15 Must-see Austin Artists at SXSW Music 2019

A tidal wave of music is approaching. On March 11, SXSW Music 2019 launches 2,000 bands and musicians into Austin’s cultural stratosphere. Of these, over 200 hail from our beloved city. After listening to every local artist on the schedule, I’ve picked 15 must-sees for this year’s festival. It’s my favorite and most exhausting list of the year. But if you find a new favorite, it’ll all have been worth it!

And now, the criteria/special notes:

1. Artist must be local to Austin (obviously) and playing an official SXSW showcase.
2. Must be brand new to my music articles. Artists who I’ve written features about or included in previous SXSW roundups/recaps are not eligible. This allows me to bring a new crop of Austin musicians to the table every year.
3. I also decided to exclude those featured in my contributions to the official SXSW Music Guide. This year, I highlighted Blushing, Kalu & the Electric Joint, The Bright Light Social Hour, and Wood & Wire.
4. Bands featured in my Austinot Weekend Concert Picks are eligible.
5. Afraid of that 1 a.m. start time? Most of these bands will be playing unofficial shows and day parties throughout the week.
6. I’ve created a Spotify playlist with my picks, along with YouTube videos to our favorite tracks.
7. List is in alphabetical order.

1/ Abhi the Nomad

One of the brightest stars in Austin’s growing hip hop scene, Abhi the Nomad weaves intricate rhymes and paints vivid pictures though sheer force of talent. “Somebody to Love” flicks a kicking guitar funk line at a peanut butter groove, while his newest single “FLUSH” fires lyrical kung-fu strikes over a droning, head-bobbing beat. It’s been years since I’ve dug an Austin MC as hard as Abhi. Feel free to join me in my unabashed fandom.

Official SXSW Showcase: Details TBA, as of this writing.

2/ Black Pumas

 

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A post shared by Black Pumas (@theblackpumas) on Feb 28, 2019 at 2:45pm PST

Sometimes a band arrives on the scene with a quiet whisper. Others slam into the pavement with the strength of an atomic bomb. Black Pumas is the latter. Helmed by busker-turned-front-man Eric Burton and produced by OG Grupo Fantasma member Adrian Quesada, Black Pumas takes the psych/soul sound of Kalu & The Electric Joint and makes it their own with a dash of guitar warble and a pinch of Philly soul.

Fresh off a “Song of the Year” Austin Music Award for the impeccable “Black Moon Rising,” Burton and company are poised to invade the upper echelon of Austin music. Take this opportunity to see these rising stars before it requires a $100 ticket at Frank Erwin to do so.

Official SXSW Showcases:

• March 13 at 10 p.m., Bangers
• March 14 at 10 p.m., Barracuda
• March 15 at 4 p.m., Radio Day Stage, Austin Convention Center

3/ Dossey

Heavenly hooks coated in an M&M shell of candy pop sweetness, Dossey crafts dance beats from the ether and melodies from the heart. The laid-back flow and Middle Eastern bass line of “Plastic Diamonds” tells a story of strength and defiance, while “Heartbeats” fires a laser beam of shimmering ’80s Jazzercise into a new millennium groove and jump track. Go to the gig to experience all this upstart Austin pop queen has to offer.

Official SXSW Showcase: March 11 at 9 p.m., Valhalla

4/ Jake Lloyd

Smoother than a freshly-paved highway, Jake Lloyd combines textured R&B vocals with a lyrical flow the best Austin MCs envy. “Mile” tap dances along a funky bass line with rat-a-tat word play, while “Str8nge Frute” downshifts the tempo in a seduction slow burn worthy of the Isley Brothers. The connective tissue is startling honesty. Even in the midst of his come-hither lover jam, Lloyd reflects on the dependencies required to keep the party going. The result is an transparent portrayal of a big city player taking a moment to breathe. Nuanced work in a genre starved for it.

Official SXSW Showcase: Details TBA, as of this writing.

5/ Jean Caffeine

Clever. Quirky. Bright and buoyant with an uncanny knack for slice-of-life lyrics, Jean Caffeine’s folk/punk sound rattles cages with tight guitar riffs, beneath sunny vocals and witty lines. “Winter of Hate” uses a Patti Smith brush to paint a picture of legends lost, while “Blue Haired Boy’s” somber guitar lines and subtle percussion tell a micro story of far away infatuation. At the surface it looks simple, but dig deeper and you’ll find longing, pathos, and emotion in droves.

Official SX Showcase: March 12 at 10 p.m., CU29

6/ Jon Dee Graham

A stalwart veteran of the Austin music scene, Jon Dee Graham’s gravel-scored voice and emotionally-bare songwriting drive hooks into the ears of anyone within listening distance. From the rollicking late ’90s jam “Big Sweet Life” to the blues-soaked “Thing Might Turn Out Right,” Graham is truly a “something for everyone” artist. All he needs is a trap-hop album and he’ll have it all. A local legend deserving of the highest praise.

Official SX Showcase: March 16 at 9 p.m., The Continental Club

7/ Kevin Galloway

Former front man of Uncle Lucius, Kevin Galloway continues to build an impressive resume of soul-spiked country tunes. “Don’t It Feel Good to Smile” bounces and sways with svelte slide guitar and twang, while his cover of “You Are So Beautiful” drips with tender passion. His standout song, “Miles and Miles,” sums up what he does best. Crafting catchy down home rock-a-country with power, groove, and emotion so deep it’ll swallow you whole. Check out the showcase and dive in.

Official SX Showcase: March 12 at 9:15 p.m., Mohawk Indoor

8/ Lowin

One of my sneak surprises of 2019, Lowin’s emotion-centered take on the classic indie rock formula is a blessing to the ears. “Sloop’s” tight guitar line and percussion mimic the emotion of a windows-down road trip, while “Ghost of Mine” allows lead vocalist Sara Houser’s sweeping vocals to pierce a fog of grunge guitars and cymbal smash. Pretty yet punchy, tight yet beautifully messy, Lowin dances the line between indie pop and alternative snarl with stunning results.

Official SX Showcase: March 15 at 10 p.m., Friends

9/ Mr. Kitty

Quick confession. Mr. Kitty was destined for this list the minute I heard “After Dark” and fell in love. An insanely prolific producer of goth-wave synth and electro-rock, Kitty packs stirring power and emotion into every track. The aforementioned song pulses with longing along a heavenly haze of key vamps and electric percussion, while “Habits” distills the urgency of Crystal Castles with the vocal flutter of list-mate PASTEL GHOST, to stirring effect. Expect a performance of intensity and beauty.

Official SX Showcase: March 16 at 1 a.m., Valhalla

10/ Night Glitter

 

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Proof Austin is fertile ground for the weird and wonderful, Night Glitter continues to rise in the ranks through simply-structured tapestries of sleepy guitar and ethereal vocals. The exquisite “Tunnels” captures lead vocalist Lou Lou Ghelichkhani’s intoxicating French coo in a web of Eastern guitar and ’60s haze, while “Hangin’ on a Dream” sways and tilts under a blanket of rain-soaked guitars, and a dreary vocal fog. There’s nothing better than when a band satisfies an urge you didn’t know you had. Add Night Glitter to that list of precious few.

Official SX Showcase: March 12 at 9 p.m., Mohawk Outdoor

11/ PASTEL GHOST

 

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A post shared by PASTEL GHOST (@pastel_ghost) on Apr 26, 2017 at 10:58am PDT

For weeks, I debated between Mr. Kitty and PASTEL GHOST to represent Austin’s expansive electronic scene. In the end, I couldn’t choose. Shimmering, evocative vocals gliding above droning bass lines and wavy synth, PASTEL GHOST pens head stories with a witch’s quill dipped in dream pop glitter. The tight production and fervent rhythms of “3NDL3SS” literally summon bodies to the dance floor, while the snarling “Skeleton” incites riots once everyone is there. Sorry not sorry for tipping the list too far in the synth direction. Both acts are too legit to ignore.

Official SX Showcase: March 15 at 12 a.m., Iron Bear

12/ Ruby Jane

To say Ruby Jane is a veteran of the Austin music scene is bizarre given her age. Now 24, the storied local fiddler played the Grand Opry when she was 10, and has performed with everyone from Ray Benson to Willie, and released four records. Now with her band, Ruby & the Reckless, the prodigy blends her pitch-perfect playing with a slick indie rock backbeat that’s a treat to experience. An artist to be commended and celebrated.

Official SXSW Showcase: March 16 at 8 p.m., Coopers BBQ

13/ SMiiLE

Wonderfully weird and nearly unclassifiable, SMiiLE’s musical magicians dash from pleasant day Beatles pop to manic prog/folk numbers in 5/8 time, at will. One minute they’re chainsawing time signatures with the spastic and exuberant “Longer,” the next settling down into “Mystical Experience,” a laid-back sunny day track. Every release from this talented six-piece not only guarantees a crop of mind-expanding new favorites, but a sense of discovery to go along with it.

Official SX Showcase: March 15 (time TBA, as of this writing), 18th Over Austin

14/ Superfónicos

I’ve said it dozens of times, but world music is a bizarre catch-all category. If a group strays outside the lines of conventional classification and buys a set of congas, then into the bucket they go. But Superfónicos is too good, too exuberant, too life-affirming to be placed in a tidy container. A celebration of life, love, and the human need for good vibrations in an increasingly ugly world, Superfónicos’ tapestry of samba, afro-funk, and Latin jazz sends shockwaves of positive energy through anyone lucky enough to be in the blast range. Prepare to be ensnared during this year’s SXSW festival.

Official SX Showcases:

• March 15 (time TBA, as of this writing), Russian House
• March 17 at 11 p.m., Palm Door on Sixth

15/ TC Superstar

Ah, TC. Perhaps my most written about artist in this year’s list, the lads and ladies of this minimalist ’80s-era synth-wave act have earned a permanent residence on my Spotify playlist. “Toyota Corolla” tells a deliciously dark story of an office drone’s mid-life crisis, while “Denial” opens with a far-off house beat and quickly launches into a razor blade sharp collection of key swells and drum pad perfection. Add Connor McCampbell’s entrancingly earnest mumblecore vocals to the equation, and you have a band I absolutely adore and can’t get enough of. Closing the list with a bang!

Official SX Showcase: March 15 at 8 p.m., Hotel Vegas

For the full list of SXSW Music artists, including updated schedules, please visit sxsw.com/festivals/music.

 

@BillTuckerTSP wants to know:

Did I miss one of your favorite Austin bands? Let me know!