25 North Texans Are Already Confirmed To Be Performing at SXSW '14.
Seems South by Southwest is ahead of the game this year: If memory serves, in years past, the massive Austin showcase usually only announces its first round of performers by early January; this year, though, organizers are already three rounds deep into the revealing of their bill.
And North Texas already appears as if it's going to be pretty well represented at SXSW in 2014, as, by our count, no fewer than 24 area bands have been officially announced as confirmed to perform as part of this year's mid-March offering. At the bottom of this piece, you can see that to-date revealed list of performers in its entirely, broken down by each performers' stated residence.
First, though, some notes:
•For the umpteenth year in a row, aging Forth Worth garage outfit Complete — a band long designated as arguably “the worst band in the world” — is confirmed to perform for who knows what reason. Tradition at this point, I suppose?
•Dallas hip-hop looks strongly represented thus far as A.Dd+, Dorrough, Dustin Cavazos, Yung Nation and The Outfit, TX have each been confirmed as SXSW '14 participants. DJ Sober, too.
•A couple of the usual, buzzing North Texas mainstays are confirmed, of course: Sarah Jaffe, Larry g(EE), Air Review, Quaker City Night Hawks, Seryn, The Unlikely Candidates have each received too much out-of-town buzz in recent years to be seen as surprising adds, though.
•One add we're especially excited about? Conner Youngblood, a young electro-pop singer-songwriter who we honestly haven't heard too much from since we first mentioned him in April 2012. Still: He's got a solid ear, and the fact that he appears to still be pushing forward, even if somewhat quietly, is good news indeed.
Confirmed North Texas Performers at SXSW '14 Thus Far:
Dallas:
A.Dd+
Air Review
Dorrough
Dustin Cavazos
Cymien Hughes and The God Phaktorr
Ethan Kent
Larry g(EE)
Norris J
Oil Boom
The Outfit, TX
DJ Sober
Conner Youngblood
Yung Nation
Denison:
Micah P. Hinson
SoMo
Denton:
Kristy Kruger
Sarah Jaffe
Seryn
Fort Worth:
Complete
The Cush
Ice Eater
Quaker City Night Hawks
Son of Stan
The Unlikely Candidates
Whiskey Folk Ramblers
Cover photo of Dustin Cavazos by Mikel Galicia.