While colossal European-style destination festivals like Coachella and Bonnaroo have been all the rage in recent years, there’s still no better place to experience live music than in a dimly lit club — and the annual South By Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas, delivers that in spades.
This year’s installment begins Wednesday, and will feature more than 1,800 musical acts of every conceivable genre playing some 80 venues throughout downtown Austin.
The primary mission of the festival is to expose new and emerging acts, and there are few better events for doing just that; this year’s lineup includes performances by the likes of Glasvegas, Vivian Girls, Dead Confederate and Black Lips.
Yet SXSW also draws a good number of veteran acts, and this year’s no exception.
Among the ’80s vets on the bill next week are Peter Murphy of Bauhaus, Primal Scream, the Violent Femmes’ Gordon Gano, Meat Puppets, the recently reunited That Petrol Emotion and Dinosaur Jr.
Echo and the Bunnymen, due to release The Fountain later this year, are slated to play at least three official showcase sets during the fest.
And Perry Farrell’s on the schedule, too, although it’s unclear whether that means he’ll be doing a Satellite Party gig, a DJ set… or, as fans no doubt will speculate, perhaps hosting a secret Jane’s Addiction show. (The re-reunited band, after all, is playing a special, invite-only SXSW gig on Thursday.)
Below is a list of official SXSW showcases of note (day parties and other off-schedule performances not included):
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18
- Circle Jerks, Emo’s Main Stage; 10 p.m.
- Echo and the Bunnymen, Emo’s Main Stage; 12:30 a.m.
THURSDAY, MARCH 19
- Peter Murphy, Elysium; 7 p.m.
- Meat Puppets, Stubb’s BBQ; 9 p.m.
- Primal Scream, Cedar Street Courtyard; 12:30 a.m.
- That Petrol Emotion, Elysium; 1 a.m.
- Gordon Gano and the Ryan Brothers, The Parish Downstairs; 1 a.m.
FRIDAY, MARCH 20
- Proclaimers, La Zona Rosa; 10:30 p.m.
- Devo, Austin Music Hall; 12 a.m.
- Dinosaur Jr, Cedar Street Courtyard; 12:45 a.m.
- Primal Scream, La Zona Rosa; 12:45 a.m.
SATURDAY, MARCH 21
- Echo and the Bunnymen, Austin Convention Center; 5 p.m.
- Lou Barlow, w/ Imaad Wasif, The Parish; 10 p.m.
- Proclaimers, Creekside at Hilton Garden Inn 11 p.m.
- Echo and the Bunnymen, Rusty Spurs; 12 a.m.
- Perry Farrell, Pangea; 12:30 a.m.
Full SXSW schedule available here.
