Nashville Bands to play SXSW | First Wave Announced | Brendan Benson, Turbo Fruits, Wild Cub, The Vespers & More!

Retail creeps “The Holiday Season” earlier and earlier each year (have you seen pet photos with Santa at the mall already?!). So why can’t music fans celebrate a Christmas come early with the announcement of the first wave of 2013 SXSW artists! Nashville is pretty well represented with diverse offerings from across the genres including some folks I have yet to meet.

Here’s a handy run-down (in alpha order) of our neighbors making the trip to Austin….

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Brendan Benson – Jack White cohort, Raconteurs contributor, Readymade Records founder, sometimes backed by The Features.

[youtube_sc=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dHVA2evc1oM]

Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown – Fans of The Black Crows and other such straight ahead As-God-Intended-Rock-N-Roll will likely be amused by this band. Bryant’s a Texas to Tennessee “guitar prodigy” backed by a couple of Belmont grads and a Berklee drop-out.

[youtube_sc=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Jn3w7gjAprs]

Howling Brothers – They call it “string-fueled bluegrass and ole-time blues gumbo, sure to keep audiences on their toes with their diverse sets and energetic picking and singing.” I have never heard of them before, but this is what they sound like above.

[youtube_sc=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ZG5PDpsebAs]

Matthew Perryman Jones – He’s a hard-workin’ singer-songwriter seen strumming all over town. I dug his Patty Griffin cover and I’m gonna just put it out there — when I first heard the song “Hole In My Heart” (co-written and performed live with Amy Stroup), I pulled my car over and cried that gross grown-up cry from that somewhere inside you that knows some things you just never quite get over. The Lightning 100 video from the in-studio I heard that day has it spliced with dialogue so the above is with Hannah Miller.

[youtube_sc=http://youtu.be/bSrVD3RwScA]

Derek Minor – I’m not even going to pretend to know anything about Derek Minor, ‘cept for I know not to call him “PRo.” Christian, Southern, Hip-Hop? Sure, why not.

[youtube_sc=http://youtu.be/TZGGAZNB6HM]

Turbo Fruits – Hey remember Be Your Own Pet? Just kidding. I won’t do that to you. Or to them! You know who Turbo Fruits is, Matt and Andrew have kept you updated. But here’s some No Country greatest Turbo Fruits hits in case you’re wanting to reminisce.

[youtube_sc=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypqEOWikwR0&feature=related]

The Vespers – Nickel Creek may be no more but have no fear, The Vespers are here for your dose of adorable! Y’all know I love sibling acts and The Vespers feature both brothers Taylor/Bruno Jones AND sisters Callie/Pheobe Cryar! It’s like an americana music themed Double Mint commercial! Double your pleasure, double your folk! Check out their track (and other great local acts) on the recently released Live From Musician’s Corner compilation featuring their performance from this summer’s series and take in their precious earnestness in their video for “Will You Love Me” above.

[youtube_sc=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1aCiI2U9Vw]

Wild Cub – I missed them opening for Ponychase last week, but I heard good things. Plus, I started spontaneously dancing about 1/3 of the way into this track so that’s gotta’ be a good sign, yes? You’ll remember Jeremy Bullock backing Madi Diaz and from Pico vs. Island Trees. Incidentally, Wild Cub won one of three Road To Bonnaroo slots in 2012.

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The complete announcement of first wave artists for SXSW 2013 is available here.