SXSW Music Opening Party Kicks Off Festival, Austin Bands Galore

AUSTIN, TX — And now it's time for the music to start. The SXSW Music Opening Party is scheduled to take place on Tuesday to officially kick off the 2018 SXSW Music Festival.

The March 13 event is schedule at The Main & The Main II from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sponsored by Greater Fort Lauderdale’s Underground, the event provides great live music on two stages and complimentary beverages. It's the official kickoff to the SXSW Music Festival that technically began on Sunday, March 12.

This year’s lineup includes iconic indie band Superchunk, Spanish reggaeton/dancehall rapper Bad Gyal, performance art collective Pussy Riot, German electronic pop act Lali Puna, raucous glam rockers Starcrawler, and more.

The Music Opening Party is open to Music and Platinum Badges as well as Artist Wristbands.

Music lovers will have a dizzying array of musical genres and acts to choose from, with SXSW officials inviting more than 1,000 artists invited to this year's musical showcase.

Related story: SXSW Taking Shape With 570-Plus Artists Invited To Perform So Far

Being invited to perform at SXSW can be career-changing for an artist, if not life-changing. The massive venue allows artists to expose their music to huge audiences, and the buzz that follows is sustainable for the long haul.

Photo credits, clockwise from top left: Lali Puna photo by Patrick Morarescu; Starcrawler photo courtesy of the artist; Bad Gyal photo by Pablo Alzaga; Pussy Riot photo courtesy of the artist; all via SXSW

Artists performing come from virtually every corner of the world, yielding a curated mix of artists performing in bars, clubs, parks, churches, hotels, and more in Austin, Texas. "Not limited in genre or regional focus, audiences can enjoy a variety of musical styles at SXSW," organizers wrote. "At the 2017 edition, new, developing, and established Showcasing Artists from 63 countries were represented among the 2,000-plus official performers.

Yet SXSW organizers haven't forgotten their festival's roots, despite its now-gargantuan proportions. Numerous local artists are among those scheduled to perform, poised to offer beats ranging from hip hop and indie rock to soul and techno.

You should definitely enjoy your favorite bands. But it's important to protect your hearing with some of the higher-decibel acts. If you find yourself without ear plugs, Patch can provide you with a pair during the day before the performance. Just let us know in the comments section or email the author and we'll have you covered.

Austin-based musical acts include:

Abhi The Nomad, hip hop, rap/indie pop

Adam Torres, folk/indie rock

Akina Adderley & The Vintage Playboys, soul/funk

Alec Michael, DJ/house techno

Alesia Lani, R&B/neosoul

Al Lover, electronic/psychadelic

Alvmni, hip hop, rap/Southern hip hop

American Sharks, DJ/electronic

Anastasia, Latin/indie pop

Andrew Parsons, DJ/electronic

...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, rock/alternative

Annabelle Chairlegs, rock/classic rock

Arrows to Fire, rock/alternative

A. Sinclair, rock/indie rock

ATASH, world/indie rock

A-Town GetDown, funk/soul

Austin Martin, hip hop, rap/R&B

Ayuma, electronic/avant, experimental

B1, DJ/electronic

Barbara Nesbitt, Americana/country

Beat Root Revival, Americana/folk

Ben Aqua, electronic/synth pop

BETO y los Fairlanes, jazz/world

Bidi Bidi Banda, Tejano/cumbia

Big Bill, punk/psychedelic

Big Ro, gospel/hip hop

Big Wy's Brass Band, funk/instrumental

BillieB, blues/jazz

Black Heart Saints, rock/hard rock

Blackillac, hip hop, rap/avant experimental

Black Pumas, soul/R&B

Blue Water Highway, alt country, rock

Blushing, rock/shoegaze

Booher, rock/indie rock

BoomBaptist, electronic/hip hop

Boss Street Brass Band, funk/jazz

BRAINWAVVE, electronic/synthpop

Breakout, punk/new wave

Brian Pounds, folk/singer songwriter

The Bright Light Social Hour, rock/psychedelic

Brooks Mosher b2b Submersible Machines, DJ/house, techno

Brownout, Latin rock/funk

Bubble Puppy, rock/psychedelic

Buck Meek, singer, songwriter/Americana

Buenos Diaz, rock/indie rock

BUHU, electronic/dream pop

BUHU (DJ Set), DJ/lo fi

Built By Snow, rock/indie pop

The Bvtcher metal/hard rock

Calliope Musicals, rock/indie pop

The Canvas People, rock/indie rock

CAPYAC, electronic/funk

Carson McHone, Americana/country

Casey Jay, hip hop/rap

Casual Strangers, avant experimental/instrumental

Casual T, electronic/dance

Cha’keeta B, hip hop/rap

Charlie Faye & The Fayettes, Americana/sout

Chico Chico, jazz/western swing

Chill Russell, rock/alternative

Christy Hays, Americana/alt country

Chronophage, avant/experimental punk

Churchwood, rock avant/experimental

Cilantro Boombox, R&B/world

Colin Gilmore, American/rock

Confucius Jones, hip hop, rap/R&B

Corduroi, electronic/ house techno

Cotton Mather, rock/indie pop

Country Cousins, hip hop/rap

Crocodile Tears, rock/power pop

Croy and the Boys, country/world

Culture Wars, rock/alternative

To see the full list of artists performing at this year's SXSW,click here. To preview the 1000+ acts announced so far for 2018, stream our Spotify Playlists, surf our YouTube Music Video playlist, and tune into SXSWfm.

On the SXSW website, showcases are curated by record labels, booking agencies, management and PR firms, export offices, publishers, media outlets, lifestyle brands, festivals, and more, drawing on a pool of artists looking to enhance their careers by reaching new audiences.

Browse the SXSW Schedule to see every Showcasing Artist SXSW has announced.

>>> Photo by Tony Cantü