SXSW 2010: Bands to Watch For

The side-project of Hunx from the trashy, raunchy electro band Gravy Train!!!!, Hunx and his Punx drop the electro sound but not the trashiness, opting for a sound that is equal parts ‘60s bubblegum girl group pop and stripped down, fuzzed out garage punk. It’s addictively trashy, yet sweetly endearing, sort of like a late-night marathon of old exploitation films. 

The Waco Brothers boasts an extraordinary, legendary lineup, featuring founding member Jon Langford of the Mekons, as well as members with roots as varied as KMFDM and Jesus Jones. And their sound, despite a Chicago address, is pure Texas cowpunk. They are a fixture at SXSW, and usually play multiple times, but these shows are in high demand due to the fact that this is usually the only time you can catch this rarely touring band outside of Chicago.

The frontman for Art Brut, Eddie Argos has made a name for himself with an over-the-top stage performance that has included instrumental stunts and frank, yet comedic discussions with the crowd about a wide range of topics. Now, with Everybody Was in the French Resistance… Now! he is taking his commentary one step further – by writing punk songs that deliver his musical response to pop tunes from artists that range from Michael Jackson to Avril Lavigne.

Although they take their name from an old comedy film, Murder By Death are no joke. The band plays thick, sweaty Southern gothic sounds that are soaked in whisky and spiced with the twang of a very macabre western. If you like music that tells a story laden with references to the devil, zombies and booze, Murder By Death has a story for you.

This lo-fi three-piece features raw guitar licks, snarled, yet whiny punk vocals and a drummer that sets it all on fire with music that hits post-punk, new wave and straight up punk at times. As you give them a listen, it’s easy to hear a blend of classic Cure, newer dancier bands and a heavy dose of early ‘90s Pacific Northwest punk rock. Along with all of this, their name truly owns.

 An Irish rocker that tours incessantly and has opened for Flogging Molly and recorded with Shane MacGowan of the Pogues, Stef Murphy delivers a sweat-soaked set that spans genres from punk to blues to rock, with a voice that draws influence from a wide and powerful an array of sources that includes Tom Waits, Shane MacGowan and Nick Cave, with a little Joey Ramone thrown in.

In Austin they’re the local boys, but that doesn’t prevent a Riverboat Gamblers show from being a big deal, even at SXSW. Vocalist Mike Wiebe is fast becoming one of the most legendary frontman touring right now, and while the energy of the band’s live set is making a name for them worldwide, their homecoming sets are truly the sort of shows that people talk about for years – or at least until the next time they play Austin.

 A primarily instrumental band, Man or Astro-Man? was huge on the scene in the early ‘90s, playing surf guitar mixed with science-fiction sound effects, synthesizers, samples and anachronistically experimental sounds that translated into live sets that looked and sounded like the set from a late-night space creature feature. The group disbanded in 2001 with a short reunion in 2006, but it looks like 2010 may see a rebirth of this legendarily noisy band.

Formed by the members of several legendary Canadian punk bands including Cancer Bats and Monster Voodoo Machine, Bastard Child Death Cult (BCxDC) take the two seemingly discordant sounds of brutal D-beat hardcore and thick, fuzzy garage and fuse them into a bizarre amalgam. It’s a sound that sets its hooks into you, then reels you in to punch you right in the mouth.

Added Bonus - You can download their debut album, Year Zero, for free here.

The title of NOFX’s most recent EP, Cokie the Clown is also apparently the name of an on-stage alter ego of NOFX frontman Fat Mike. Mystery surrounds this set, as to whether it will be a solo set, and as to what music will actually be performed. It may be the tracks from the EP of the same name, some classic NOFX, or something entirely new. Regardless of what Fat Mike has planned, it’s assuredly going to be entertaining.