SXSW Preview: 8 area bands headed to Austin

This week, thousands will converge on Austin, Texas.

Not just thousands of people, but thousands of bands.

Some 2,000 bands will be there for South by Southwest (abbreviated as “SXSW”), an enormous annual music festival. That number will include eight area groups.

Thousands more people will fill the bars and clubs on Sixth Street (and elsewhere) to hit day parties, concerts and showcases. That number will include scores of Midlanders — Saddle Creek Records executives and workers, band followers and just indie music fans out for a good time.

SXSW was organized in 1987 to get bands and music industry employees into otherwise-isolated Texas to meet, play music and do business. It has grown from 700 registrants in that first year to nearly 12,000. In 1994, it added film and interactive media components and now lasts nearly two weeks.

The festival attracts musicians, fans, publicists, press, booking agents and record label employees alike, resulting in record deals for some groups and increased exposure for others — and creating contacts and new relationships for just about everyone.

Like many other labels, Saddle Creek Records does a lot of business at SXSW. Some bands the label has encountered at the festival, such as the Rural Alberta Advantage, have released albums through the label.

Omaha bands have been attending the festival for years. For example, Little Brazil will make its fifth appearance there this year. While the group is already on Anodyne Records, performing at the festival could create new fans, or a blogger or reporter could catch a performance and promote the group, band members have said.

The five-day festival will feature nearly everything from dirty garage rock to hip-hop and folk to pop rock.

Brimstone Howl
With fuzzed-out guitars and washed-out vocals, Brimstone Howl is normally considered garage rock. But the band branched out a bit on its last record and introduced different kinds of instrumentation and melody.

Thursday
>> 11:30 p.m. at Jaime's (Blackout Booking showcase)
Saturday
>> 2 a.m. at Trailer Space
>> 5:30 p.m. at Cheapo Discs
Sunday
>> 2 a.m. at Trailer Space

Digital Leather
Synthesizers and guitar dominate the wall of noise coming from rock band Digital Leather, which released “Warm Brother” in 2009. It’s the band’s first time at SXSW.

Thursday
>> 4 p.m. at Beerland
Friday
>> 4:45 p.m. at Beerland
>> 8 p.m. at the Mohawk Patio
Saturday
>> 6 p.m. at Club Primos
Sunday
>> 11:45 p.m. at Beerland

Eagle Seagull
The wait for Eagle Seagull’s sophomore album, “The Year of the How-To Book,” continues, but the noisy dance rock band will try to drum up some hype with one SXSW performance. After that, the band heads out on its fourth tour of Europe, where the album is already out.

Thursday
>> 9 p.m. at the Ghost Room

Little Brazil
Staying true to its ’90s-ish college rock style, Little Brazil released “Son” last year, which told the story of a family and all its ups and downs. Maybe the hardest-working band in Omaha, Little Brazil will be at SXSW for the fifth time.

Thursday
>> 4:15 p.m. at The Jackalope (Anodyne Records Showcase)
Friday
>> 10 p.m. at The Wave

The Mynabirds
Formerly of Saddle Creek Records band Georgie James, Laura Burhenn wrote a group of songs with tinges of gospel, country and soul. She recorded those songs in Oregon with some Omaha friends, and named the project The Mynabirds.

Thursday
>> 4:30 p.m. at Dominican Joe (Supply & Demand day party)
>> 10 p.m. at Maggie Mae’s Gibson Room (Saddle Creek Showcase)
Friday
>> 3:15 p.m. at Design Within Reach (Everloving day party)
Saturday
>> 12:20 p.m. at Red Eyed Fly (Coffee? No Pants! party)
>> 3:30 p.m. at Red Fez (Brightest Young Things day party)

Thunder Power
The folks in Thunder Power are the purveyors of melodic, folky pop songs. “Take A Hike,” in particular, will really get your head bobbing. The group has the kind of fun pop music that’s gotten notice at SXSW in past years (the band Pains of Being Pure At Heart comes to mind).

Saturday
>> 3:45 p.m. at Lovey’s Loot
>> 8 p.m. at Mi Casa Cantina

UUVVWWZ
UUVVWWZ — pronounced “double ‘U,’ double ‘V,’ double ‘W,’ ‘Z’” — plays an avant rock style that is a mix of blues, punk and jazz. This band will work hard at the festival, playing five showcases and parties over a few days.

Wednesday
>> 5:30 p.m. at Spider House (Brooklyn Vegan/AnSo day party)
Thursday
>> 11 p.m. at Maggie Mae’s Gibson Room (Saddle Creek Showcase)
Friday
>> 5:15 p.m. at Chain Drive (Chaos in Tejas party)
Saturday
>> 3:30 p.m. at Spider House (Panache/NY Nightrain party)
>> Time unknown at Music Gym (Skope Mag Party)

It’s True
One of the most buzzed-about bands in Omaha, It’s True is sometimes-folky rock. This will be its first time at SXSW. The group is headed to Texas without a record label. Will it find one? It’s possible. Saddle Creek Records, for example, has made deals with bands after seeing them at SXSW.

Friday
>> 7 p.m. at BD Riley’s
Saturday
>> 2 p.m. at Lovey’s Loot

Contact the writer:

444-1557, kevin.coffey@owh.com

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