SXSW, the annual music conference in Austin, Texas, is upon us.
Actually… it is upon someone else. Our blog editor isn’t going this year. But we’re ok with that, thanks to the musically intrepid blogger Diana Miller of the excellent site I LISTEN TO EVERYTHING. Today, Diana guest blogs for us and offers up an exclusive playlist for Rugby readers of all the songs you don’t need to see live at SouthBy. Feeling better? We are.
Guest Blogger Diana Miller of I LISTEN TO EVERYTHING:
It's pretty obvious to anyone who knows me or is familiar with I LISTEN TO EVERYTHING that I love music. I love everything about it. I love listening to music, seeing live music, talking about music and most of all I love discovering new music.
Knowing this about me, one might assume that SXSW would be my kind of heaven. And I might have agreed with you… up until I experienced the reality of actually being there.
Don’t get me wrong: if you know what to expect (and wear the right shoes), SouthBy can be a fantastic and fun experience. But while it’s no secret that SXSW features the hottest, most buzzed-about artists from all over the world, what they don't tell you is that they’re all playing at the same time. For every one band you see, there are five you are missing. Kanye doing a surprise DJ turn at the Fader Fort? Pretty much impossible to get into. And if and when you do get in, it's pretty much guaranteed that it will be too crowded to enjoy.
Going to SXSW is kind of like seeing the ball drop from Time Square on New Year’s Eve. Even though you had a great time, you can’t help but wonder if it was worth all the effort.
Which is all to say, you don’t have to feel left out if you’re not headed to Austin this week.
Luckily, long gone are the days when attending a festival like SXSW was the only way to discover the bands you’ll be listening to for the next 12 months. In the age of the internet, there are much better ways. Like me telling you.
See below for Diana's SXSW track list and stream it here.
When I’m Small - Phantogram
Sun of a Gun - Oh Land
Guilty Filthy Soul - AWOLNATION
Harmonix - Surfer Blood
Skinny Genes - Eliza Doolittle
Weekend - Smith Westerns
Colours (Captain Cuts Remix) - GroupLove
Roll on Babe - Vetiver
Blood - The Dears
Our Hearts Are Wrong - Jessica Lea Mayfield
Marathon - Tennis
Devils Hearts Grow Gold - La Sera
Still Sound - Toro Y Moi
The Curse - Josh Ritter
Helena Beat - Foster the People
100 Other Lovers - DeVotchka
Crow’s Nest - Plan B
Can’t Tell Me Nothing - Francis and the Lights
Dead Sound - The Raveonettes
Snow & Taxis - Gold Panda