
8pm @ The Parish

Secretly Canadian/Jagjaguwar/Dead Oceans Present:
Sharon Van Etten + Nite Jewel + The War on Drugs + Gauntlet Hair
8pm @ Mohawk

Mexican Summer Present:
Oneohtrix Point Never + Peaking Lights
9pm @ Red 7

Yours Truly and Gorilla vs Bear Present
THEESatisfaction + Kindness
10pm @ Hype Hotel

Friday 16 March

No Modest Bear and Cream Team Present:
Blouse + Caged Animals + Taken By Trees
1pm @ Hype Hotel

PRS / Under The Radar Magazine
Youth Lagoon + La Sera + of Montreal
4:50pm @ Flamingo Cantina

Merge Present:
M. Ward + Eleanor Friedberger
7:30pm @ Frank

NME & PPL Present:
Big Deal + Tashaki Miyaki
8pm @ Latitutde 30

The Windish Agency Party:
Cloud Nothings + Tanlines + Maps & Atlases
8pm @ ND

Sub Pop Present:
Niki & The Dove + Father John Misty
8pm @ Red 7 & Red 7 Patio

Saturday 17 March

Urban Outfitters Back Lot Performances:
Peaking Lights + New Build + Grimes
12pm @ 2406 Guadalupe St.

Waterloo Records Instore:
Nada Surf + Love Inks
12pm @ Waterloo Records

Canadian Blast CIMA / SOCAN present:
The Wilderness of Manitoba + Art of Fresh
12pm @ Trinity Hall

Pure Volume House Party:
Bleeding Knees Club + Gauntlet Hair + Cymbals Eat Guitars
2pm @ 2nd & Trinity St

Music From Ireland Present:
And So I watch You From Afar
8pm @ Friends

Warp Records/Brainfeeder Present:
Hudson Mohawke + Daedelus
8pm @ Empire Automative

Hype Machine/Feed The Beat Present:
Best Coast + Wavves
10pm @ Hype Hotel

There are also showcases from Fader Fort, Spin, Mess With Texas, Merge, Polyvinyl, Filter Magazine and hundreds more lined up too, not to mention performances from the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Jack White and Girls but we hope this is a helpful start for the planners amongst you!