SXSW 2009: South by Southwest

It was a bold move: Introduce the world to your ambitious concept record by performing it in its entirety to a national audience, a week before the CD release. But The Decemberists did just that at SXSW this past March, and now you can watch some beautifully shot videos from the album's live premiere.

Nigerian singer-songwriter Asa makes soulful, heartfelt music that mixes weighty themes (spirituality, the environment, race) with lilting pop melodies. While attending the 2009 South by Southwest festival and conference in Austin, Texas, she met with NPR Music for a short acoustic set with her guitarist, Nicolas Mollard.

Mica Levi fronts the wildly playful and inventive British rock band Micachu and the Shapes. Normally, the group plugs in, turns up the volume and plays as a trio. But for this video performance at the South by Southwest music festival and conference, Levi plays by herself, with just a child-sized acoustic guitar. Watch how she stretches the limits of six nylon strings and a magic marker.

After an extensive negotiation involving three cups of hot green tea and a late change of venue, PJ Harvey and John Parish agreed to a performance and video shoot. The two showed up, sat down, produced a steel guitar and two amplifiers, and performed two beautiful songs from their new album, A Woman a Man Walked By.

Lots of artists mix digital and acoustic sounds, but Mirah does it with remarkable control and grace. Her songs are never overly produced or overly sentimental. They're just a little dark, with something bubbling quietly beneath humming electronics and gently strummed guitars. See Mirah perform three new songs from her latest album, (A)spera, at the historic Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas.

All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen and producer Robin Hilton visit a practice studio outside Austin, Texas, where Annie Clark and her band St. Vincent rehearsed for the South by Southwest music conference and festival. See video of St. Vincent performing two new songs from the group's upcoming album, Actor.

Through the '90s, until the group disbanded in 2006, Grandaddy built a loyal audience by making beautifully orchestrated, neo-psychedelic space-pop. Former frontman Jason Lytle returns this year with his debut solo album, Yours Truly, The Commuter. He showcased some of his new songs for this NPR Music video session.

Every night during South by Southwest, Bob Boilen, Robin Hilton, Carrie Brownstein and Stephen Thompson gathered in the wee hours to recap their days and get pumped about bands they'd planned to see next. In these discussions from Austin, you can hear all the excitement and joy of four intrepid music lovers set loose in the annual bacchanal of songs, discovery and breakfast tacos.

A grim economy, with an even lousier forecast for the music industry, hasn't prevented more than 1,800 bands — and their potential fans — from flooding the clubs, bars and streets of Austin, Texas. It's all part of the 23rd annual South by Southwest music festival.

K'Naan questions the credibility of American hip-hop: After all, even the toughest American neighborhoods aren't as dangerous as his hometown of Mogadishu. His background informs a style that hits hard, with a message that hits even harder. K'Naan's latest album, Troubadour, features the talents of Mos Def, Chali 2na and Metallica's Kirk Hammett.

Thao Nguyen and her backing band, The Get Down Stay Down, make mixing indie-pop and folk sound easy. Nguyen's exuberant voice filled up NPR's offices this past September, and christened its SXSW showcase at The Parish in Austin, Tex., on March 19.

Last year's Furr found its way onto many best-of lists, including NPR's, and with good reason: It refines the rough edges of Wild Mountain Nation without losing Blitzen Trapper's natural forward motion. The band headlined NPR Music's day party from The Parish in Austin, Tex., on March 19.

The Portland, Ore., duo finally acquired a van to reach SXSW this year, ditching its usual touring transportation: a pair of bicycles. Now filled out with additional players for a national tour, the band will showcase its rustic folk-pop stylings in full effect.

The Johannesburg natives in BLK JKS brew an impressive blend of punk, metal, dub, soul and Jimi Hendrix-inspired guitar explosions. The group made its first trip to SXSW this year, showcasing songs from the Mystery EP and some new material.

David Longstreth, the visionary behind Dirty Projectors, has a knack for deconstructing music and then reassembling it with distinct guitar-and-vocal arrangements. At Dirty Projectors' SXSW concert, the band presented new material from Bitte Orca, a new album due June 9.