Pitchfork

For the next 96 hours, humble Austin, Texas becomes the center of the music universe, a delirious shitstorm of over one thousand bands, industry heavyweights by the gaggle, and soused fans coalescing around the intersection of Red River and 6th streets.

Whether you're headed to zip code 78701 to sign, see, or be the next big thing, let Pitchfork offer a few SXSW suggestions: Both here in our news section, where we'll run down some of the biggest showcases, and over in Forkcast, we'll shine a light on more than three dozen emerging artists playing Austin this week. The beauty of the event is options-- at any given moment you've got several dozen of them, most a block-long stagger away.

While a handful of local acts strut their stuff Sunday night and Chamillionaire rocked the mic for a riveting 20 minutes Tuesday evening, the bulk of the music festivities go down over four nights: Wednesday, March 14 through Saturday, March 17. And although SXSW is an indie rock-centric adventure-- with hip-hop, metal, and other genres sorely underrepresented-- there's still plenty to get amped for.

Oh, and if-- like the majority of our readership-- you're not headed to Austin, don't despair! Satellite provider DirecTV will premiere SXSW Live this year, the first-ever real-time broadcast from the music bonanza. The special airs March 15-17 on DirecTV's channel 101, and will feature performances from the Polyphonic Spree, Buzzcocks, Annuals, and Lee "Scratch" Perry, among others, along with festival commentary from Andrew WK(!) and interviews with Pete Townshend, Robyn Hitchcock, Perry Farrell, and Iggy Pop and the Stooges. Plus beloved former MTV VJ Matt Pinfield co-hosts!

For our Austin-bound, pull up a chair, break out the pens and Palm Pilots, and feast your eyes on SXSW's finest delights. Before you dive in, bookmark/print the official SXSW schedule and revisit Pitchfork's 2006 coverage, in several fun parts.

Pitchfork's regular news schedule will be suspended for the rest of the week, as we'll be busy reporting on what we've checked out in Austin starting tomorrow through Sunday.

Wednesday, March 14

The first night of music proper goes off with tremendous fanfare, as Sub Pop, Beggars/4AD, Merge, and Frenchkiss go head-to-head with rock solid showcases. Peripheral highlights abound as well.

Beggars/4AD might have the night's strongest showing, with the former taking over Emo's Jr. and the latter Emo's Main Room. Hometown heroes Voxtrot head the Beggars event, which also features gritty ex-Mclusky rockers Future of the Left and moody NYC trio Calla. 4AD will likely see a full house turn out for gypsy boy wonder Zach Condon and his Beirut ensemble, who'll warm the stage for longtime favorites the Mountain Goats and Blonde Redhead, the latter debuting songs from this year's exquisite 23. Arrive early to watch ex-Delgados singer Emma Pollock premiere solo material.

Merge, meanwhile, invades Antone's with "specials guests from Austin", aka Spoon, along with recent signings the Broken West. Indie vets Imperial Teen make a much-anticipated return to the stage, while the Rosebuds show off their new 80s stylings, as heard on the forthcoming Night of the Furies. We hope they're sporting some Flock of Seagulls hairdos too.

Les Savy Fav, who some might be inclined to call the best live band in the whole goddamn world (with good reason), headline Frenchkiss' showcase at Red Eyed Fly. The Big Sleep and Call Me Lightning and usual suspects Thunderbirds are Now! and Rahim open.

Sub Pop rolls out several of its newest recruits at Emo's IV Lounge, including high-octane rock trio Oxford Collapse, Swede songsmith Loney, Dear, and Pacific Northwest folkie Tiny Vipers. Ascendant Chicago quartet Maps & Atlases, who play math rock with heart, open the showcase.

Other sure bets: The Rapture, The Pipettes, and Swedes-of-the-moment Peter Bjorn and John crash La Zona Rosa; Florida's the Postmarks serve up pretty indie pop at the Ritz's Blender Bar; 8-bit electro-shock duo Crystal Castles turn up the voltage at Beauty Bar; Banhart-approved faerie queen Bat for Lashes attempts to conjure some magic at Dirty Dog Bar; and Glasgow's fabulous Twilight Sad emote over fuzzed-out crescendos at Mohawk Patio.

If you're beats-and-rhymes inclined, Visions plays host to a couple of the fest's better hip-hop opinions: Chicago crew Kidz in the Hall and chilllllled-out weed-fiend Devin the Dude.

Finally, if you're just mad about Donovan, tonight's your chance to see the folk legend in an idyllic setting: the holy (and seated!) confines of Central Presbyterian Church.

Thursday, March 15

Here's where things really get going.

Band for band, the Secretly Canadian/Jagjaguwar showcase owns the night, with a pair of stages at the Mohawk featuring the wonderful Okkervil River, rambunctious indie rockers Evangelicals, droll Swedish chanteuse Frida Hyvönen, and brooding Austin outfit I Love You but I've Chosen Darkness. Do not miss the majestic overtures of the Besnard Lakes, who'll play tunes from this year's dazzling Are the Dark Horse, and get there early for Dirty Projectors, whose latest incarnation-- essentially overzealous crooning atop female vocal harmonies-- might be their most promising yet.

Hydrahead gets heavy at Emo's Annex, with Justin Broadrick's Jesu crunching out soaring post-shoegaze, while Chicago's Pelican let the riffs ring out and Karp-descended metal agitators Big Business wax apocalyptic. All three should sound positively refined next to manic openers Daughters and Oxbow.

Fat Cat teams with DiCristina to present what's sure to be an inspired evening of adventurous folk at Central Presbyterian Church, kicking off with a set from Matador's latest signing, Okkervil River offshoot Shearwater, and culminating with the rejuvenated Vashti Bunyan. David Karsten Daniels, Jana Hunter, Tom Brosseau, and Nina Nastasia & Jim White round out this ace lineup.

A bunch of Pitchfork favorites warm up for our day party with some late-night showcases, including Deerhunter and Do Make Say Think at Soho Lounge, the Ponys at Emo's Jr., Menomena at Buffalo Billiards, and Fujiya & Miyagi at Karma Lounge. We trust they'll get to bed and rest up immediately afterward.

Glaswegians Shitdisco just might assassinate Franz Ferdinand with their taut, punchy dance-punk headcharge; witness their energetic confections at Beauty Bar Patio-- or step inside for quick-tongued grime star Lethal Bizzle. Down the street, Epitaph's newest signing Cadence Weapon-- aka ex-Pitchfork scribe Rollie Pemberton-- puts his verbal skills to work at Copa.

Pimp C and Bun B of UGK light up 401 Guadalupe, while Vice-signed rabble-rousers Black Lips put the rage in garage rock at Flamingo Cantina. Elsewhere, fey folkstress Marissa Nadler sings her woes away at Bourbon Rocks, while Aa conduct sonic experiments at Parish II and Norway's New Violators get criminal at Emo's Jr. And lucky day: If you missed Voxtrot the night before, catch them now at Emo's Main Room-- following the Gossip, the latest indie sensation to take the major label plunge.

Finally, the night's veteran award goes to Mary Weiss of Shangri-Las fame, who'll showcase material from this year's Dangerous Game at Red 7.

Friday, March 16

We imagine a large portion of the attendees will line up to gawk at/listen to Amy Winehouse-- but there are also many other options.

Damon Albarn's latest non-Blur enterprise, the Danger Mouse-produced the Good, the Bad and the Queen, shoot 'em up at Stubb's, with dashing Andrew Bird taking flight a few hours before. Psych-rock stunners Boris paint Spiro's Pink, while Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore plays two different sets at Mohawk, amid revered noise rockers Magik Markers and new folk favorites Charalambides, Sunburned Hand of the Man, and MV/EE with the Bummer Road.

Cuddlecore and c86 fans should be delighted to find Tullycraft and the Manhattan Love Suicides playing Parish II as part of Magic Marker Records' showcase, while the short-attention-spanned would do well to catch Matador-signed lo-fi rock trio Times New Viking at Exodus or wacky Dan Deacon at Tap Room. Or get happy: Former Q and Not U drummer John Davis plays with infectious indie pop duo Georgie James at Bourbon Rocks, while perennially positive Texas supercult the Polyphonic Spree preach the feel-good word (with new costumes!) at Austin Convention Center.

Great night for hip-hop, too: Def Jux infiltrates Emo's Main Room, with El-P, Aesop Rock, Cage, Brother Ali, and Galactic (featuring Lyrics Born, Blackalicious' Gift of Gab, and the Coup's Boots Riley) slinging rhymes. UGK return to play Visions, along with Crime Mob, while Chicago MC-on-the-rise Kid Sister works the crowd at Beauty Bar after A-Trak goes all Picasso on the turntable and Domino's latest signing Bonde do Role start the party right. Or don your stunna shades and Vans and step outside to catch the Pack and the Federation at Beauty Bar's Patio.

More options: Canadians Rock Central Plaza horse around at Dirty Dog Bar; reliable rockers the Walkmen get had at Emo's Annex; mascara'd Saddle Creek neo-new-wavers the Faint preview brand new songs at Eternal; Doris Day-tripping Nellie McKay elicits smiles at Exodus; Super Furry Animal Gruff Rhys gets crafty at Bourbon Rocks; Simian Mobile Disco start the party at Karma Lounge; Polyvinyl-signed Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin turn up the energy at Red 7; and Broken Social Scenester Apostle of Hustle pimps good tunes at Habana Calle 6 Annex.

Stay up late to witness Beach House whisk us into a druggy haze at Tap Room, Hella shake things up with their new five-piece lineup at Maggie Mae's, or Earthless-- featuring former Hot Snakes/Rocket From the Crypt drummer Mario Rubalcaba-- tear it down at Lava Lounge.

For vets, try Public Enemy at Town Lake, Daniel Johnston's Danny and the Nightmares at Austin Convention Center, or Robyn Hitchcock at Dirty Dog Bar.

Saturday, March 17

Start the night early and catch a rare live appearance by super-recluse Jandek, who'll forgo silly things like rhythm, meter, and melody in favor of 75 minutes of cold, stark, skeletal blues at Central Presbyterian Church. Stick around for Smog-free Bill Callahan. Or, for something completely different, laugh along to Aziz Ansari, Patton Oswalt, Eugene Mirman, and co.'s Human Giant at Friends.

Or try the five-step adrenaline rush of metal behemoths Mastodon at the Town Lake, six-string banshee Marnie Stern at Emo's IV, fist-pumper Andrew WK at Exodus, costumed noise-terrorists White Mice at Room 710, and Norwegian rock legends Turbonegro at Emo's Main Room. For a different sort of rush, opt for spastic Saddle Creekers Cursive at Beauty Bar Patio, erratic ramblers Frog Eyes at Habana Calle 6 Patio, or the David Yow-endowed Qui at Emo's Jr.

The women of Kill Rock Stars, including the aforementioned Stern, take over Emo's IV Saturday night. Herky-jerk trio Erase Errata, Helium graduate Mary Timony, and Australian emcee Macromantics also perform. Elsewhere, the irresistible Pipettes pull shapes at Beauty Bar Patio while Au Revoir Simone pull our nostalgia strings at Copa.

The men of indie rock make a strong showing as well: Canadian upstarts Tokyo Police Club crackdown at Beauty Bar Patio; Danish dreamweavers Mew take us back to days of wonder at La Zona Rosa; Texans Midlake take us back to the 70s at Buffalo Billiards; Spoon dishes out the goods at Stubb's; and England's Field Music keep it spry at Beauty Bar Patio.

Move your feet to Danish duo Junior Senior at Exodus, or remove your clothes to Girl Talk's head-smashing set at Elysium. Hip-hoppers, meanwhile, get another chance to experience Lethal Bizzle, this time at Flamingo Cantina. Exit the festival in winning fashion with either Trae at Zero Degrees or Redman at Cedar Street Courtyard.

Vets: Buzzcocks sear through Emo's Main Room, followed by the reunited Meat Puppets. Danny and the Nightmares play again at the Ritz's Blender Bar. And what better way to end your SXSW adventure than with Lee "Scratch" Perry, who closes out the night at Flamingo Cantina? While nursing your own aching feet, do take a gander at Perry's one-of-a-kind kicks.