One of the more interesting events that goes down every year at SXSW are the DirecTV tapings of their SXSW Live series, which are full performance sets by a great roster of industry upstarts and old favorites. The shows are taped in two different ballrooms in the Austin Convention Center, which are transformed into roadhouse-styled soundstages, and the performances are broadcast throughout the following year on DirecTV's channel 101.
Last year I caught fantastic sets there from Darryl Hall, Nicole Atkins, and a surprisingly great Hanson.
The line-up for this year's tapings have just been announced:
THURSDAY, MARCH 19
TIME ARTIST VENUE
6:00pm The Von Bondies, The Bat Bar
7:00pm The Oak Ridge Boys The Lonestar Lounge
8:00pm The Airborne Toxic Event, The Bat Bar
FRIDAY, MARCH 20
TIME ARTIST VENUE
1:00pm Juliette Lewis and the New Romantiques, The Bat Bar
2:00pm The Proclaimers, The Lonestar Lounge
4:00pm Lenka, The Lonestar Lounge
5:00pm Ben Harper and Relentless 7, The Bat Bar
6:00pm Third Eye Blind, The Lonestar Lounge
8:00pm Shiny Toy Guns, The Bat Bar
9:00pm Carlene Carter, The Lonestar Lounge
10:00pm Solange Presents:
Sol-Angel and the Hadley Street Dreams, The Bat Bar
SATURDAY, MARCH 21
TIME ARTIST VENUE
4:00pm Forever the Sickest Kids, The Lonestar Lounge
5:00pm Echo and the Bunnymen, The Bat Bar
6:00pm Ed Harcourt, The Lonestar Lounge
8:00pm TBA , The Bat Bar
9:00pm Shwayze, The Lonestar Lounge
10:00pm Tinted Windows, The Bat Bar
If it's run the same way as years past, a limited number of free tickets for all shows are available in the lobby of the convention center, and if I remember correctly, SXSW badges or wristbands are not required.
I'll definitely be checking out Juliette Lewis' new band, possibly Third Eye Blind (because I've always wanted to sing the doot-doot-doot's in "Semi-Charmed Life out loud in public), and best of all, I'll get to see what Ian McCulloch of Echo & The Bunnymen looks like in daylight hours.
For those of you not making it to Austin, here's the schedule of the first airings of these shows:
SXSW LIVE Broadcast Schedule (eastern standard time)
Friday - March 20th
5pm - Lenka
6pm - Ben Harper and Relentless7
7pm - Third Eye Blind
8pm - The Oak Ridge Boys
9pm - Shiny Toy Guns
10pm - Carlene Carter
11pm - Sol-Angel & the Hadley Street Dreams (Solange Knowles)
12am - The Airborne Toxic Event
Saturday - March 21st
5pm - Forever the Sickest Kids
6pm - Echo and The Bunnymen
7pm - Ed Harcourt
8pm - Juliette Lewis and The New Romantiques
9pm - Late to the Pier
10pm - Shwayze
11pm - Tinted Windows
12am - The Proclaimers
More info on DirecTV SXSW Live here.
