Ahead of South By Southwest, Stereogum is highlighting a handful of our Band To Watch alumni who have busy schedules at this year’s festival. If you’re in Austin this week, now’s your chance to actually watch some Bands To Watch.

Like most charming DIY upstarts, Diet Cig have cleaned up their act somewhat since wowing us with their debut EP Over Easy. But the material they’ve released since then sacrifices none of the contagious buoyancy and tenderhearted storytelling that made this New Paltz duo so lovable in the first place.

Singles “Sleep Talk” and “Dinner Date” are still strikingly personal, they’re just delivered with an ever-increasing confidence that makes me eager to hear a Diet Cig full-length debut someday. In the meantime, I’ll be sure to show up at one of their SXSW gigs this year — maybe even our very own Stereogum x Exploding In Sound bash. The band’s full itinerary is below.

3/15 Hype Hotel (DIY) – 8PM
3/16 Hotel Vegas (She Shreds) – 2:30PM
3/16 Spider House (ATX Popfest presents: Welcome to the Jangle) – 5PM
3/17 The Sidewinder (After The Gold Rush IV) – 2PM
3/17 Waterloo Cycles (SXSWaterloo) – 4:30PM
3/17 The Grackle (Father/Daughter & Topshelf) – 6:30PM
3/18 Hole In The Wall (Stereogum) – 2:55PM
3/18 The Sidewinder – (Flowerbooking/Polyvinyl/Topshelf) 12AM
3/19 Barracuda (Do512’s The Big One) – 3:30PM
3/19 Mohawk (Fun Fun Fun Fest x Jukely x House of Vans Present: A Day Party For Forever) – 5:10PM