For its 30th anniversary, Austin’s SXSW festival got the biggest headliners possible, with President Barack Obama delivering a keynote at the interactive portion and First Lady Michelle Obama speaking at the music portion. It concluded with Drake making a surprise appearance the final night.
But SXSW has never just been about star power. The heart of the festival is the more than 2,000 acts that perform around the city, from grizzled veterans to artists hoping to get discovered. Here are a few that are making their way to Williamsburg.
Låpsley
It’s easy to figure out why Låpsley inspires comparisons to Adele. She’s young, British and goes by one name. The surprising thing is that she has the voice to back up those comparisons, belting out songs about heartbreak over electronic soundscapes. (May 11-12, Music Hall of Williamsburg) (Credit: Jeff Colchamiro)
Beach Slang
It may seem out of step in 2016, but somehow Beach Slang has managed to pull off creating an album of songs testifying to the power of guitar rock. It won’t be everyone’s thing, but if you’re a fan of bands like The Replacements and The Gaslight Anthem, it’s hard not to be moved. Lead singer James Alex summed up the band’s appeal before its last song, telling the crowd, “Thanks for remembering that rock ‘n’ roll is supposed to be sloppy and dangerous.” (April 20, Music Hall of Williamsburg) (Credit: Jeff Colchamiro)
Little Simz
British rapper Simbi Ajikawo has earned comparisons to Kendrick Lamar and Lauryn Hill. In a truncated set, she showed off her technical ability and her writing chops, offering songs that are both crowd-pleasing and introspective. Her debut album, “A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons,” finds her coping with her ambition and her burgeoning fame. (March 23, Rough Trade NYC) (Credit: Jeff Colchamiro)
The Kills
The British-American duo previewed songs from its upcoming album, “Ash & Ice,” which will come out June 3 and is the group’s first in five years. Their onstage charisma and compelling mixture of booming electronic beats, bluesy guitar and simmering vocals hasn’t aged a day. (April 12-13, Warsaw) (Credit: Jeff Colchamiro)
White Lung
White Lung has been a great punk band since the start of the decade. Now it’s aiming to be more than that. The band’s new songs have been given the slightest hint of a pop sheen without losing any of their power. It doesn’t hurt that their intense singer Mish Way absolutely owns the stage. (May 7, Baby’s All Right) (Credit: Jeff Colchamiro)
Source: Am New York