Follow the adventures of PRS Foundation’s Laura Whitticase at SXSW as she catches performances of the British Music Abroad funded acts and samples what other great music is on offer.
Thursday 14 March
As Austin welcomes the world’s music industry along with some 2000 bands for another year, it’s time to hit the (dusty) road running. We have supported 20 UK bands to attend this year’s event, all of which I’m hoping to catch at least once, along with a healthy smattering of acts from around the world that everyone’s clamouring to see.
Monday night, shortly after arriving in Austin following a 14 hour journey, I popped along to the Northern Irish night at the British Music Embassy at Latitude 30. To my joy, a favourite of mine from my school days, Tim Wheeler (of Ash), was playing an acoustic set, which was a great way to warm up my ears for the week to come.
Thursday 14 March
As Austin welcomes the world’s music industry along with some 2000 bands for another year, it’s time to hit the (dusty) road running. We have supported 20 UK bands to attend this year’s event, all of which I’m hoping to catch at least once, along with a healthy smattering of acts from around the world that everyone’s clamouring to see.
Monday night, shortly after arriving in Austin following a 14 hour journey, I popped along to the Northern Irish night at the British Music Embassy at Latitude 30. To my joy, a favourite of mine from my school days, Tim Wheeler (of Ash), was playing an acoustic set, which was a great way to warm up my ears for the week to come.
Tuesday started with the collecting delegate passes and the gathering of bearings. Austin is a beautiful and vibrant city and the temperature at this time of year is perfect, hovering somewhere around the mid-twenties. I took a walk over to East 5th and 6th streets to find the notorious Fader Fort (known for its ridiculous swag giveaways and most hyped line-ups) and the 1100 Warehouse, which Spotify and Pitchfork amongst others are calling home for the week.
I then checked into The Great British Breakfast, hosted by UKTI, to find some familiar faces and to watch my first British Music Abroad (BMA) funded act, NZCA/Lines. The trio play tight keyboard-powered, danceable songs with honeyed vocals and more than a hint of eighties pop. A good way to start the day.
In the evening it was back to the British Music Embassy to catch Manchester-based band The 1975, whose synthy eighties infused pop-funk brought the house down. The songs are absurdly catchy whilst simultaneously managing to maintain a sophisticated sound. Sex and You is a sure fire hit, making them contenders in the next wave of guitar bands.
I then checked into The Great British Breakfast, hosted by UKTI, to find some familiar faces and to watch my first British Music Abroad (BMA) funded act, NZCA/Lines. The trio play tight keyboard-powered, danceable songs with honeyed vocals and more than a hint of eighties pop. A good way to start the day.
In the evening it was back to the British Music Embassy to catch Manchester-based band The 1975, whose synthy eighties infused pop-funk brought the house down. The songs are absurdly catchy whilst simultaneously managing to maintain a sophisticated sound. Sex and You is a sure fire hit, making them contenders in the next wave of guitar bands.
After the thrill of The 1975 it was off to Buffalo Billiards to catch the sleazy riff driven blues of Seattle duo My Goodness. The stripped down guitar/drum combo is definitely reminiscent of The Black Keys, but their songs are heavier and very high octane.
Onto Wednesday, where the clear highlight was the much hyped (deservedly so) Kendrick Lamar show at 1100 Warehouse hosted by Spotify. The hazy beatscapes combined with his reflective lyrical content makes for an emotive performance, the music feeling sundrenched by his native California. He’s calm and composed as he thanks the crowd for sticking with him ‘from the beginning’ between tracks and he cuts a diminutive figure, low on bling high on conviction. Something tells me this is only the beginning of Kendrick Lamar’s story.
Onto Wednesday, where the clear highlight was the much hyped (deservedly so) Kendrick Lamar show at 1100 Warehouse hosted by Spotify. The hazy beatscapes combined with his reflective lyrical content makes for an emotive performance, the music feeling sundrenched by his native California. He’s calm and composed as he thanks the crowd for sticking with him ‘from the beginning’ between tracks and he cuts a diminutive figure, low on bling high on conviction. Something tells me this is only the beginning of Kendrick Lamar’s story.
