Continuing our series in the run up to the SXSW music festival, here are some of the punksters that we think will be shaking up Austin in March.
be your own PET (USA)
Formed in 2004 while still at High School the quartet from Nashville appeared at SXSW in 2005. They were signed to Sonic Youth Thurston Moores label, Ecstatic Peace/Universal Records in North America and had a number of illustrious support slots including Arctic Monkeys, Kings of Leon and Sonic Youth. Their music was wild and their gigs wilder. However after two albums by 2008 they called it a day, exhausted by the demands of the music industry and perhaps the attention they garnered so quickly at such a young age. But last year they reformed for two gigs supporting Jack White. Lead singer Jemina Pearl’s husband is Ben Swank, White’s business partner in Third Man Records. Now they want to have the fun they missed the first time around, and what better place to rekindle the fire than at SXSW.
Noah and the Loners (England)
The London four piece have released just one single ‘Teenage Tradegy’ and yet they’re already creating a stir. The teenagers songs capture the zeitgeist of Generation Z, from personal tracks on teenage love and Noah Lonergan’s (lead vocals and guitar) experience of toxic masculinity as a trans man, to political blasts at racism, corruption and the climate crisis. Already signed to Marshall Records they played a number of gigs around London in 2022. The bands influences include X-Ray Specs, The Clash and The Buzzcocks and should arrive in Austin with a youthful energy ready to let rip.
Osees (USA)
The Osees have released a staggering 23 studio albums. Founding member and primary songwriter John Dwyer is prolific in his creativity. Keeping track of the numerous name used for the band can be challenging! Recorded material exists for Thee Oh Sees, OCS, The Oh Sees, Oh Sees, Orange County Sound as well as Osees (apologises if I have omitted any!). Originally an outlet for Dwyer to release experimental home recordings it became a live band. Garage punk rock is their go to sound and their high octane live sets are exhilarating as they are explosive. Fun fact John Dwyer also records as a solo artist under the moniker Damaged Bug. Austin remember your earplugs.
Otoboke Beaver (Japan)
The quartet Otoboke Beaver are named after a love hotel and its hard to believe that when they formed in Kyoto in 2009 they began by writing ballads. That didn’t last long as they quickly realised they wanted to play music fast. Fast forward to spring 2022 and their third album Super Champon clocks in at around 20minutes for 18 tracks! The quartet play fast furious music and their live shows are an assault on the senses. Ferocious and fun its explosive and energetic. The all female line-up are also dressed in a fabulous glorious colour and proclaim to make genreless music. At times confrontational, at times hilarious, at times off kilter, at times raucous – if there is one thing that Otoboke Beaver are not its boring.
Panic Shack (Wales)
Cardiff based Panic Shack are an utter joy. Simples. You cannot resist a smile while watching them play. With a touch of Amyl and the Sniffers in their music, its full of wit and observation and playfulness all delivered with a punch. On ‘Baby‘, they sing “I don’t want to hold your baby” and on ‘Who’s Got My Lighter?‘ they warn “I’m gonna fight ya“. More serious issues are also tackled for example on the single ‘I Don’t Really Like It‘ which takes aim at the issues surrounding toxic masculinity and predatory male behaviour. The three guitarists and lead singer perform in a line onstage as if confirming equality. Completed with a drummer, they would prefer not to be labelled simply as ‘punk’ but I hope they will forgive me as I wanted to include them here, because they are a must see at SXSW. Simples.
Venus Twins (USA)
Identical twins Jake and Matt Derting are Venus Twins and I have to state that high octane applies to these Brooklyn based upstarts as it does to all in this article. Reading reviews of their live shows has been with brimming with anticipation. They released their latest album RAXIS in October 2022 and it opens with a song called ‘Falling On My Own Sword‘ which lasts over five minutes. It’s an electrifying track, all reverb and wild spikey riffs. There is a quieter midsection, a pause for breath but not for long. A handbrake turn has the twins sprint off on a tangent as if struck by a lightning bolt. And that is just the first song….. Thrilling.
