• Broken Bells (their album is great and many of my friends saw ‘em – dangit),
• Band of Skulls (my number one or two band along with the xx – no-showed at showcase!),
• Fanfarlo (just didn’t work out),
• She & Him (heard they weren’t that good live, so that’s nice),
• We Were Promised Jetpacks (missed all my Scottish bands),
• Broken Records (didn’t play much),
• Frightened Rabbit (and missed even more Scottish bands)

Now, I did manage to catch 55 bands, and most all of them were good to very good.  And for a change, we did get to see several great electronic bands, which are in short supply some years.  Here is a summary (in no particular order) of the best bands I saw this year:

• The xx – great band, not a great show at the French Legation – too crowded
• Temper Trap – simply awesome band and awesome show at Lustre Pearl
• The Morning Benders – talented San Fran band who put on a nice androgynous show
• Chew Lips – awesome new UK female vocalist with sweet electronics – great show too
• Banjo or Freakout – thought they were someone else the whole show, but were quite good
• You Say Party, We Say Die – like a poor man’s Yeah Yeah Yeah’s – fun live
• The Veils – good enough to see twice – Finn Andrews’ voice is amazing
• The Golden Filter – more great electronic-influenced acts that are hard to come by – from NYC
• Cymbals Eat Guitars – math rock with crazy lead vocal/guitarist who plays with frenzy & passion
• The Boxer Rebellion – kind of U2 influenced UK rock that was much better live than on CD
• We Are Scientists – we had our choices, and though we’d seen ‘em before, we went again.  So awesome!
• Local Natives – didn’t get to hear much of them, but album is incredible – kicking myself
• Free Energy – great summer power pop – like Weezer without the snark – Fun!
• Memory Tapes – more cool electronic stuff – need to listen to their album again now
• Surfer Blood – good indie rock – hard to go wrong with that
• Twin Tigers – more good indie rock – still can’t go wrong
• Solid Gold – way fun, dancy electronica – the place was bumpin’
• Tanlines – more of the same fun, dancy electronica – the place was bumpin’ even more
• Codeine Velvet Club – great new big band from Fratelli’s guy with female vocalist & horns – watch for ‘em
• Sondre Lerche – seriously, if you haven’t seen him live, do so –  he’s a great entertainer with true talent
• Wave Pictures – kind of UK version of Violent Femmes, I liked ‘em
• Nic Armstrong – just caught a brief song, but man, he was really good and is a local UK ex-pat
• Miss Li – Little Swedish dynamo with serious pipes and hilariously fun stage presence

SXSW2010 day party fri

Thursday
Warpaint at Urban Oufitters
Bachelorette at Urban Oufitters
The Golden Filter at Urban Oufitters
Freelance Whales at Yard Dog
Julianna Barwick at French Legation
Holly Miranda at French Legation
The xx at French Legation
So Many Dynamos at Emo’s Jr
Cymbals Eat Guitars at Lustre Pearl
The Boxer Rebellion at Lustre Pearl
The Temper Trap at Lustre Pearl
We Are Scientists at The Phoenix

Friday
Local Natives at Emo’s
Free Energy at Emo’s
Washed Out at Emo’s
Dam-Funk at Emo’s
Best Coast at Emo’s
Memory Tapes at Emo’s
Surfer Blood at Emo’s
Say Hi at Galaxy Room
Freelance Whales (again) at Galaxy Room
Twin Tigers at Emo’s Annex
Solid Gold at Club Deville
Tanlines at Club Deville
Delorean at Emo’s
Fool’s Gold at Emo’s
The Antlers at Galaxy Room backyard
Sum 41 at Maggie Mae’s

Saturday
Jason Collett at Galaxy Room
Besnard Lakes at Galaxy Room
Children Collide at Cedar Street
Codeine Velvet Club at Cedar Street
Royal Bangs at American Youthworks
Rafter at Barbarella
The Veils at Klub Krucial
Sondre Lerche at Klub Krucial
Wave Pictures at Barbarella
The Tenants at Side Bar
Susan Herndon at Artz Rib House
Grammatics at The Phoenix
Nic Armstrong at Victorian Room
Miss Li at Victorian Room
Class Actress at The Phoenix
papercutz at Prague

SXSW2010 day party thurs

SXSW2011 Day Party Weds