This week we’ve got a list of showcasing artists that’s a bit longer than the last few weeks. The festival is only a few weeks away, parties are starting to be announced, and the lineup is closer to being finalized. This week has a few stand-out names, some definite rising stars, and of course as always, a massive amount of relatively-unknown artists looking to make a big splash in Austin this March. The festival takes place Monday, March 11 to Sunday March 17, 2019.

Austin rock band A Giant Dog will be playing at their hometown festival, a few years off of the Merge Records-released LP Toy. Judah & the Lion will also play. The Nashville band just released a new song with Grammy winner Kacey Musgraves, a folk-emo track called “pictures.”

Black Lips member Ian Saint Pé, who goes simply by Saint Pé, will also be at SXSW. Other groups include British band Abjects, who released an album in February, Texas songwriter Hayes Carll, Brooklyn’s King Princess, indie rocker Strand of Oaks – who have a new album out in March and Austin band Suspirians.

The biggest names in this round are Broken Social Scene, The Joy Formidable and Japanese Breakfast. Broken Social Scene made a big return to releasing music in 2017 with Hug of Thunder. More recently, they released an EP called Let’s Try The After Vol. 1.

The Joy Formidable released a new album earlier this year and it was a good one. The members of the Welsh rock band took inspiration from the American Southwest and sonically it shows on AAARTH. Japanese Breakfast released a very auspicious album in 2017 titled Soft Sounds from Another Planet. Here’s to hoping her SXSW appearance will coincide with new music from the musical nom de plume of Michelle Zauner.

Photo Credit: Sharon Alagna