No Depression SXSW Showcase Announcement
It is with great pleasure that we announce the lineup for the 2010 No Depression Showcase at SXSW (note, this is an official showcase, not a party). If you’ll be in Austin for the occasion, please join us on Friday, March 19 at the legendary Continental Club for hours of entertainment from some of our favorite indie/roots/Americana/alt/country/rock/whatever artists. Also join us at 6:30 the same night for a ND meet-up at Botticelli’s. For more info about that and everything else that’s going on at SXSW this year, join our SXSW 2010 group.
Following is a little more about each of the bands in our showcase lineup:
8 p.m. Vandaveer (D.C./Kentucky)
Vandaveer will hit the ND SXSW showcase with their sweet, tight, melodic harmonies. Their latest album, Divide and Conquer dropped last summer and quickly became one of our favorite singer-songwriter releases of the year. It features the imaginative songwriting of Mark Charles Heidinger, whose arrangements are equal parts pop, folk, and something else of his own creation. Whatever it is, it will stick with you longer than you might expect.
9 p.m. The Maldives (Seattle, WA)
Of all groups in the burgeoning Seattle Americana scene, the Maldives could be considered a hub of sorts. Not only are they one of the largest bands in town, but their members have been known to sit in with almost every other band. Add to that the fact that they made several year-end lists with their indie rock/Americana vibe, and a hugely energetic live show that’s not to be missed. Definitely one of the most interesting Americana groups coming out of Seattle right now.
10 p.m. The Belleville Outfit (Austin, TX)
Trying to explain the Belleville Outfit’s sound to strangers may prove a difficult task. Equal parts jazz, bluegrass, contemporary folk, and Western swing, this band is not the simplest to pin down. We enjoyed catching them at the Station Inn during the AMA Conference in Nashville last fall, and are looking forward to seeing them again this spring at Continental Club.
11 p.m. Deadstring Brothers (Detroit, MI)
The Deadstring Brothers (as evidenced by their latest disc, Sao Paulo) downright rock. There’s something reckless about the energy their music churns up – like that part of rock and roll which otherwise seems so elusive these days. But, they’re still heavily influenced by the roots of American country music, and the spirit of Johnny and Hank is heavy on their work.
12 a.m. Elliott Brood (Toronto, ONT)
It’s hard to explain the amount of energy a trio like Elliott Brood manages to scare up almost from the minute they walk onstage. They blew the roof off Grimey’s basement during the AMA conference (for those who were still awake and out at that late hour), and will no doubt bring the same to the Continental Club.
1 a.m. Chatham County Line (Raleigh, NC)
On the one hand, Chatham County Line is your basic everyday stringband, pulling from the variant traditions of classic style country music and bluegrass, relying heavily on close-knit harmonies, gathering tightly around a single mic, and making way each song for some hard-hitting solo. But this band comes at their craft with a rock and roll attitude suited just as well for distorted effects as for their stripped down, true-to-the-song craftsmanship.
We hope you can join us, and help us spread the word.