SXSW 2013

Recently, Jason Bentley had the great pleasure of interviewing Depeche Mode about their new album “Delta Machine” — out today! — and their 30+ years of being a band.
Our friends at NPR Music transcribed the entire conversation — including a candid chat about Dave Gahan’s battle with drugs and the band’s creative process as songwriters– which you can now find on their website.
As NPR …

SXSW has come and gone and just like a sailor’s trip on the high seas – I’ve got a few stories to tell.
In total, I managed upwards 40 artists across the 4 day span but below are a few of ‘em that cut through the noise of it all and capitalized at the capitol.
Music

Hanni El Khatib totally scorched the scene with some rippin’ licks …

SXSW 2013 will forever be the year that pierced my heart with memories. There are many  that come to mind but I will stick with a couple that left me inspired and hopeful for the future of music.
First lets talk about the amazing performances:
Hiatus Kaiyote finally performed in the states as a full band to a room full of folks who were unfamiliar …

My first ever trip to Austin for SXSW is in the books and I’m already thinking about ’14. I tried really hard to balance the two types of shows you’ll encounter: The big, drool-inducing corporate sponsored showcases and the low-key corner bar with unknown band names. It was good to have the option to do both, but it was hard to face this reality; …

Over 2,200 bands played over 100 venues (official and unofficial) at SXSW 2013. It’s quite daunting to sum it up, but one of the best parts of the festival is the “choose your own adventure” nature of things. Everyone has a completely different experience based on chance encounters, flippant decisions, and what their weariness will allow them to accomplish after days and days of hoofing …

This year marks Depeche Mode’s first visit to SXSW. There may be thousands of bands here, but when an artist of that caliber comes to town, everyone gets really excited. Jason Bentley was asked to do a Q&A with the band — their first major interview about their new album to a standing room only audience — and it was almost absurd to be …

Quick takes:
Rhye at the Pitchfork Day Party: They went on a noon after flying in from Berlin last night and going nearly 40 hours without sleep. That made singer Mike Milosh’s performance all that much more incredible. His vocals are fantastic and the backing band of pros – including cello and violin players – made me love the songs more live. It’s babymaking music …

KCRW officially started our SXSW activities yesterday, broadcasting live from Sonos Studio, but today was the first chance I got to go out and see some bands, which is REALLY what this giant event in Austin is all about.
We decided to explore a little neighborhood called Rainey St, where all these cute little houses are actually bars/restaurants. We walked until we heard a sound …

Last year at SXSW, KCRW hosted Alabama Shakes at our Day Showcase. The room was jampacked with people and the energy in the air was a clear indication they were destined for stardom.
Jake Bugg will play the same timeslot again this year and we have high hopes for him as well. This 18-year-old wunderkind from the UK has “the goods” as we like to …

Dear Austin,
Let me start by saying, I love your guts. The music, food, bars, people, weather, Jo’s coffee. It’s some of the best out there…so in anticipation of SXSW – I’m writing to tell ya a few acts I hope you’ll let me see.
Lines, busted feet, a couple extra Shiner’s and, even one year, an arctic blast of cold – have prevented me from …