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SXSW 2012: Full coverage

SXSW 2012: The cheesiest ever

The corny, commercial side of Austin's city-bulging music conference did not spoil standout bands and special moments. Updated: Mar. 20, 2012 - 10:46 AM

Star Tribune music writer Chris Riemenschneider will be in his former hometown of Austin, TX, March 13-18 taking in the thousands of bands, hundreds of parties and a few taco stands at the annual South by Southwest Music Conference. Follow his tweets: @ChrisRstrib.

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Alabama Shakes

SXSW acts to see, download
Article By: CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER , Publish March 20, 2012 2:00 AM / Update March 21, 2012 11:10 AM
Oberhofer: Brooklyn hipsters with a Vampire Weekend's spazzy catchiness but more rock oomph. Coming April 2 to 7th Street Entry.

Danny Brown: The Detroit rapper's Afro-hawk hairdo was as buoyant as his bawdy songs. May 27 at the Soundset festival.

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photo galleries

Photo gallery:

SXSW 2012: Ending it with Nas, Sleigh Bells, Chinese rock

Photo gallery:

SXSW: March 16

Sleigh Bells

SXSW 2012: Ending it with Nas, Sleigh Bells, Chinese rock
Article By: CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER , Publish March 19, 2012 2:00 AM / Update March 19, 2012 3:06 PM
Mega-rapper Nasir Jones performed his whole "Illmatic" album, preceded by an ill-feeling set by Spin's current cover band.

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Santigold performs at the Fader Fort presented by Converse day party d...

SXSW 2012: Santigold shines in SXSW party scene
Article By: CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER , Publish March 18, 2012 2:00 AM / Update March 17, 2012 1:31 PM
The Philadelphia-reared singer debuted a batch of new songs with a hybrid of urban and world-music styles.

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Trampled By Turtles

SXSW 2012: Thursday blowouts with TBT, M Ward and Spank Rock
Article By: CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER , Publish March 16, 2012 2:00 AM / Update March 16, 2012 10:16 PM
A lot of electrical mishaps couldn't spoil the fun in Austin.

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Poliça has eight gigs lined up during the weeklong South by Southwest music fest in Austin, Texas, including one sponsored by NPR .

Texas music fest gets heavy Minnesota accent
Article By: CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER , Star Tribune Publish March 17, 2012 2:00 AM / Update March 17, 2012 12:23 PM
From Poliça to Night Moves, the "forward-thinking" Twin Cities music scene is looming large at Austin's famed SXSW gathering.

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SXSW 2012: Springsteen & E Street stretch Austin's limits
Article By: Chris Riemenschneider , Publish / Update March 16, 2012 3:53 AM
Tom Morello, Jimmy Cliff and members of the Arcade Fire and Austin scene joined the Boss' crew in a 2½-hour set.

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SXSW 2012: The Boss' day job
Article By: Chris Riemenschneider , Publish / Update March 15, 2012 3:56 PM
Springsteen gave a keynote speech Thursday at the Austin music fest that paid homage to his heroes.

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Howler

SXSW 2012: Howler, Fiona Apple, Alabama Shakes
Article By: CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER , Publish March 15, 2012 2:00 AM / Update March 15, 2012 11:50 AM
Twin Cities act Howler played an outdoor set. Fiona Apple and Alabama Shakes played the NPR Music showcase at Stubb's on Wednesday night.

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SXSW 2012: Corndawg, UMO lead Wednesday parties
Article By: Chris Riemenschneider , Publish / Update March 14, 2012 4:32 PM
Parking (and video-screen) space was scarce for the bands as the day party scene continues to expand at the Austin fest.

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Polica

SXSW 2012: No-show rappers, all-in Polica on opening night
Article By: CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER , Publish March 14, 2012 2:00 AM / Update March 14, 2012 9:26 AM
Tuesday was the easing-into-it-night at the Austin, Texas, music fest.

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SXSW 2012: Ten new acts to watch
Article By: Chris Riemenschneider , Publish / Update March 11, 2012 10:39 PM
A primer of the most noteworthy names going into this week's fest in Austin, Texas.

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Night Moves' deal with Domino seeing daylight at SXSW
Article By: Chris Riemenschneider , Publish / Update March 9, 2012 3:51 PM
The Minneapolis band will have a 7-inch and new album tracks ready following the Austin fest.

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A&E Spotlight: South by Southwest
Article By: Matt Gillmer and Tonya Fode , Publish / Update March 8, 2012 1:03 PM
Neal Justin and Chris Riemenschneider discuss the bands playing at the South by Southwest Music festival in Austin, Texas.

Prissy Clerks win, Astronautalis triumphs at Are You Local?
Article By: Chris Riemenschneider , Publish / Update March 3, 2012 9:14 PM
The least rowdy of the three competing bands at Friday's First Ave/Entry marathon will advance to SXSW.

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Free Energy drops free single and hints of new album
Article By: Chris Riemenschneider , Publish / Update March 6, 2012 5:07 PM
The Minnesota-bred rockers worked with Hold Steady producer John Agnello on their sophomore record.

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SXSW 2011: Lines, lines, everywhere a line
Article By: Chris Riemenschneider , chrisr@vita.mn Publish March 24, 2011 2:00 AM / Update March 24, 2011 9:55 AM
All the VIPs and CEOs threatened to make this year's festival DOA, but a few newbies still scored TKOs.

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Dear Kanye West and Vevo: Please stay away from SXSW
Article By: Chris Riemenschneider , Publish / Update March 20, 2011 5:08 PM
Their post-midnight party at an abandoned Austin power plant was a blast inside, but it created a crush of outside and may be the final blow to SXSW's indie reputation.

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Doomtree arrived in a rented RV.

SXSW day by day
Article By: CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER , Star Tribune Publish March 25, 2011 2:00 AM / Update March 30, 2011 2:00 PM
A diary (and Twitter) account of how Minnesota's record number of artists fared in Austin, Texas, last week.

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Big Boi performs at a day party at the South By Southwest music festiv...

Rappers make SXSW power-play
Publish March 21, 2011 2:00 AM / Update March 21, 2011 9:16 AM
Kanye, Jay-Z and others made for a fest-ending party of massive portions.

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SXSW 2011: Yin, yang and yuck on Friday
Article By: Chris Riemenschneider , Publish / Update March 19, 2011 12:34 PM
TV on the Radio's set at the Spin party was a highlight, while the RSVP gimmick may be at an all-time low.

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The Strokes

The Strokes storm SXSW's gates
Article By: CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER , Star Tribune Publish March 19, 2011 2:00 AM / Update March 21, 2011 9:17 AM
New York's rock gurus filled a city park to the portojohns, while TV on the Radio crammed in two high-profile sets.

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Carrie Brownstein of Wild Flag

SXSW 2011: The sets heard around the world
Article By: CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER , Star Tribune Publish March 18, 2011 2:00 AM / Update March 18, 2011 4:15 AM

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SXSW 2011: Last nite with the Strokes
Article By: Chris Riemenschneider , Publish / Update March 18, 2011 9:39 AM
The new stuff mostly fell flat, but the band still left a strong impression on SXSW's biggest crowd.

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SXSW 2011: Saadiq, Dodos light up Wednesday
Article By: Chris Riemenschneider , Publish / Update March 17, 2011 11:25 AM
Raphael Saadiq and the Dodos lived up to the buzz, but Gayngs suffered from typical SXSW glitches.

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How I almost got into a cage match with a member of R.E.M. at SXSW
Article By: Chris Riemenschneider , Publish / Update March 24, 2011 3:22 PM
Mike Mills joined the Baseball Project on Wednesday but refused to support its pair of Twins songs.

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Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears

A hot start to SXSW
Article By: CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER , Star Tribune Publish March 17, 2011 2:00 AM / Update March 18, 2011 6:00 PM
British rockers the Vaccines and many others didn't wait to get noticed in Austin, Texas.

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SXSW 2011: All of yesterday's parties
Article By: Chris Riemenschneider , Publish / Update March 17, 2011 3:51 AM
The Vaccines went to church courtesy of AOL, and Pains of Being Pure at Heart returned even stronger.

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SXSW 2011: Minnesota Invasion, pt. 1
Article By: Chris Riemenschneider , Publish / Update March 16, 2011 7:14 AM
Trampled by Turtles and 4onthefloor got an early start, while Doomtree may still be looking for a parking spot.

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SXSW 2011: Tuesday is the new Wednesday
Article By: Chris Riemenschneider , Publish / Update March 16, 2011 7:03 AM
Austin's mega-fest started a night earlier with sets by Black Joe Lewis, No Joy and some band with the old Nirvana drummer.

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Birthday Suits performed at the SXSW music festival in Austin, Texas last year

5 reasons to care about SXSW
Article By: CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER , Star Tribune Publish March 13, 2011 3:00 AM / Update March 13, 2011 9:01 AM
Austin's megafest is trendier and crazier than ever, but there will be ample proof this week that it still matters.

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Chiddy Bang

10 new acts to watch at SXSW 2011
Publish March 13, 2011 3:00 AM / Update March 13, 2011 8:49 AM
10 new acts to watch at SXSW 2011

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