17 Bands To See At SXSW 2017 - Oh My Rockness

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17 Bands To See At SXSW 2017

These buzzy bands won't let you down in Austin. Go see them early, often.

March 1, 2017

Written by Patrick McNamara

SXSW moves pretty fast.

If you don't stop and look around every once in awhile, you could miss it.

So this feature is us trying to be helpful.

Among the hundreds of musical acts going down to Texas this mid-March here are seventeen bands we think you should really try to stop and see.

We tried to avoid mentioning the big bands (your Spoons and such) because what fun is telling someone they should go see Spoon at SXSW. It's 2017 A.D. At this point you're either going to see Spoon or you're not going to see Spoon. There is no try.

Our seventeen buzz bands below are listed in no particular order. Number seventeen buzzes just as much as buzz number one.

The alphabetical thing is just a fantastic coincidence.

17 Super Good Bands To See at SXSW 2017

1. Cherry Glazerr

Have you heard Cherry Glazerr's new album? It rules.

Indie psych dream punk never sounded better.

Seeing these Californians shred SXSW would not be the wrong move. You heard it here FOURTH.

Find Cherry Glazerr shows during SXSW

2. Delicate Steve

"Delicate" Steve Marion has been making uplifting instrumental rock anthems for a bit.

If you've never seen him bring joy to a small room this would be a fantastic time to do that. His new album "This Is Steve" was just released (it's really great) and he'll be playing a bunch of jams from it (and hopefully this solid gold classic DS cut too).

Here's a ripper to whet your appetite for more jams-induced jubilation.

Find Delicate Steve shows during SXSW

3. Dude York

Dude York is a massive indie rock band from Seattle.

Well, they're not really all that massive... yet.... but their soaring melodies sure sound alt radio station radio ready to me.

If you like Wolf Parade* give this band your best chance.

Watch this new jam from Dude York's album " Sincerely" on Hardly Art (Hardly Starving).

*Oh My Rockness comparing bands to Wolf Parade in 2017 A.D. LOL

Find Dude York shows during SXSW

4. Forth Wanderers

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We've been big fans of this Montclair, NJ indie rock crew since at least September 21st, 2015 A.D.

Forth Wanderers had a prominent jam on our Best Songs of 2016 A.D. feature too.

This blob has been with this band all the way.

And now in 2017 A.D.... it's the rest of the world's turn.

Find Forth Wanderers shows during SXSW

5. Ron Gallo

Ron Gallo and his band play rock and roll. That's just how Nashville do*.

Think dirty yelp-y thunderous good shit.

Don't take my word for it, blast this jam from his new record "Heavy Meta" (best album title ever, man) and you'll wanna go see this dude. Bet.

*Wikipedia tells me Nashville also dabbles in country music but this is the first I've heard of that

Find Ron Gallo shows during SXSW

6. Hiccup

Brooklyn's Hiccup play short poppy poppy poppy punk songs that will quickly improve your mood.

Fun fact: co-songwriters / vocalists Alex & Haille are also members of comic Chris Gethard's house band on his TV show. Fun!

Go see them play, perhaps when you want to get rid rid of your sluggish attitude brought upon by eating too much delicious BBQ.

Find Hiccup shows during SXSW

7. Jay Som

Jay Som is the lush lo-fi pop project of San Francisco's Melina Duterte.

Think strong catchy melodies being pleasantly sung and strummed before totally rocking out and you wouldn't be thinking wrong.

Jay Som has played recent shows with Mitski and Japanese Breakfast so if you like either (you should - they both rule) you will probably like this too.

Love some songs from Jay Som's new album "Everybody Works" (released: March 10, 2017 A.D.).

Find Jay Som shows during SXSW

8. Jurassic Shark

Jurassic Shark is a super solid lo-fi jingle-jangle bedroom punk band from Monrovia, California.

Since forming sometime circa 2014 A.D. the band has played a whole pretty mess of high energy shows at mostly punk places around L.A.

(actually, we listed twenty of their shows on OMR LA last year and they earned a spot on our LA's Hardest-Working Bands of 2016 list)

Listen to Jurassic Shark's EP "Blue School" below to get a good sense of what you're in for.

(spoiler: you're in for fun)

Find Jurassic Shark shows during SXSW

9. Meat Wave

Chicago's Meat Wave play thick melodic punk rock.

RIYL: hmmm.... maybe PUP? (they're on the same record label anyway)

Listen to Meat Wave's new album. According to this humble DIY music blob it's one of this year's meatiest so far.

Find Meat Wave shows during SXSW

10. Noname

Noname* is a poet / rapper from Chicago.

(Noname does have a name -- it's Fatimah Warner and she rules.)

Think dope flow meets laid-back jazzy beats meets zero fucks given.

Listen to her fantastic self-released debut album below. It's chill like that.

And then go see her speak the truth from the stage.

Find Noname shows during SXSW

11. PWR BTTM

Please note: PWR BTTM rules.

Find PWR BTTM shows during SXSW

12. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever (C.F. if you prefer) is a jingle jangle garage pop band from Melbourne. God, they're good.

Their debut USA EP " The French Press" is coming out via Seattle's Sup Pod (sp?) Records. Below is a big time pop jam from that sparkling album.

Please listen to it and then go see Rolling Blackouts Costal Fever (C.F. to their mates) play at your earliest convenience.

RIYL: Royal Headache, Courtney Barnett, Parquet Courts, Total Control, Dick Diver,Twerps, Eddy Current Suppression Ring

Find Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever shows during SXSW

13. Savoy Motel

Savoy Motel is a good lo-fi band from Nashville.

Think fresh. Think funky. Think punk. Think spunky.

Think groovy, baby.

Go see them and then later send me a thank you note for suggesting this band to you.

Find Savoy Motel shows during SXSW

14. She-Devils

This Montreal duo play '60s inspired haze pop that goes great with catching rays or relaxing on the comedown.

Secretly Canadian liked their mood so much they were like "we want to sign you."

So they did.

Find She-Devils shows during SXSW

15. Surf Curse

Surf Curse is a lo-fi garage pop duo from Los Angeles.

Think jingle. Think jangle. Think haze. Think waves.

Think punk melodies you'll actually remember.

Here are some bands they might sound like ---> Surf City, Japandroids, Cherry Glazerr, Parquet Courts, Terry Malts, Royal Headache

The band's latest album is called "Nothing Yet" and it's really good.

Go see them play songs from it. It's the wise thing to do.

Find Surf Curse shows during SXSW

16. Thick

This 100% fun Brooklyn band totally shreds.

(they closed our Hardest-Working Bands of 2016 show in NYC and turned punk rock into a raging dance party)

Go see them play. You will have a good time. Guaranteed.*

*guarantee not a guarantee as everybody's tastes are different but if u don't have a good time it's best if we spent some time apart

Find Thick shows during SXSW

17. Vagabon

The super talented singer / writer / producer / multi-instrumentalist Laetitia Tamko is Vagabon.

The NYC artist creates strong pop songs -- sometimes they're quiet -- sometimes they punk. Whichever way they go. They always sound dope.

Vagabon just played two sold-out NYC shows. You should have an easier time getting in at SXSW.

Don't let these chances pass you by.

Find Vagabon shows during SXSW

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