The music industry's annual pilgrimage is upon us.
South by Southwest, revered and maligned in seemingly equal measure, is a yearly grab bag of bands and a glimpse at where the business has been and is headed. SXSW also serves as a yardstick of sorts for the music scenes scattered throughout Texas. While Austin's musicians are included out of proportion to other, larger cities (Dallas or Houston), it certainly seems that North Texas, in particular, has been sending a steady, if not slightly growing, number of artists south over the past few years.
The 2010 edition of SXSW, which gets under way Wednesday, promises the most robust assemblage of local musicians yet. Never mind the officially sanctioned showcases; there are dozens of North Texas bands performing at unofficial day parties and gatherings during the five-day festival. One such shindig, Friday's amusingly titled "Fort Wizard Grab Bag" party at Dominican Joe Coffee Shop on South Congress Avenue, features 24 acts, nearly all of which hail from Fort Worth.
Out of the many groups and performers making the trek down Interstate 35, here are 10 primed to make an impact.
For the North Texas lineup at SXSW, see Page 6E
The Burning Hotels
This Fort Worth foursome made the trip last year and slayed its unofficial showcase. Doling out post-punk gems (the irresistible Austin's Birthday, for instance) from its forthcoming full-length debut, Novels (out April 27), the Hotels are a last-minute addition to the official SXSW party this year, but knowing Chance Morgan and the fellas, they will make the most of this slot. Pummeling rhythms, frenetic riffs and howled lyrics about love and alienation are the Hotels' trademark; there's a better than good chance the unfamiliar will walk out as newly converted fans. (Jaime's, 1 a.m. Wednesday)
Complete
Veterans of the Fort Worth club scene, this hard rock quartet, which rebooted in earnest in June 2008, features its funky, slightly menacing sound (the grinding, gloomy Hoogie Boogie Land, depending upon your tastes, will either entice or repel you). The lineup has changed over the course of Complete's existence -- frontman Curt has been joined by Creecher, Marcus and Dr. Feelgood -- and the band is also reportedly finishing work on a documentary chronicling its history. Complete will be filming some of its SXSW showcase, too. (Dirty Dog Bar, 10 p.m. Saturday)
Eisley
Freed from its major label contract this year, this Tyler twee-pop collective can turn its attention to finalizing the follow-up to 2007's critically adored but commercially overlooked Combinations. To tide fans over, the DuPrees released the Fire Kite EP in late 2009 and also unveiled Sherri DuPree's startlingly beautiful cover of Fleetwood Mac's Silver Spring online. In a Feb. 12 MySpace blog post, the band promised that a new, as-yet-untitled record is nigh: "The new record is being edited/mixed. We will get it to you one way or another ... this year. And we'll tour it. Sound good?" (Maggie Mae's Rooftop, 1 a.m. Thursday)
Jessie Frye
Another SXSW vet who made quite a mark at last year's festival, this fearsomely talented, Dallas-based singer-songwriter (she previously made her home in Arlington) is wrapping up work on a new, as-yet-untitled, five-song EP, recorded with ubiquitous producer John Congleton. Her smoldering, keenly felt, piano-based pop (see: Birthmark) pulls you in close; Frye is playing multiple gigs in Austin this year -- always a promising sign -- and should connect with fans of Fiona Apple or Tori Amos. (The Hideout, 8 p.m. Thursday)
Sarah Jaffe
If you pay any attention to the local scene, Jaffe's name should be familiar by now. The mesmerizing Denton singer-songwriter is readying her exquisite full-length debut, Suburban Nature, for release in May on Dallas-based label Kirtland Records, but she has already had an incredibly busy year. She has opened for Midlake and Norah Jones (Jaffe will join Jones for a May 4 Dallas show) and has racked up plenty of breathless praise from music critics across the country, including a nod from Rolling Stone. Jaffe's showcase should be the latest in a series of deeply felt, tremendously gifted performances. (St. David's Historic Sanctuary, 8 p.m. Thursday)
Kenny and the Kasuals (and other Fort Worth/Dallas garage-rock bands)
North Texas (and Fort Worth in particular) has a rich heritage of kids grabbing guitars and heading to the garage to make a racket. The '60s boomlet of garage-rock bands (T Bone Burnett and Don Henley are among those who got their start strumming next to the family sedan) was recently profiled by Michael Hall in Texas Monthly, which, coincidentally, is hosting a showcase exclusively devoted to bands like Dallas' Kenny and the Kasuals and Bridgeport's the Green Fuz at the Continental Club. There will be plenty of three-chord blasts from the past to help put the upstarts in perspective. (Continental Club, Saturday)
Midlake
Fresh from its latest long-player, The Courage of Others, and a successful European jaunt (plus opening for the Flaming Lips at this year's NX35), Denton's folk-worshipping Midlake is having an extraordinarily active 2010. The band continues promoting the new record with a sure-to-be-packed set in Austin; Tim Smith and friends make music best appreciated amid calm and quiet, so it may be a battle between the band and typically chat-happy SXSW crowds for supremacy. (Buffalo Billiards, 11 p.m. Thursday)
Neon Indian
Led by Denton export Alan Palomo (who also claims Austin as a base and is planning a move to Brooklyn), Neon Indian has already garnered lots of praise for its so-called chillwave sound and the album displaying it, last year's Psychic Chasms. A favorite of the Pitchfork snobberati and folks like Jimmy Fallon (who featured Neon Indian on his late-night show this year), this outfit, which features Fight Bite's Leanne Macomber on keys, is poised to emerge as one of SXSW's true breakout stars. (Club de Ville, 11 p.m. Friday)
Telegraph Canyon
Chris Johnson and his merry band of musical collaborators are no strangers to Austin stages, having played numerous gigs at last year's SXSW. As they continue to support 2009's superb sophomore effort, The Tide and the Current (beloved by just about anyone who hears it), Telegraph Canyon returns to the Live Music Capital of the World for another round of electrifying shows. Among the many stops on their itinerary, perhaps none is more packed with North Texas firepower than the Spune day party, set for Saturday and featuring other local notables, like the Orbans, Doug Burr and Seryn. (Ale House, 8 p.m. Saturday)
Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights
Bluesy Dallas rockers gearing up for the release of their major label debut, Pardon Me, on April 27, Tyler and company are another North Texas outfit making the return trip to SXSW. They played a handful of shows last year and have been relentlessly touring since, including opening stints for such folks as Erykah Badu and Kid Rock. Staples of the scene 'round these parts, Tyler & the Northern Lights have another big gig on the horizon: They'll take to the national airwaves March 31, performing on Jimmy Kimmel Live. (Galaxy Room Backyard, 9 p.m. Saturday)
Preston Jones is the Star-Telegram pop music critic, 817-390-7713 .
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