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24 hours ago we were excited about South By Southwest, and now we’re even more excited. In a flurry we are, at the DiSopolis, a flurry of nervous hotel booking and flight confirming and band listening. Primarily the last activity, mind. Which is fortunate, as now we can present to you, readers dear and true, a neat multi-part preview of our pick of the manymany-limbed bunch playing the annual industry booze-up.
Consider this part one of four; tomorrow we’ll be outlining a few more ace-in-yr-face acts – some British, some totally not – playing SXSW. Or, specifically, we’ll be profiling in a succinct fashion a selection of bands what make us go ooooh. Like: “Ooooh, let’s go see them.” And we will. Try to.
Here, Peter White and Gareth Dobson pick over a four-pack of pretty decent actually bands that you might find suitable to your palette. Click your way to their MySpaces – everyone has one, innit – and join us in clapping our hands and stamping our feet and worrying that we’ve not got the right insurance to wander around Texas. Those natives, they will eat anything.
At All Cost (PW)
Ball-crushing heavy metal native to SXSW’s host city of choice, Austin. This five-piece knock out thunderous Mastodon-alike efforts of titanic proportions, loaded with Kerry King-friendly lightning solos and a slight dose of pop tinged electronica.
For fans of: Slayer, Pelican, Dragonforce
MySpace
Maritime (PW)
Sweeping collegiate indie-rock, formed from the ashes of early emo heroes The Promise Ring and recently reformed keyboard-happy punks The Dismemberment Plan. Last year's We, The Vehicles was one of the most consistent hardcore pop records in years.
For fans of: The Get Up Kids, The Postal Service, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists
MySpace
Boat (PW)
There's primarily two reasons to go to SXSW: to ingest as much juicy barbeque as possible and to see bands that sound like Pavement. Seattle-based Boat undoubtedly own a couple of copies of Wowee Zowee and are taking a northwestern approach to the lackadaisical indie rock drawl.
For fans of: Pavement, Death Cab For Cutie, Hockey Night
MySpace
Walter Meego (GD)
Ethereal, detached steamy electro-pop a la Thom Yorke's The Eraser fused with the upbeat party twitching of Hot Chip. This Chicago duo are stuttering yet funky, in roughly equal doses.
For fans of: Errors, and all of the above
MySpace
Look out for further previews over the coming days, as well as a SXSW-flavoured podcast. Us, busy? Are you KIDDING…?
