The first round of SXSW Music Festival artist announcements is here earlier than ever and it includes 2 bands from Scotland. It was announced today that Casual Sex and Saor Patrol have been invited to play in Austin next March.
I’ve been writing about Scottish bands at SXSW now for 5 or 6 years and if there is one thing I can guarantee it is that there is no guarantee that these bands will actually be in Austin next year. The early announcements from 2010, 2011, 2012 confirm that it is one thing to be invited to play at SXSW, and it is another thing to sort out the visas and the funding to make it the trip worthwhile.
That being said, Glasgow’s Casual Sex already look well placed to make an impact at SXSW. Later today the band will arrive in New York City to play the CMJ Festival before they join up with Franz Ferdinand for an East Coast/ Canada tour. Here are those dates and their debut single:
18 October CMJ Never Better Party – Arlene’s Grocery
19 October Tower Theatre Philadelphia w/ Franz Ferdinand
20 October Orpheum Theatre Boston w/ Franz Ferdinand
22 October Hammerstein Ballroom New York w/ Franz Ferdinand
23 October QC Metropolis Montreal / Franz Ferdinand
24 October Kool Haus Toronto / Franz Ferdinand
Casual Sex – Stroh 80
httpv://youtu.be/USAzPEq-JSU
Saor Patrol (pronounced Shore) describe themselves as a band that “brings together the sounds of the past into the present and launches the listener into an ‘Exciting Tribal Experience'”. Apparently Lemmy has also described them as the “Motorhead of Folk”.
Saor Patrol at Homecoming at Duncarron
httpv://youtu.be/3o999wq_XQM
As I mentioned above, this is the earliest first announcement of SXSW bands so far, usually this list comes out in mid to late November. But I already know of a couple of other Scottish bands that plan to attend so I reckon you can expect another update in a few weeks.
The full list of bands announced today can be seen here.
Peej