Girlie Action Media @SXSW 2022
GIRLIE ACTION MEDIA @ SXSW 2022
This year, Girlie Action Media is pleased to be representing a slew of excellent artists making the annual trek down to Austin, TX for SXSW
:Bitch
Watch / Listen: “Easy Target“
Credit: Dana Lynn Pleasant
“Bitch is conjuring up a spell with her upcoming album, Bitchcraft” – MTV NewNowNext
“Poppy, poetic and will appeal to her loyal fan-base as well as put her on the map for new audiences to discover.” – BrooklynVegan
“There’s no stopping her now.” – LA Weekly
3/18: Austin, TX @ Cheer Up Charlie’s – Kill Rock Stars SXSW Showcase, 8:20pm
COMMANDO
Watch / Listen: “Mykki Blanco“
“It’s a fiery, urgent punk track” – BrooklynVegan
3/18: Austin, TX @ Cheer Up Charlie’s – Kill Rock Stars SXSW Showcase, 7:30pm
Elephant Stone
Watch / Listen: “La fusée du chagrin“
Credit: Bowen Stead
“‘The Three Poisons’ is rich with murky grooves, swirling leads and spacey solos.” – NPR
“[‘Knock You From Yr Mountain’] The anthemic song plays like a reverb-filled, modern take on ‘We Will Rock You,’ featuring frontman Rishi Dhir’s swaggering snarl.” – SPIN
“[‘La fusée du chagrin’]…one of the most driving, high-energy songs Elephant Stone have ever released, with a relentless motorik beat that would make King Gizzard jealous.” – BrooklynVegan
3/16: Austin, TX @ Hotel Vegas, 5:15pm
3/17: Austin, TX @ Goorin Hat Co., 2:00pm
3/18: Austin, TX @ Hotel Vegas – Space Agency, 10:45pm
3/19: Austin, TX @ Brush Square Park, 1:00pm
3/19: Austin, TX @ Easy Tiger on 7th, 4:00pm
3/19: Austin, TX @ Electric Church, 11:00pm
Fears
Watch / Listen: “16“
Credit: Bríd O’Donovan
“The insistent, under-wrought melodies start to get stuck in your head, and the human warmth underlying it all starts to seep through” – The Guardian (Top Albums of 2021)
“Keane’s voice pierces through hazy clouds of synth and drum machine, ready to speak her truth.” – Paste
“Emotionally stirring, musically diverse and breathtakingly honest, ‘Oíche’ is a reflection on all that’s come and gone in the life of one of Ireland’s great creatives.” – CLASH Magazine (Top Albums of 2021)
“There is a chilling poise to the way Fears shares these stories […] and it’s a joy to think where it will go next.” – The Quietus
3/15: Austin, TX @ St. David’s Bethell Hall, 9:00pm
3/17: Austin, TX @ Mohawk Indoor – Bella Union 255th Anniversary, 9:40pm
3/18: Austin, TX @ Austin Convention Center, Flatstock Stage, 4:30pm
Grant Pavol
Watch / Listen: “Bright Skies“
Credit: David McFaul
“[‘No Disasters’] plays Pavol’s demure vocals against anxious instrumentals which reflect fellow Philadelphian Alex G’s ticking lo-fi compositions—not to mention the warm vocal distortion heard on recent output from LA’s BOYO—with what sounds like uneasily warped guitar tones.” – FLOOD Magazine
“Grant Pavol’s graceful songwriting has a beautiful sense of sonics, allied to a profoundlypersonal streak.” – CLASH Magazine
“Like [Nick] Drake and [Elliott] Smith, Pavol’s vocals and lyrical melodies carry thesincerity of hissound” – Atwood Magazine
3/18: Austin, TX @ Cheer Up Charlie’s – Kill Rock Stars SXSW Showcase, 12:00am
Gus Englehorn
Watch / Listen: “Tarantula“
“I’m addicted to this record already, I just want to live in Gus’s world.” – Limited Addition Records (UK)
“…an explosive release of the mind’s goings-on with screams and incessant musings mixed with lo-fi singing and punk-delivered energy.” – Atwood Magazine
3/16: Austin, TX @ Far Out Lounge, 1:00pm
3/17: Austin, TX @ Hotel Vegas – Anniversary x Fire Records Showcase, 12:00am
3/18: Austin, TX @ Hotel Vegas – Space Agency Showcase (Volstead Stage) 6:10pm
Linqua Franqa
Watch / Listen “Bellringer” (feat. Jeff Rosenstock)
“merges rapping, spoken word, singing, a social conscience, a sense of humor and a limber physical presence to mix the personal and the political; tracks built on ingeniously manipulated jazz samples are a bonus.” – The New York Times
“[Mariah Parker] is black, openly queer, a PhD candidate in linguistics, a rapper, and dedicated to transformative politics for communities of color.’’ – Teen Vogue
3/17: Austin, TX @ The Green Jay – EJRC SXSW Showcase, 1:00am
3/19: Austin, TX @ The Side Bar — Linqua Franqa Presents, 3:30pm
MAITA
Watch / Listen: “Where Do You Go?“
Credit: Tristan Paiige
“moody voice and storytelling style […] a clear-eyed look at growing up and holding yourself responsible for actively creating the life you want to live.” – NPR
“Maita-Keppeler’s voice soars high above, transforming into a tremendous celestial beauty as she tributes loneliness as a companion and friend” – Under The Radar
“ …that rarified class of artists with the ability to enthrall the listener right from the jump.” – SPIN
“ …her lyrics are the shrapnel that linger long after the blasts of power pop and misty-eyed folk laments have come to an end” – The Line Of Best Fit
3/18: Austin, TX @ Cheer Up Charlie’s – Kill Rock Stars SXSW Showcase, 10:00pm
3/19: Austin, TX @ Mohawk – Women That Rock SXSW Showcase, 1:00pm
Night Palace
Watch / Listen: “Titania“
Draut takes us into uncharted territory, tunneling through a dream-like sequence of syrupy vocals, intoxicating strings, and a lush Instrumental presence that calls to you from its softest, whispered start.” – The Grey Estates
“… wondrous dreamscape slowly takes form as playful string melodies begin to enlace with the song’s warm dream pop instrumentation.” – Under The Radar
” …lush pop that makes its mark with a slightly dark edge.” – Flagpole
3/16: Austin, TX @ Seven Grand & Las Perlas – Park The Van SXSW Showcase, 9:10pm
3/18: Austin, TX @ San Jac Saloon – SHOWX Showcase, 3:00pm
Phebe Starr
Watch / Listen: “Everything“
“Self-produced by Starr, the masterful composition evokes similarities between that of Lykke Li’s haunting melodies, or the richness of artists such as Stevie Nicks.” – Rolling Stone
“A mark of great artists is the ability to translate devastating moments into resonating beauty, and Starr certainly achieves this.” – Stereogum
“The comparisons to Lykke Li are not without warrant. She packs the emotion that has helped propel artists to indie-icon status. Despite the similarity, Starr is on a trajectory all her own… ” – NYLON
3/15: Austin, TX @ Idle Hands – Collide/IFPA, 4:00pm
3/16: Austin, TX @ Australia House – Sounds Australia, 3:15pm
3/18: Austin, TX @ Ester Follies, 10:00pm
Shamir
Watch / Listen: “Reproductive“
“a song on radical acceptance” – NPR
“[Cisgender] is industrial, with brute-force drums and distorted guitar, insisting that limits are being pushed” – The New York Times
“a spacey kick-snare drumbeat and a guitar line that sounds like a fuzzed-out step-sibling of Alex Scally’s iconic lick from Beach House’s “Space Song.” – FADER
“The gliding synth storm from Shamir is a moving revelation of identity.” – NYLON
“a chill-inducing single” – Stereogum
3/18: Austin, TX @ Cheer Up Charlie’s – Kill Rock Stars SXSW Showcase, 11:00pm
TEKE::TEKE
Watch / Listen: “Kala Kala“
“Spitfire songs…frenzied mishmash of guitars, trombone, assorted Japanese instruments, and Kuroki’ssinging — guttural, physical shrieks in her native tongue — bears a manic energy that bleeds intoeven the ballads” – The New Yorker
“Unparalleled energy in all its surf-psych glory” – Consequence
“If Quentin Tarantino directed a Bond film, it would feel something like how ‘Yoru Ni’ sounds” – Paste
“TEKE::TEKE’s exotic blend of Japanese balladry, surf rock and psychedelia is not to be slept on” – Guitar World
“A fresh and fascinating take on Japanese psych punk” – Under the Radar
3/16: Austin, TX @ Swan Dive (presented by Pop Montreal), 1:00am
3/17: Austin, TX @ Cheer Up Charlie’s (presented by BrooklynVegan and M for Montreal)
3/17: Austin, TX @ Brush Square Park (International Day Stage), 6:00pm
3/18: Austin, TX @ Cheer Up Charlie’s – Kill Rock Stars SXSW Showcase, 10:00pm
3/18: Austin, TX @ Easy Tiger on
7th Street (presented by Before Sunrise Records)
Walt Disco
Watch / Listen: “How Cool Are You?“
“the handsome Scottish post-punks of your dreams” – i-D
“ …pulls from the synth-heavy New Wave of Orange Juice, the jittery post-punk of Talking Heads and the moody New Romantic sonics of Boy George.” – Paste Magazine
“ …angular guitars and impressive vocal abilities. Channelling a Simple Minds core, the band’s androgynous look oozes glamour.” – Earmilk
“’2k21 pop rebellion.” – Clash Magazine
3/12: Austin, TX @ British Music Embassy – UK House Presents, 10:30pm
3/17: Austin, TX @ Swan Dive – Wide Days Scotland SXSW Showcase, 12:20am
3/18: Austin, TX @ British Music Embassy – BBC Music Presents, 8:00pm