SXSW 2011 Bullets (3/8/11)

More music! First a little audio news, then a run through the United States, capped by a little crispy, deep-fried goodness.

• Listen to this. Literally. Pitchfork posts about some tools today that will help you pare down your music wish list. This one has my interest: "Bandcamp has compiled 467 SXSW artists that host their music on the site, complete with a huge grid of images assigned to said bands, a streaming player, and a counter telling you the amount of music you still have yet to listen to. The whole thing clocks in at one day, six hours, 11 minutes and 59 seconds of music. Just looking at the first few bands, my favorite band name I hadn't heard until right now has to be Mose Giganticus." We haven't checked it out yet but will very soon.
• One of my favorite bars downtown, Gingerman, is playing host to an event called the "Transatlantic rock affair." Craft beer maverick Dogfish Head co-sponsors. Free, but an RSVP is required. The Thursday through Saturday lineup is posted here.
• Kansas City is representing at SouthBy, according to Pitch Music, which profiles some of the bands KC is sending to SXSW this year. How does Jordan Geiger feel about playing this year with his own band, Hospital Ships? "It feels awesome. It's been a long time coming for me. I've played SXSW as a member of Old Canes and Shearwater, but this will be the first time I play with a band where I wrote the songs and sing. The Graveface showcase we're playing makes me really proud to be on that label. It's a great lineup."
• Keeping with the states theme, the Miami New Times profiles five Florida bands bringing some citrus and sunshine to SXSW this year: Awesome New Republic, Dreaming in Stereo, Locos por Juana, Million Young and Surfer Blood, who is will be at the Mess with Texas Party on Saturday, March 18 at East Side Drive-In. Of the first four, Dreaming in Stereo sounds interesting. The New Times has this to say about the band and its leader, "guitar whiz" Fernando Perdomo: "Perdomo has long been a mature, English-language songwriter in his own right, and this is the first bona fide band of his own. Dreaming in Stereo draws heavily on the influence of power pop legends such as Todd Rundgren. But it also incorporates the kind of multilayered, prog-rock flourishes that only a truly talented player can pull off. It all comes together in eminently hummable, feel-good tunes that aim to bring quality rock songwriting back to a mainstream audience."
• Who else is coming to town? Chicago has a nice looking SXSW contingent. The long list of Chicago region artists is posted on Gapers Block. There's also a list of events involving Chicago area businesses. Very impressive participation from the Second City this year.
• One more: St. Louis. Another impressive list, headed up by hip-hop. "The hip-hop community represents the biggest St. Louis contingent in Austin this year. Force member Nato Caliph rented a van and says he has thirteen people riding with him -- and notes that he knows of four other groups of people traveling to SXSW by car. (All told, he estimates that there's a "minimum of 40 people" going to Austin from the Lou.)"
• A site called Strange Glue is kicking off a series of band interviews today with a profile of Brazil's Constantina. The band shares its thoughts on playing at the festival, including who it hopes to catch on stage: "We're making a list so we don't miss anything! Among our list there are: Joan of Arc, Maps & Atlases, Appleseed Cast, Man Man, James Vincent McMorrow, J Mascis, Balmohea, The Black Atlantic."
• Prolific Austin360 food blogger Addie Broyles reports today that local restaurant Olivia is hosting a party this year for the first time. Olivia sold some memorable fried chicken at ACL this year. It was the best thing I ate at the festival. Happily, Ms. Broyles reports that the party will feature "live music, Lone Star and the same fried chicken that music lovers devoured during the Austin City Limits Music Festival in October." Woohoo!