The music part of the annual South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas, runs from Tuesday through March 20 and, as usual, there are several bands or solo acts from Southern Arizona represented.
The worth of the conference, at least to up and comers, was lost long ago when big name acts started showing up and hogging most of the attention. Which is not to say a talented new group might not get a listen.
Sierra Vista's Brandon Jim Band is giving it a shot. The sometimes country-folk/sometimes rock trio reports it has lined up a couple of showcase slots, including one at Oil Can Harry's in Austin.
There is, however, an upside to SXSW for Tucson music fans. We get to hear some of the bands that are being routed to and from the conference.
Sky Bar, 536 N. Fourth Ave., has a straggling herd of bands on the trail to and from SXSW for free shows starting Saturday with Sinner's Circus of San Francisco and locals A Son Y Sol. Sunday it's Fergus & Geronimo of Denton, Texas, and Monday a pair of Bay Area bands, Wave Array and Buckeye Knoll. After the conference. On March 21, catch Future Loves Past of Phoenix, and LA band Italian Japanese. March 22 it's Palm Springs band Acronycal.
People are also reading…
Over at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St., Nick 13 of Tiger Army plays a solo show at Club Congress at 8 p.m. Tuesday en route to a SXSW showcase in Austin two nights later. The singer-songwriter for the post-punk psychobilly Tiger Army has been leaning country of late. Tickets for the 21 and over show are $12 at the door.
Dan Sorenson
