SXSW 2021 will be an event unlike any other the Austin, TX music industry staple has hosted over the years. Instead of taking place in clubs and makeshift spaces across the core of the city, 2021’s festival will take place fully online. That will make for a very different experience for ticketholders, but so far the musical lineup is revealing itself to be very promising. Today the festival has announced a second round of showcasing artists, a mix of indie and punk staples with a plethora of up-and-coming bands.

Leading the lineup announcement are a couple of guitar-based alternative bands. The biggest name is undoubtedly Iceage, the Danish post-punk band that just announced a new album called Seek Shelter last week. They’ll be joined by Jasamine White-Gluz’s neo-shoegaze band No Joy, who released one of 2020’s best albums in Motherhood. They may not be the biggest name on this announcement, but Jambinai may be the best band of all announced this round. The Japanese experimental band released the stellar ONDA in 2019, which featured one of our favorite songs of 2019, the titular track “ONDA.” Randy Randall of Los Angeles DIY heroes No Age will also be playing as a showcasing artist in 2021.

Another noteworthy name in the second round of artists at SXSW 2021 is Altin Gün, a Netherlands-based, Turkish-influenced psych rock band that have a new album called Yol on the way in three days. Other eye catching names include London duo Babeheaven, buzzy Cambridge, UK post-punk band Black Country, New Road who released their promising debut album earleir this month. Also check out mullet-loving Australian punks The Chats, whose debut album was released right around this time in 2020, folksy Austin natives The Deer, Los Angeles Park The Van signee BOYO that was the subject of a recent profile by our own Los Angeles local beat, El Paso psych mainstays Holy Wave, Brooklyn MC Kosha Dillz, Los Angeles pop band Magdelena Bay and Brighton band Penelope Isles.

The round two announcement follows the festival’s initial lineup announcement. That first round of showcasing artists included A Place To Bury Strangers, Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, Holy Fuck, Indigo Sparke, Braids, Otoboke Beaver, Beans and more.

Photo Credit: Stephen Hoffmeister