Kata Rokkar — Kata Rokkar – A Bay Area based blog about music, life and stuff by Shawn Robbins.

I won’t be going, but if I was, these would be my highlights. Now I know it will be impossible to see all of these bands/artists, I know how SXSW works. However, the SXSW website has a plethora of free songs for you to sample to assist you in your decision. If you are not going, go ahead and download them anyway; there’s obviously a reason why these bands were picked to showcase their music this year.

Abe Vigoda – Don’t Lie

AIDS Wolf – Tied-Up In Paper

Black Lips – O Katrina!

Boats – 500%

Cage – Shoot Frank

Cut Off Your Hands – Turn Cold

dredg – The Papal Insignia

Doomtree – FLEX

Fair to Midland – Tall Tales Taste Like Sour Grapes

The Felice Brothers – Frankie’s Gun

Sage Francis – Conspiracy to Riot

Eugene Francis Jnr & The Juniors – Beginners

Laura Gibson – Spirited

Hamell On Trial – When You’re Young

Lisa Hannigan – Lille

HEALTH – Crimewave

Hot Lava – Apple+Option+Fire

Junk Science – Hey (the sequel)

Kraak & Smaak – Squeeze Me

Kylesa – Said And Done

The Mother Hips – Mission in Vain

Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head – Slow Motion Tag Team

Or, the Whale – Call and Response

Amanda Palmer – Leeds United

Passion Pit – Sleepyhead

Port O’Brien – I Woke Up Today

Rademacher – Believer

Radioclit – Kamphopo

Say Hi – Northwestern Girls

Scissors for Lefty – Ornamental

Langhorne Slim – Restless

Takka Takka – Everybody Say

Themselves – Dark Sky Demo

J. Tillman – Steel On Steel

Trainwreck Riders – Through Unto The End

White Lies – Death

Wildchild – Whenimondamic

Yak Ballz – Dirt Empire

Zolof the Rock & Roll Destroyer – Death or Radio