For one week each March, Austin, home of whole foods and two-tiered fixed-gear bicycles—becomes a land of music in the streets. This year’s South By Southwest, a music festival hosted annually by the city of Austin, brings a plethora of indie musicians—from those panhandling to get their way back to their hometowns jamming in the streets, to international acts rocking thousands-deep crowds flown in for the very occasion—into local bars and venues. Unlike other festivals, where different genres are assigned to different stages, this festival descents upon the city like a technicolor fog, where adjacent bars and the streets are dotted with different styles and colors, genres and sounds.
Thanks to the efforts of my hosts, Brandon & Ryota, Houston homies Jane and John, Amaris ‘getting free shit is my day job’ Modesto, Sabel Boo & Modi of DC to BC fame, I suddenly found myself with warm shelter, preservative-free food, all-access bracelets and Good Wood chains—here is a sample of what it looked, and sounded like—for the full set, check out mySXSW ‘10 Flickr page

The Mighty Mighty Mos Def @ Redbull Thre3Style


She’s fiercer than that in real life, actually.

POSERS!!!MALUCA
The frontman of MAJOR LAZER, before taking off his pants

Formed in London, English DJ duo Radioclit & Malawi born singer Esau Mwamwya are The Very Best

South African singer, Molaudi Lauds, joined them on their innagural US Tour

RA the MC made it out after a twenty-odd hour trip from DC to bless the stage with Pro’Verb with the single “Lost Ones”, and break up the monotony of testosterone infused club bangers

Freeway makes a guest appearance, stepping out from underneath of a hoodieand eagles cap, to spit a bar or two

Modi flaunts a Good Wood piece; Deemehlow opts for the people’s eyebrow

Where 15 passenger vans become ampitheatres—Justin Bailey is one of many who take it to the street

Dam Funk breaks out the key-tar and vocoder, putting autotune quietly to bed @ Fader Fort

Outernational performs with the Street Sweeper Social Club

Miles Solay, vocals. Outernational

The Coup’s MC-in-chief, Boots Riley and the Street Sweeper Social Club

perhaps, the nicer side of the malucamala

bright idea

Perhaps the most bizzare-surreal act I witnessed at the festival, NY-bred slowcore electronic-rap group, Salem—sounds like weezy’s most codeined out moments played backwards

An illuminating read about their music, as told by John Holland, the messy lookin dude on the mic, can be found here

Jasmin Solano performs with MC Eyeris

 Mazzie uprocks between sets @ the Mz Metro Showcase

Animal Farm

if anybody knows who this guy is, let me know—i’ll keep an eye out in Harlem
 

Team Facelift @ Mz. Metro Showcase

DC local,Phil Ade, warns us about going hollywood

Phil Ade @ Quality Showcase


 So who’s goin next year?