SXSW 2010: Wednesday In Photos

Here's a tip if you're going to one of these industry festival type things: If IAMSOUND is having a party, you should attend that party. Just like this past CMJ, the L.A.-based imprint owned their night, pulling together an eclectic lineup that showcased the right bands, all having a moment: Scott already posted some video from the Fool's Gold set, but moreover there was the first North American show from Sweden's "Lollipop" loving electro-folk sensation jj; the first set in four months (and dope new songs) from the soon-to-rule-all Sleigh Bells (I know I babble about them, but if these words or their demos haven't sold you, their live show will -- do not miss); music from Suckers, playing from their excellent forthcoming record Wild Smile ("Before Your Birthday Ends" is already ruling my iTunes), and a closing set from SALEM, whose murky crunk sounds have birthed a Guardian-profiled genre called "drag," because you clearly were in need of more labels to throw around. While we're on newspapers throwing around labels, the Wall St. Journal-stamped "chillwave" set is everywhere, busy bringing down blood pressure all over Austin this week.

The party from local news site Austinist featured a triptych, with tourmates Washed Outand Small Black playing (separately and together, as previously documented) just moments after a superb indoor set from one of the genre's leading lights, Toro Y Moi -- the room was packed to the gills, but they were very chill gills. As always Levi's/FADER is holding down their Fort, a compound located a ten minute walk from the main drag of 6th St., but worth every step -- free booze and a lineup that will capture most of the year's buzz bands over its three days. No they don't have a petting zoo, but the "surprise guests" got going yesterday with a set from Nas and Damien Marley; rumors for the rest of the week have included everything from Ludacris to Black Eyed Peas (slammy). (Also, Sleigh Bells + Bone Thugs-n-Harmony should prove pretty unfuckwithable.)

As for the rest of the day: There were shots from superb post-Pavilion pop troupe Keepaway, the debut of Roky Erickson and Okkervil River (Rokkervil River, henceforth and forever more) at PASTE's shindig, the ladies of Warpaint whose new drummer is a beastess, driving the sultry charmer "Elephants" from its hypnotic haze into freakily drum-filled exeunt ... and abundant et ceteras.

Compliments of Ryan Muir and Pooneh Ghana, we have photos of all those and more We'll be bringing photo gallery posts throughout the week mixed in with our normal news and track posts.

If you want to live inside our brains this week, follow us on Twitter: here's @stereogum, @scottgum, @brandonstosuy, and I'm at @amritsingh. If you see us IRL, say hi. We're pretty nice.