March 22, 2011
It was hard to imagine how Austra, a clubby electronic outfit from Toronto, would sound early in the day in an intimate environment. But Katie Stelmanis and her two vocalists kindly obliged, singing a cappella to back a laptop piped to modest speakers. The result was a powerful showcase of Stelmanis' soaring voice. Watch the trio perform "The Choke" at The Driskill Hotel during SXSW 2011 in Austin, Texas.
Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton spin their favorite new tunes and present the best live concerts around the country. Listen and join the conversation.
NPR thanks our sponsors
Get your skull goblets out: Bob Boilen previews some of the bands at this year's Maryland Deathfest.
Follow these instructions if you want to us to consider your music for the show.
E-mail us directly with your questions and comments.
Spektor is an oddball sentimentalist whose words summon universal feelings of love, hope and desire.
Tiersen's rich, liltingly eccentric pop music is constructed from lots of sweet, intricate pieces.
Hear a live set from the neo-psychedelic band, which crafts a grand combination of rock and gospel.
Watch the warmly eclectic singer perform old and new songs live at Le Poisson Rouge in New York.
Watch the English space-rock band in performance at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.
Comments
Discussions for this story are now closed. Please see the Community FAQ for more information.