Denton gets tuned up for NX35

The ritual, springtime congregation of the music industry in Austin -- better known as South by Southwest -- is upon us.

Every year, the bounty of bands from all over the globe overflows into the surrounding region, but this year, the selection of sounds is even more rich. The weekend prior to SXSW, Denton will be overtaken by the ambitious upstart gathering NX35.

The four-day music festival and mini-conference (or "conferette," if you prefer) began life as a day party down in Austin but last year expanded into its current form.

More than 160 bands, many of which hail from Dallas, Fort Worth or Denton, will perform at a handful of venues, highlighted by a March 13 extravaganza at the North Texas Fairgrounds featuring Oklahoma psych-art-poppers The Flaming Lips.

Between NX35 and the SXSW "overflow" bands, you can almost approximate the experience of roaming around Austin and enjoying a wide variety of music.

Grab your calendars, gas up and get ready for wall-to-wall shows. For more info on SXSW, visit sxsw.com. For more info on NX35, visit NX35.com.

SXSW overflow

Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights

(March 13, Granada Theater, Dallas): This Dallas soul-rock outfit is readying its major-label debut, Pardon Me, for release this spring. Tyler and company have honed their particular brand of skuzzy-sexy music to a T; if these guys can't get a party started, then there's probably no hope. After this hometown date, look for the fellas on Jimmy Kimmel Live on March 31 and at Bonnaroo this summer.

Maldita Vecindad

(March 15, House of Blues, Dallas): The band's full name, La Maldita Vecindad y los Hijos del Quinto Patio (The Damned Neighborhood and the Sons of the Fifth Patio), is typically just reduced to Maldita Vecindad. These Mexico City ska-reggae-punk rockers, known for their explosive live shows, are one of several dozen bands from south of the border that will play this year's SXSW. They released a new album, Circular Colectivo, last year.

Surfer Blood

(March 15, Granada Theater, Dallas): Floridians with a knack for blending Dick Dale surf guitar with Shins-like melodies, Surfer Blood is poised to be one of 2010's breakout indie-rock stars. The group's debut, Astro Coast, is steadily racking up rave reviews; grab a chance to see the band in a relatively intimate space -- it might not be so cozy on the return trip.

Mayer Hawthorne and the County

(March 16, The Loft at Palladium Ballroom, Dallas): Detroit native Hawthorne channels vintage soul to a spooky degree. Forget the hip, neo-soul groups like the Budos Band; Hawthorne probably makes Smokey Robinson pinch himself and ask what year it is. Hawthorne's magnificently textured debut, A Magnificent Arrangement, is a must for your next soiree.

The Low Anthem

(March 17, Granada Theater, Dallas): Judging from glances at year-end lists around the country, the Low Anthem's criminally overlooked Oh My God, Charlie Darwin was one of 2009's best-kept secrets. This folk-inclined Rhode Island quartet delivered a knockout blow of a single (Charlie Darwin) that is singularly haunting and visceral in its execution. The band has been through before, but don't miss it this time.

Muse

(March 17, Fort Worth Convention Center): Scaled down a bit from their last visit -- opening for U2 at Cowboys Stadium -- but no less epic, British rockers Muse continue to flog their latest record, The Resistance, to American audiences that have embraced Matthew Bellamy and company to some degree (the group did play Saturday Night Live last year).

Ray Davies

(March 17, Palladium Ballroom, Dallas): Look, all you need to know is that this man, with the Kinks, delivered some of rock 'n' roll's most iconic riffs: You Really Got Me; All Day and All of the Night; Lola ... need we continue? A chance to see Davies, laid low by a mugging a few years ago but still kicking, ply his trade with a youthful verve is an unmissable opportunity.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

(March 18, House of Blues, Dallas): Los Angeles psych-rock trio Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (or BRMC, as the kids call 'em) drops its sixth studio album, Beat the Devil's Tattoo, on Tuesday. They'll play Austin during SXSW before continuing on through America and Europe to support the fresh tunes.

Telegraph Canyon

(March 21, Lola's Saloon Sixth, Fort Worth): Fort Worth dynamos Telegraph Canyon have a few SXSW shows lined up, but return home after the fest for their first hometown gig in a while. The Chris Johnson-led collective continues to tour in support of last year's magical The Tide and the Current.

Bro Fest 2010

(March 21, Double Wide, Dallas): The tireless John Iskander has rebranded his South by South-flesh mini-fest with the, well, odd tag of "Bro Fest." That doesn't mean he has skimped one bit on the lineup, which features the Soft Pack, among many others, playing one of Big D's cozier bars. For those who want the Austin atmosphere without the few hours' drive, look no further.

Ten to talk about from NX35

Jessie Frye

(Thursday, Banter): An Arlington singer-songwriter with a talent for twisting sweet melodies into songs tinged with sourness, Frye is working to complete an as-yet-untitled EP for release this year.

RTB2

(Thursday, Dan's Silver Leaf): Ryan Thomas Becker (the RTB in the name) and Grady Don Sandlin (the, uh, 2?) make kinetic garage-soul rock that shakes the earth and moves your hips. The pair released a new EP, In the Fleshed, last year.

Seryn

(Thursday, Sweetwater Grill & Tavern): Currently working on a full-length debut for release this year, this Denton outfit is one of the buzziest bands in the region. Thanks to folk-flecked compositions and powerful harmonies, Seryn is fast becoming a must-see.

Sarah Jaffe

(March 12, Dan's Silver Leaf): With an opening stint for Midlake under her belt and dates set with Norah Jones, this Denton songstress should be sitting on top of the world. And that's all before her tremendous full-length debut, Suburban Nature, hits stores in May. See her now before she lights out for the big time.

Bridges & Blinking Lights

(March 12, Cold Fusion Lounge): Jake Wilganowski and company have an excellent new record, the Matt Pence-produced Heroes, Guns & Snakes, and a tremendous stage show to match. Don't be thrown by the slight shift away from the shoe-gaze impulses of the band's 2007 debut, Standing on the Same Stick. It's the same band, just meatier and more epic.

The Flaming Lips

(March 13, North Texas Fairgrounds): Oklahoma oddballs The Flaming Lips have been weirding out crowds for more than 20 years and one senses that they're just getting warmed up. Last year, led by hippie shaman Wayne Coyne, the Lips released Embryonic, a double-disc dip into colossal weirdness.

Telegraph Canyon

(March 13, Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios): Busy as always, the Fort Worth folk-rockers continue to push The Tide and the Current in front of as many people as possible. Frequent guests of Denton crowds, expect this particular showcase to be pretty packed.

Midlake

(March 13, North Texas Fairgrounds): Opening up for the Lips are hometown heroes Midlake, themselves enjoying the recent release of The Courage of Others, a hotly anticipated follow-up to the breakout The Trials of Van Occupanther. With a healthy stint of European touring behind them, Tim Smith and the boys are focused on winning American hearts and minds this summer.

Smile Smile

(March 14, the Boiler Room): Perhaps you've heard of this Dallas duo, ex-lovers who've made a record about the messy aftermath of their relationship? It's called Truth on Tape and Ryan Hamilton and Jencey Hirunrusme don't spare the bile -- or the shimmering folk-pop confections that make the whole nasty mess go down smooth.

Neon Indian

(March 14, Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios): Alan Palomo, the brains behind this Denton/Austin and soon-to-be-Brooklyn "chillwave" outfit, recently made quite the splash on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. Armed with tunes from last year's Psychic Chasms, Palomo will warm up in Denton before attacking SXSW for a slew of shows.

Preston Jones is the Star-Telegram pop music critic, 817-390-7713