The biggest week of the year for Scottish music outside the UK starts here. Right now, there are 15 Scottish bands on their way to Austin, including Withered Hand*. The final list of all the Scottish gigs is below with a full preview from Uncle Vic.
Dear Scotland will also be teaming up with the brilliant Detour Scotland to bring you some of the best of the festival. Matthew from Song, by Toad will also be here. And Vic is making a documentary. There will be some interruptions to normal service.
For a handy pdf version of the Scottish List below click here (updated March 14).
For an overwhelming pdf version of the latest Ultimate Party List click here (updated March 10).
Vic Galloway at SXSW 2011
With all fingers and toes crossed, 15 Scottish bands (or at least bands with Scottish connections) will be making the mammoth trip to Austin, Texas for this year’s new-music marathon ‘South By South West’. There have been some US visa problems for some solo acts, but we can only hope we see their pasty, wee, Scottish faces in the Texan sunshine this week!
2011 will be my ninth visit to SXSW and that speaks volumes about how much I adore the festival. It is the central, focus-point of the World’s music industry at this time of year and officially has around 1800 artists playing over 4 days and nights. There’s indie, rock, punk, acoustic singer-songwriters, hip-hop crews, electronica producers and everything in between trying to get some well-deserved attention. Bands from all around the world congregate in the ‘Live Music Capital of the World’ for the booze and barbecue-fuelled knees-up, being watched by record companies, publishers, magazines, bloggers, radio and TV stations.
It’s primarily a showcase for new music, but some established names like to strut their stuff and deliver exclusive new material to the masses. It’s not just music-biz folks there either… punters from across the globe make the pilgrimage to see new and old faces play in far more intimate venues than they’re used to. In fact, I quite often meet neighbours from Leith supping margaritas and criss-crossing town to catch their favourites each year. Good on them!
15 bands from the homeland are making the trip this year, and that is some achievement considering the size of our nation. From unsigned noise-mongers, Bronto Skylift through to hotly-tipped Highland songwriter Rachel Sermanni via electro-post-rockers Errors and indie-royalty like Edwyn Collins, there’s a great array of different styles and genres on offer if you’re making the trip and want a taste of Scotland. The whole list of bands and gigs are below, but if you want to see stuff all collected on 2 bills, make sure you head along to:
Showcasing Scotland: Night – Maggie Mae’s – 8pm – 2am – Wednesday 16th March
Showcasing Scotland: Day – Latitude 30 – 2.45 – 6pm – Friday 18th March
I’ll be MC and host for both shows and I’m champing at the bit to get out to Austin once again. Not only that, but I’m presenting a 1 hour long BBC 2 TV documentary on the ‘Scottish Invasion’ that will air towards the end of June/start of July. So, if you can’t make the actual gigs, it’ll be all there for your delectation and enjoyment. Bring it on y’all… yeehaw!”
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* Withered Hand’s visa troubles now resolved. Full story here. Dam Mantle?
For a full list of all the Scottish artists who had planned to attend, including those that are no longer mentioned above, see this article.
The official SXSW list is here if you want to trawl through it.
Any other shows that we become aware of will be added in the comments below.
Vic
Also on tour this week: Mogwai, Fran Healy, Belle and Sebastian, Fish, Average White Band, Glasvegas, Rustie and KT Tunstall.
Check out Vic on BBC Radio every week:
Monday Night 8.05pm-10pm, BBC Radio Scotland
Vic has Sucioperro in Session
Follow Vic on Twitter and now on Facebook
Dear Scotland at South by Southwest 2010 (part 1)
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mJT82UoGvk
Dear Scotland at South by Southwest 2010 (part 2)
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxQ4ZZ_Pf3w
Scotland on Tour this week
[scotlandontour_thisweek startdate=”20110314″ enddate=”20110320″]
Photo Credit: splorp