Every year in mid-March, the music world congregates in Austin, Texas for the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Conference, which started in 1987 and launched a spate of imitators around the country.
Most of those are gone, but SXSW marches on. It’s added film and interactive media components over the years, and the mix of artists, panels, and trade show booths has evolved over the years as the music business has changed. But it’s still a place for bands from around the world to be seen.
As usual, a number of northeast Ohio area artists are playing, either on official showcases or the hundreds of unofficial showcases that spring up all over the city, joining performers from Korea, Norway, Venezuela, Trinidad & Tobago, Croatia, Azerbaijan, and Iran, among other places.
Two acts playing official showcases have moved out of town — one many years ago — but still proudly list their city of origin as “Cleveland.”
Former Dead Boys guitarist Cheetah Chrome now lives in Nashville where he’s a principal in Plowboy Records. He’s playing Friday evening on a high-profile bill at the Parmount Theatre with acts like MC 5 co-founder Wayne Kramer (who is married to Clevelander Margaret Saadi), Suzanne Vega, Spandau Ballet, Jesse Malin, Black Lips, and many more. He’s also part of Saturday evening’s Plowboy Records showcase.
Cloud Nothings leader Dylan Baldi has decamped for Paris but still claims Cleveland as home. They’re performing twice as well: Wednesday evening at Cheer Up Charlie’s as part of the JanSport Bonfire Sessions and Thursday at Parish Underground in a showcase sponsored by their label, Carpark Records.
Chardon duo Mr. Gnome (pictured above) have been selling out their local shows and building their fan base around the country. They’ll have a bunch of opportunities to make more fans in Austin. They’re doing two official showcases Wednesday night at a SXSW free Spotlight Showcase at Javelina and Thursday at Rowdy’s Saloon. They’re also playing the Terrorbird party at noon Wednesday at Cheer Up Charlie’s (music is around the clock at SXSW) and the pre-music fest SXSW Rocketfuel party Monday at the Clivebar.
Mr. Gnome will also be part of an all-Cleveland showcase Friday at the Tiniest Bar in Texas, sponsored by Belmez Entertainment, Hotcards, and Wilbert’s. The afternoon/early evening event will also feature the Speedbumps, Hey Monea!, The Modern Electric, and Tropidelic.
Like most bands who make the trek, they’re also playing multiple “unofficial” shows (hardly anyone knows the different anymore). The Modern Electric will also play another showcase at the Tiniest Bar in Texas on Saturday. The Speedbumps are also playing at the Spicy Evolution Music Festival at the Touche Bar Wednesday night, the Red Gorilla Music Festival at the Dizzy Rooster Thursday, and a house party Saturday night.
Canton’s Hey Monea! will also be playing two shows Thursday — a noon show at the Blackheart Bar and an evening show at the Cedar Door, and a Saturday gig at Amped. Reggae band Tropidelic will be really busy, with five gigs total, including Thursday at the Texas Rockfest, a second show Friday at the Sem Fest, and two shows Saturday — one at the One Koast Fest and another at Jam’s Space.
Pop/rock quartet Herzog will also be showcasing unofficially — Thursday at the Side Bar and Friday at the New Movement.
Rock and roll singer/songwriter Dan Miraldi and his band the Albino Winos have two unofficial slots: Thursday evening at the Dizzy Rooster and Friday at the Thirst Nickel.
Kent alt-country cutie Jessica Lea Mayfield performs Thursday night at Lambert’s under the auspices of High Road Touring. Local DJ Steph Floss (below) will perform Saturday at the Avenue on Congress as part of a big DJ/dance party lineup.
Cleveland metalcore veterans Ringworm will perform an unofficial showcase on Friday at the Dirty Dog called Metal Sucks South by South Death (you can tell why this is “unofficial”!). They’re be celebrating the imminent release of their new album Hammer of the Witch on Relapse Records. They’ll conclude their tour with a CD release event at the Foundry in Lakewood on April 19.
Also performing are Akron indie pop-electronica act Gap Dream (aka Gabe Fullivmer) who have two slots — Wednesday at House of Vans’ showcase at Mohawk Indoor and Saturday at the Hotel Vegas Patio — and the relatively unknown Some Kinda Wonderful, a Cleveland trio with a retro soul/early rock sound, playing Wednesday at the Vulcan Gas Company, as well as Empire Auto and the Hangar Lounge on Thursday, and the Palm Door @ Sabine’s on Saturday.
For more information, go to South by Southwest’s website.