After nearly two years of virtual-only programming to reduce the spread of COVID-19, South by Southwest Conference and Festival is back with a jammed-packed in-person* lineup! With a keynote address by Grammy award-nominated singer, guitarist, and New York Times bestselling author of Crying in H Mart, Japanese Breakfast (Michelle Zauner) the nine-day event kicking off on Friday, March 11 will feature dozens of panels, film screenings, and music showcases.
Although the schedule is posted on the festival’s official website with that many events to scroll through we curated a list of our top 25 recommendations of music concerts or showcases featuring indie musicians you should check out. Do you have any recommendations of shows to check out at this year’s South by Southwest Conference & Festival? Comment below!
*According to the city of Austin’s department of public health, the number of reported Covid-19 infections within the city has significantly decreased. In a statement posted on their official website, the SXSW team has taken a health pledge to ensure the safety of attendees, talent, staff, and Austin residents. To view their full guidelines, click here.
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
Artist: Sunflower Bean
Set time 12:00 am – 12:40 am
Venue: Cheer Up Charlie’s
New York trio Sunflower Bean—vocalist and bassist Julia Cumming (she/her), guitarist and vocalist Nick Kivlen (he/him), and drummer Olive Faber (she/they)—released their sophomore album Twentytwo in Blue in 2018, which skyrocketed to the UK’s Top 40, and quickly followed it with 2019’s King of the Dudes EP, which saw the band’s Triple A debut with “Come For Me.” Now, three years later, the band returns with their long-awaited third studio album. Headful of Sugar will be released on May 6 via Mom + Pop, and follows Sunflower Bean navigating the agony and ecstasy of contemporary American life. “Tomorrow is not promised, no tour is promised, no popularity is promised, no health or money is promised,” bassist/vocalist Julia Cumming says. “Why not make what you want to make on your own terms? Why not make a record that makes you want to dance? Why not make a record that makes you want to scream?” A psychedelic headrush designed to be played loud with the windows down, Headful of Sugar features songwriting collaborations with the likes of Shamir, Suzy Shinn, and Jacob Portrait (who also produced, mixed and co-engineered the record with Faber).
Artist: FRANKIIE
Presented by: Double Denim Management / Paper Bag Records
Set time 8:30 pm – 9:10 pm
Venue: Swan Dive
With shows from Mexico City to Haida Gwaii, the US East Coast to UK festivals, to spending dedicated hours in the studio, the journey of Vancouver-based FRANKIIE has been far-reaching not only geographically, but also introspectively. Forget Your Head, their Paper Bag Records debut harnesses messages of self-love and discovery against a dreamy indie-rock soundscape.
Forget Your Head took shape as FRANKIIE took the opportunity to push themselves as artists – claiming space on the international touring circuit, and writing in intimate sessions off the grid before recording with Jason Corbett of ACTORS at his Jacknife Sound studio. As touring and shows took a MAJOR pause, FRANKIIE spent most of 2020-2021 writing and recording their forthcoming full-length record, set for release in fall 2022.
Artist: Madison McFerrin
Presented by: Zone 6 / Audiofemme
Set time 9:15 pm – 9:45 pm
Venue: St. David’s Historic Sanctuary
Madison McFerrin is an independent musician based in Brooklyn, NY. Her critically acclaimed a cappella EP series, Finding Foundations, led Questlove to dub her sound “soul-appella.” Despite COVID canceling her return to SXSW and 2020 touring plans, Madison continued to develop her artistry. Quarantine gave her time to hone the production skills showcased on “Hindsight” and her viral track, ”GUILTY,” which perfectly captured the mood of joy and relief following the George Floyd verdict. In 2022, Madison eagerly anticipates sharing more new music with the world.
Artist: Seratones
Set time 11:00 pm – 11:40 pm
Venue: Cheer Up Charlie’s
An Interstellar synthesis of Astral Soul. R&B, and Sci-fi Funk. Known for their exemplary live shows, Seratones return to SXSW 2022 to bring you a collision of explosive abandon and nuanced restraint that blur the lines between sugary Doo-Wop and distorted gospel, between Ronnie Spector pop and Audre Lorde poetics, transforming existential dread into dance floor ecstasy, channeling Prince’s unequivocal sensualism painting pleasure and power as two sides of the same coin.
