going to sxsw? don’t fuck it up! here are the bands you don’t want to miss. #soundcheck

So you got your flight booked. You got your badge. You got your 5×7 corner of someone’s living room that you paid $500 for, but they’re totally hanging a sheet up, so you know: privacy. You’re ready for SXSW, so don’t fuck it up. Here are the shows you most definitely don’t want to miss.

Tuesday March 12

10pm – American Fangs at the Metal & Lace Lounge
Kick things off with 2009 APFest veterans American Fangs. The Houston-based hard rock quartet puts on a killer live show you won’t want to miss.

1am – Blah Blah Blah at BD Riley’s
End your first day in Austin on a high note with the charming architects of Ballroom Rock. Fedora optional.

Wednesday March 13

12am – The Coup at Cedar Street Courtyard
Legendary hip-hop/funk/punk/revolutionary band The Coup’s latest record Sorry To Bother You was one of our favorites of 2012.

1am – Trash Talk at Scoot Inn
Feeling inspired to rebel after checking out The Coup? Trash Talk’s got your circle pit right here.

BONUS! I know it’s not Afropunk, but Iggy and the fucking Stooges are playing at 8:30 at Mohawk. Come on. Search and Destroy!

Thursday March 14

8pm – Vintage Trouble at Six Lounge
OK. So you’ve still got a headache from getting smacked in the pit last night at Trash Talk. We’ll start things off a little retro with soul and rocknroll band Vintage Trouble.

9:15pm – Lianne La Havas at Empire Automotive
Keep the mood going with Lianne La Havas, another of our favorite records from 2012.

11:10pm – Open Mike Eagle at 512 Rooftop
What? Rooftop jam with Open Mike Eagle? Yes. Yes yes. If I could afford it, you and me would dance all the time.

12am – Body Language at Lamberts
So that cute someone you were dancing with on the roof? Take them over to Lamberts to check out the sultry indie pop of APFest 2012 alumni Body Language.

12:50am – Death at TenOak
Oh, it didn’t work out. Sorry. Well did you know Detroit punk rock pioneers Death are back together and touring again? Shit yeah they are. There, feeling better? I thought so.

Friday March 15

8:45pm – Andy Allo at St. David’s Bethell Hall
Prince’s latest protege and noted people pleaser Andy Allo starts the evening out with her Superconductive soul.

9:15pm – Danny Brown at Viceland
Danny Brown just declared himself the Hottest MC. True? Maybe. For sure we’re all pretty psyched for Old. At the very least, he’s definitely a Coney Island Chili Dog.

10pm – Kool AD at Haven
Since splitting from Das Racist, Kool AD’s been working overtime, dropping a double mixtape and starting the hardcore band Party Animal. Also apparently he’s Kevin Sorbo now. Cool?

11pm – Laura Mvula at Hype Hotel
We can’t get enough of Laura Mvula. Somehow retro and futuristic, the UK singer is about to blow up in a big way.

12am – Talib Kweli at the Pandora Porch
It’s Talib frikkin Kweli. Do we even need to explain why you’ll regret missing this?

1am – Toro Y Moi at The North Door
Cap off the night with chillwave visionary Toro Y Moi. Is it just me or is SXSW turning into a mini APFest 2012 reunion?

BONUS! We don’t know when, but we know where. Kool AD’s hardcore band Party Animal is playing a show at Reggie’s Rock Bar. Stay tuned for more info!

Saturday March 16

6:30pm – Angel Haze at Austin Music Hall
The stylishly disturbing (disturbingly stylish?) video for New York had us all talking last year. Sadly she never responded to our Valentines Card.

9:30pm – Valerie June at Cedar Street Courtyard
The Tennessee blues singer was a big hit at SXSW last year. Advance word is the Cedar Street Courtyard doesn’t sell moonshine in a mason jar, so you’ll have to bring your own.

10pm – Radkey at Hickory Street
The teenage trio from Missouri rocked the APFest this summer. Prepare to get your socks (or footwear of choice) rocked off.

11pm – Le1f at Mohawk Outdoor
The gaygnsta rapper / 4chan incarnate Le1f made another of our favorite videos of 2012. Pikachu mask not included.

11:45am – Death Grips at 1100 Warehouse
So you’ve spent the past 5 days listening to dozens of bands, waiting in line after line, eating from the best food trucks Austin has to offer, and drinking the city’s finest PBR. Now your brain can’t possibly digest anymore information. Sounds like the perfect time to check out the apocalyptic hip-hop of Death Grips. Brain exploded.

1am – The Skatalites at the Stage on Sixth Patio
End the festival with the only ska band allowed to have the word “Ska” in their band name. The originators: The Skatalites. So what if there are pretty much no original members left. It’s the damn Skatalites. They invented music.

BONUS! Your whole last night could be thrown into disarray by a TBA set by George Clinton and P-Funk at Empire Automotive. Also appearing at that show are the Robert Glasper Experiment and Shinobi Ninja. Set times are TBA, so who knows. Oh, and also this is SXSW so they’re all going to be running late anyway.

Did we miss anyone? Who are you excited for? We wanna hear your SXSW adventures…

– Words by Nathan Leigh