UPCOMING: Sunflower Bean at Smiling Moose (PGH)
Fresh off the heels of a successful SXSW run and in the middle of a national tour in support of debut full-length Human Ceremony (Fat Possum), Sunflower Bean comes through Pittsburgh Saturday night, stopping at…
Converse Rubber Tracks Continues Legacy of Artist Support at SXSW 2016
When I was a kid in the 80s and 90s, only the freaks and losers wore Converse, me among them. Now, it seems like every ad targeting an under-25 market features at least one…
Big Bill Played the First and Best SXSW Show We Saw
The day before SXSW 2016 began, I wrote, “I can’t think of another current Austin band more iconic or resonant,” regarding weirdo punk rockers Big Bill. The band evidenced their vitality the next day…
9 Personal Picks for SXSW 2016
Undoubtedly, a SXSW preview list of artists will be driven to some extent by the writer’s own interest. However, it’s hard to imagine that aspects like press agents’ persistence, buzz surrounding an artist,…
SXSW 2016’s Most Exciting Acts
Tomorrow, the monster that is SXSW descends upon a sleepy river town in central Texas. Hundreds of local bands will rub shoulders with thousands more traveling from all over the world. Every parking lot…
Protomartyr Triumphs at Sidewinder, Returns for SXSW
A week ago, lauded post-punk outfit Protomartyr performed at The Sidewinder, an Austin venue still in its infancy. The event marked the first sold-out show I’ve seen in the space, since Red Eyed…
Converse Rubber Tracks Offers Bands Free Studio Time, Britt Daniel Mentorship at SXSW
At last year’s SXSW, we took an opportunity to drop by Converse Rubber Tracks’ pop-up studio in East Austin. Frankly, the program was so incredible it seemed almost too good to be true….
Hotel Vegas Dominates SXSW with Impeccable Lineups
Despite the unmistakable sign of large budgets behind events at the Fader Fort, Hype Hotel, Pitchfork day parties, SPIN party, and Flood Fest (who all threw appropriately outstanding events with those budgets), underground hero…
Sea Change at South By
Having completed my third SXSW in as many years as living in Austin, I feel seasoned in my authority on the subject. Perhaps not quite marinated enough and certainly not smoked to the…
Partying with Fader, SPIN, and Hype Machine at SXSW
SXSW has garnered a reputation as the largest music industry party in the country. Of the innumerable shows, events, and gatherings that happen over the course of the festival’s ten days, the annual parties…
Swoon-Worthy Aisha Burns Plays the ATX 6 SXSW Showcase
As part of a project called the ATX 6, six musicians were hand-picked from the abundance of Austin artists and fully financed by the city to play 2014’s NXNE. This original attempt to infuse the…
The Ceremonial Torch of SXSW’s Inaugural Night of Music
Last week, a scan of a SXSW ad from 1989 (the festival’s third year in existence) popped up on my Facebook timeline. The ad boasted over two dozen venues and more than a hundred…
Converse Rubber Tracks Studio Hosts Local Musicians at SXSW
In 2003, two years after I moved to Austin, when SXSW was a much smaller affair and Emo’s still occupied real estate on Red River, a Seattle based indie label called Barsuk held…
In the Studio with Must-see SXSW Artist Yonatan Gat
If you could see only one band at SXSW, Yonatan Gat should be a strong candidate. You don’t have to take our word for it; the New York Times, Vice, and many others agree, even…
Velo Releases First of Four EPs
Last Saturday, we here at Pop Press International teamed up with He^rd Entertainment to throw a blowout party at Empire Control Room and Garage, celebrating the release of Velo’s first EP, Winter. The Control…
Austin Artists Dominate Initial Wave of SXSW Announcements
SXSW’s first announcement always comes as a huge shock to me. It’s hard to believe that almost a year has passed since the last installment of the ever-growing festival. This year, the initial…
SXSW Coverage: Secretly Canadian Label Group Showcase
Sometimes I wonder about other people’s SXSW planning habits . I usually sort the showcases by venue. It gives me an idea of how far I’ll need to walk if I’m bouncing around…
Our Best Photos from SXSW 2014
Here’s a gallery of our favorite photos from 2014. All images © Bryan Parker & Pop Press International. Click any image to open in slideshow viewer.
SPIN Stubb’s Party at SXSW 2014
For the past half decade or so, I’ve made a conscious effort to get ahold of one of the coveted SPIN laminates to attend their annual SXSW party held at Austin institution Stubb’s….
The Five Best Things I Saw at SXSW
Between planning an epic two day party and launching a quarterly print journal, True Sincerity, my SXSW was less packed with bands than it has been in almost a decade. That said, we…
Perfect Pussy Share Convulsive New Track “Interference Fits”
“Interference Fits,” the new track from punk band Perfect Pussy is aptly titled. Almost melodic, crunchy guitar opens the song before it drifts into sputtering drums and swirling loops of feedback and distortion….
TEEN Shares “Not For Long” From The Way and Color
Remember a few days ago when TEEN shared a teaser trailer for their upcoming album The Way and Color out April 22nd on Carpark Records, and we told you that as a barometer, the…
Pop Press INTL. Announces You’re Here: Music + Interactive Showcase March 12th & 13th
Pop Press International is incredibly proud to announce that this year we will partner with Punctum Records, Attendance Records, Mama Bird Recording Co., Accrue Cassettes, Western Dynamo, and Estuary Recording Studio to present a music and interactive showcase…
Woman’s Hour Signs to Secretly Canadian, Shares Track “Her Ghost”
Secretly Canadian is one of those labels you just trust. If they announce a release or a signing or a new track, you can comfortably assume it’s going to be worth a listen….
SXSW Announces Sampling of 2014 Musical Artists
SXSW is the greatest music festival on the planet. And I don’t care what anybody says. While it presents some overcrowding in small venues, it also affords the ability to see artists in…
Pageants Release Live Performance Videos for “Chai” and “Deep Ring”
It’s no secret that over here at Pop Press International we’re huge fans of Pageants, the indie-pop project fronted by Rebecca Coleman of Avi Buffalo fame. The trio performed at our SXSW day…
Video: Pop Press INTL.’s SXSW Day Show w/ Dog Bite and Good Field
We’re pleased to bring you footage of each of the 14 bands that played our SXSW Day Show at the New Movement. We picked the bands because we love each of them, but…
The Twelve Best Performances at SXSW 2013
For those of you who like reading something earnest and thoughtful, we wrote this post right here. However, if you just want the quick and dirty SXSW recap, you’re in the right place….
SXSW 2013: Final Thoughts and Reflections
Without question, this was the best SXSW I have ever attended. I hope you’ll forgive me for moving past a simple list of the best things I saw, and bear with me for…
SXSW Day 5 feat. Smashing Pumpkins, The Sword, Dog Bite, and Pageants
The final day of SXSW came extraordinarily early for me. While others might have gotten a late start, allowing themselves to sleep in to ease the exhaustion, Pop Press International’s first SXSW day…
SXSW Day 4 with Flaming Lips, Kendrick Lamar, and Phosphorescent
After hustling all morning to get some photos up and edited of day three, I made my way down to Sidebar where DC vs. Austin, hosted by Pop Press International and Side One…
Full Coverage: SXSW Day 3 with Flaming Lips, Alt-J, and Solange
We already brought you outstanding coverage of SXSW 2013 days one and two as well as photos from SXSW day three. We’re back with full coverage of the third day and will follow…
SXSW Day 3 feat. Flaming Lips, Alt-J, DIIV, and Solange
For extensive writing about SXSW days one and two, click here and here. We’re swamped planning for our two day parties: one at Sidebar today and the other at The New Movement tomorrow….
SXSW Day 3 Field Report from Chris Witte
I’m running on three hours of sleep, I’ve hardly changed my clothes, my shoes are worn through, my feet blistered, my car was towed, and still I’m having an absolute blast here in…
SXSW 2013 Day 2 Highlights feat. Nick Cave, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, & Youth Lagoon
As opposed to the more than a dozen bands I saw yesterday for day one of SXSW, I only saw eight bands yesterday, but I might trade seeing those eight for all the…
SXSW Day 2 Field Report from Chris Witte feat. Toro Y Moi and Ra Ra Riot
So yeah, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were like, yeah, great, and other big names were abound on the SXSW scene last night, but I secretly pity anyone who didn’t at least stop in…
SXSW Day 1 Field Report from the Mohawk by Chris Witte
Heralding the start of an animated week of world-class musical festivities, Mohawk began its South by Southwest run last night with an enticing line-up of exciting bands that included a special guest appearance…
SXSW 2013 Highlights Day 1 feat. Local Natives, Body Parts, and Social Studies
By the end of the first day of SXSW, it’s always hard to believe that there are four more left. In part, because of how many amazing artists you’ve seen, miles you’ve walked,…
SXSW Preview and Interview: Social Studies
Social Studies just about stole the night when they played a recent Austin set with buzz bands like Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Foxygen. Their closing song “Terracur” captivated the room as much as…
SXSW Interview and Preview: Brass Bed
When we caught Brass Bed opening for Shearwater last month, we were more than impressed. We were able to get in touch with the band for a brief interview in advance of their…
SXSW 2013 Best Bets: Showcases and Day Parties
Many SXSW attendees, including myself, constantly bounce around during SXSW, and have no problem running across town and waiting in a few lines to see a ton of different bands. These kind of…
SXSW Preview & Interview with The Blank Tapes
California’s The Blank Tapes create fuzzy beach hits with just enough grit ad quirk to keep the songs affecting and distinct. The band has garnered a tremendous amount of buzz leading up to…
Interview and SXSW Preview: Dana Falconberry Talks Tour Slop
If you’ve read this blog much in the past year, it would be hard for us to conceal the fact that we love Dana Falconberry. Leelanau, her most recent effort, was an outstanding record not…
Hundred Visions Video “Where Do I Sign” + SXSW Shows
Austin’s Hundred Visions has quickly become one of the most talked about bands in town. It’s easy to see why–the band creates high raw, high energy post-punk full of hooks, and in a…
Interview & SXSW Preview: The Tontons
Houston’s Tontons are taking SXSW by storm, playing a slew of shows and appearing on high profile bills with bands such as Dawes. We are pleased to have the band playing the Pop…
Video: Brazos Performs “How the Ranks Was Won” Live at Braund Sound
Famed Brooklyn studio Braund Sound has released an excellent live recording of Dead Oceans artist Brazos performing “How the Ranks Was Won,” the lead single from their forthcoming album Saltwater. As a bonus, you…
Streaming Now: Phosphorescent – Muchacho
We adore Phosphorescent. A Hundred Times or More, their debut dropped when I was in college at a time when alt-country and folk rock were exploding within independent music. I have been hooked ever…
Streaming Now: Wild Belle – Isles
We’ve brought you a couple of videos from sibling duo Wild Belle over the past few months. The group will drop their debut LP Isles next week and you can hear the whole thing…
SXSW Preview: Good Field
From right here in Austin, TX, Good Field is one of the bands Pop Press International is most excited about right now. Their excelent debut album was just released last month, and the…
25 Must-see Bands at SXSW 2013
SXSW 2013 starts this weekend with film, and music follows next Tuesday, which is almost impossible for us to believe. All this week, we’re going to bring you content regarding the nation’s best…
Pop Press International Announces SXSW Day Show with Dog Bite, Pagents, & more
Pop Press International is proud to announce our SXSW Day Show at The New Movement Theater at 616 Lavaca on Saturday March 16th from 11AM-6:30. We could not be happier with our lineup…
Top 5 Official SXSW Shows Announced So Far
With a month until SXSW begins and tens of thousands of visitors make their pilgrimage to Austin for the city’s most vital week and a half, buzz is starting to heat up around announcements of…
New Track: “Younger Days” – Mount Moriah
Mount Mairah will release Miracle Temple, their second album, on February 26, 2013 via Merge Records. The group has released the first track, “Younger Days.” The country-leaning folk pop floats by easily with memorable…
SXSW Announces Next Round of Bands!
Although Christmas is right around the corner, the music lover’s Christmas, South by Southwest is still a few months away. However, today we have been blessed with the glory of another announcemnt of…
Down River Swimmers: An Interview with Tennis
Like many of the buzzworthy bands at SXSW, Tennis’s name is almost everywhere you look. With almost a dozen performances, including two official showcases, Tennis is one of the busiest and most popular…
