Article and Photos by: Melanie Allen

I attend SXSW every year, and my favorite part has always been the music, seeing some of my favorite acts and finding new acts to seek out in the future. This year I was able to make it out to several different showcases, many of which I thought provided noteworthy acts, which include Eliot Sumner, Diet Cig, Drowners, and more.

CHVRCHES performed at the Radio Day Stage in the Austin Convention Center on Friday. Their setup was simple and quaint for this occasion, contrary to their usual stage layout. The trio stood together behind a table and played a pretty low-key half hour set. Frontwoman Lauren Mayberry made cute and witty comments in between each song, per usual. They played songs off of their newest album Every Open Eye, including their recent single “Clearest Blue,” as well as hits off their debut album, such as “The Mother We Share” and “Recover.” Their teamwork becomes especially apparent in “acoustic” performances, but they’ll be back in Austin for a full show next month.

I made my way down to Rainey St. where I stopped at Clive Bar to see one of my long time favorites, Ra Ra Riot. The six members occupied a tiny stage and still rocked the same way they always do, and got the cramped crowd of 200 to do the same. They recently put out their fourth album, Need Your Light, which half of their set comprised. The other half included more veteran songs such as “Can You Tell,” (2008).  This was the band’s last show of SXSW, and they went out with a Ba Ba Bang.

Saturday, I began my day at House of Vans at The Mohawk. Femme-punk group Bleached kicked off the outdoor stage with a short set, which I ended up wishing had been longer. Their high energy and extra loud performance included songs such as 2013 hit “Ride Your Heart,” and “Sour Candy,” off their album Welcome The Worms which is due April 1 of this year. Frontwoman Jennifer Clavin shocked the crowd midset by jumping off of the stage and making her way up the staircase near the balcony. Bleached undoubtedly left an unforgettable impression (in a good way) with those at the Mohawk.

Down the street at Stubb’s, Eliot Sumner was closing the indoor stage at Rachael Ray’s Feedback showcase. After having seen her perform a couple of times before, I knew better than to skip out on it. The small room was full, and there were even a couple of rows of people on the balcony. Sumner brings a unique kind of intensity and vitality to each stage she walks onto. Her album Information was released early this year, and it’s a must-listen. This was Sumner’s last SXSW performance, and after a strong 45-minute set, the crowd begged for more. Sumner put down her bass guitar, clenched her mic, and fleshed out one last tune.

Back at the House of Vans, Diet Cig was closing the indoor stage. This self-described “slop pop” duo from Brooklyn was playing their last of 13 total SXSW shows. Petite 20-year-old frontwoman Alex Luciano makes the absolute most of performing, jumping around stage and singing every word of every song with great emotion and enthusiasm. Her mother watched side-stage and covered her ears while Luciano sang about “trying to fuck” someone in high school. The band’s chemistry was unmatchable, and the crowd fell in love with it. Their album will be released later this year, so be on the lookout for that. In the meantime, they have a couple of songs on Bandcamp available for download.

I ended my Saturday night at Cheer Up Charlie’s where I caught NYC-based indie rock band Drowners. If you’re a fan of the Strokes or Arctic Monkeys, Drowners are right up your alley. They all took the stage wearing dark clothes, jeans, and frontman Matt Hitt sported a leather jacket. Their 40-minute set allowed for a decent amount of songs as many of theirs are relatively fast paced and on the shorter side, such as their single “Luv, hold me down.” The outdoor half of the venue was packed for this performance from beginning to end, and this show was a great part of bringing my SXSW experience to a close.

Be sure to check out these acts if you haven’t already, I know they’ll all be on my radar for a while. You can find out more about other SXSW showcasing artists on the SXSW website.