Best Bands at SXSW 2024

1 month ago 2

OK, put this in the category of “Better Late Than Never”. The good people at SXSW Command Central are already gearing up for SXSW 2025, collecting applications for showcase slots from prospective bands.

SXSW 2024 was a bit of a mess, and frankly I’ve been too ticked off to give credit where it’s due: to the bands who actually showed up, played great music, and gave us plenty of tremendous entertainment.

As to all the bands who boycotted SXSX 2024 to make their political statements and fouled up everybody’s show schedule, you blew a wonderful opportunity to get in front of thousands of live music fans who came a long way to see you perform.

But enough of my grousing. As usual, SXSW was loaded with talent, with hundreds if not thousands of bands from all over the world, across widely different genres.

Before the festival, I scoured the entire Official SXSW 2024 Playlist to sort out the bands that most interested me. Over six days, I checked out some 40–50 shows. Some bands were worth seeing twice, so I did.

Here are my favorite bands from this year’s performances.

King Nun

King Nun was the single best thing to hit the venues of SXSW. Their energy, passion, and rock-out style was truly breathtaking. UK punk style, loud and brash with killer hooks. Check out cuts Golden Age and Bug to get a sense of what they’re about. I love ‘em.

The Silver Lines

Another group from England, The Silver Lines caught my attention with their single Hotel Room, a catchy pop-rock tune that showed up on my Spotify radar. The rest of their set was great, too, with Cocaine and Watch Yourself Boy as a couple other highlights. Give a listen.

NOBRO

This all-girl band from Toronto is a very updated girrrl punk foursome with plenty of feminism and attitude. They blasted out sets at Swan Dive and Chess Club that capped off some late evenings, but their energy made it easy to hang with. Check out A.I. Sexbot and Let’s Do Drugs to show what they’ve got. Their album “Set Your Pussy Free” gives you a sense of how shy and demure these women are.

Spyres

Scottish foursome Spyres reminded me a bit of The Joy Formidable, with a sweet-and-powerchord style that I loved. Best cuts were Otherside and See Through You.

Frank Turner

Frank Turner is a class act. He’s a passionate entertainer, a real crowd-pleaser with an upbeat, vibrant style. Kinda like an English version of Bruce Springsteen, with more energy. Backed by The Sleeping Souls, he puts on a terrific show, and was one of the hottest tickets at SXSW 2024.

I waited to see him on a massive line outside one of the worst managed venues in the history of SXSW, the Parish, only to be denied entry to a clearly over-subscribed show. But before I left that god-forsaken venue, rumors swirled that Frank Turner had added another show that evening, over at The British Embassy, a beautiful outdoor venue. He graciously filled in a spot left open by one of the SXSW-boycotting bands. Too bad for them. Great for me.

His show was excellent, and he himself is a real treat. He tours passionately, just finishing show 2,953 (by his count) in San Pedro, California. He’s also a passionate do-gooder, involved in countless charity and social causes.

Here’s a post that shows off a few brief clips of these five bands.

While I was at SXSW, I put together daily highlight reels of the performances I saw each day, and posted them on Instagram. Below are the links to those highlight reels, and the bands featured in them.

Monday, March 11

Water Damage

The Silver Lines

Daydream Twins

The Oxys

Winona Fighter

Tuesday, March 12

Bodega

Gus Baldwin And The Sketch

The Oxys

Girl And Girl

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