A few years back, somebody in the Ol' Pueblo got the idea to start piggy-backing on the country's biggest music festival.
After all, Austin is a long drive from the West Coast and one extra stop a day's drive away will put that much more gas in the tank.
WXSW isn't the most blessedly scheduled festival - it's split over two consecutive Mondays and Tuesdays - but it more than makes up for the awkward timing with intriguing pairings.
Tuesday at Club Congress check out The Heavenly States (from the Bay Area) and Tucson rockers The Swim.
As for the second half of the festival, I can recommend both Helio Sequence (Portland) and Birdmonster (S.F.), headlining at Plush on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. (Also, the dudes from Birdmonster keep a highly entertaining blog.)
DOWNLOAD:
The Swim - The Beautiful Endeavor
Birdmonster - Cause You Can
Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead