Only a few days to go! The big countdown continues to the start of SXSW 2013 in Austin.  It’s now less than one whole week until SXSWi kicks off (you’ll have to wait a bit longer for Music).  SXSWi appears to be morphing into a music week as loads of bands/DJs are playing this time around, including Aeroplane, Viceroy and many more.

We’ve done the usual routine of picking the bands we want to catch and when you look at the schedule that is being ever updated on daily basis, it is inevitable that the more bands that are listed, the more clashes are cropping up.  It is quite literally a music minefield.  First world problems I hear you cry.

So, taking into account how mad and overwhelming it can all be. It leads us to try stripping down the schedule to the must see bands that we simply cannot go without catching.  We tried to target a 10 must see band list but it was impossible to get it down below 20 bands.  Our selections might not be obvious ones and might not necessarily be familiar names to you. However, there is a method to our madness.

Our logic is thrice fold.

1. Target bands you desperately want to see that we have blogged about in the past.
2. Target bands that might not play such small venues again as they are on an upwards curve to bigger and better things.
3. Target bands that might not hit your home town, city or even your country.

Another key essential here for SXSW is just go with the flow.  Don’t worry that you can’t see all the bands you want to as other great bands will be ones you’ll see without even planning it.

OK.  So here goes.  Here are the 20 must see bands that you should catch and put on your music radar for SXSW and beyond.  If you are a frequent visitor to our site, you’ll be familiar with a fair few names here but even so, there may be ones that you don’t know…yet.  Trust us.  This is not only a list of awesome bands, artists, DJs and great tuneage but this list is also one that you won’t be feeling the dissapointment every time of having to queue around the block (Hype Hotel style) and you’ll be able to pack more bands into your travels rather than spending most of your time in a queue.  There will be some bigger bands than others here (Haim will surely have a lot of interest of course) but we reckon this list is just sensational and we can’t wait to catch every single one of them live.

Remember.  This is just our list that we reckon you should be putting onto your music radar at SXSW.  Check out the full SXSW schedule for many more awesome bands that are too numerous to list here.

 

20 MUST SEE SXSW 2013 SHOWCASING BANDS, ARTISTS & DJS 

 

Blondfire

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/65721316″ iframe=”true” /]

 

The 1975

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/75503064″ iframe=”true” /]

 

Capital Cities

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/8813997″ iframe=”true” /]

 

Poolside

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/20729786″ iframe=”true” /]

 

Goldroom

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/45708341″ iframe=”true” /]

 

Trails and Ways

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/47505712″ iframe=”true” /]

 

St. Lucia

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/60540731″ iframe=”true” /]

 

Viceroy

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/75820437″ iframe=”true” /]

 

Vaudeville Smash

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/77102784″ iframe=”true” /]

 

Charli XCX

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/75018105″ iframe=”true” /]

 

Flight Facilities

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/46230233″ iframe=”true” /]

 

Foxes

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/28149605″ iframe=”true” /]

 

Haim

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/78796179″ iframe=”true” /]

 

Kitten

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/57900198″ iframe=”true” /]

 

Kodaline

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/53027872″ iframe=”true” /]

 

Lucy Rose

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/60161489″ iframe=”true” /]

 

Pacific Air

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/59611028″ iframe=”true” /]

 

Sky Ferriera

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/63194922″ iframe=”true” /]

 

The Deer Tracks

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/64856046″ iframe=”true” /]

 

Tommie Sunshine & Disco Fries

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/74243427″ iframe=”true” /]