Front Row Our favorite new bands, from the best seat in the house.
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Front Row

Our favorite bands, from the best seat in the house

Tori Amos live from (Le) Poisson Rouge. Ebru Yildiz for NPR hide caption

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Tori Amos

Twenty years after Little Earthquakes, the groundbreaking artist re-imagines a handpicked collection of songs from her catalog in an orchestral setting.

Of Montreal plays the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. on April 6. NPR hide caption

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Of Montreal

The Athens, Ga., rock group has built its reputation on wildly theatrical live performances. Watch the band's latest stage spectacle, recorded live from Washington, D.C.

Channy Leaneagh of the Minneapolis-based band Polica, at NPR's SXSW day party in Austin, Texas. Katy Hayes Luke for NPR hide caption

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Polica

Newcomers from Minneapolis, Polica arrived in Austin aloft on a boatload of buzz. Their live show mixed two live drummers and the heavily manipulated vocals of singer Channy Leaneagh.

Baltimore's Lower Dens, led by singer/guitarist Jana Hunter, perform at NPR Music's SXSW day party at The Parish in Austin, Texas. Katie Hayes Luke for NPR hide caption

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Lower Dens

The Baltimore band, led by Jana Hunter, favors mood over showmanship, but its live show builds intensity out of difficult emotions mixed with washes of guitar noise and wails of feedback.

Sugar Tongue Slim brought a live band along with samples by Gotye and Kavinsky to his set at The Parish in Austin, Texas. Katie Hayes Luke for NPR hide caption

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Sugar Tongue Slim, Live In Concert: SXSW 2012

The versatile, playful rapper mixed well-known samples with a live-band bounce that quickly won over the crowd.

Rafael Perez (left) and Henry D'Arthenay of Venezuelan rock band La Vida Boheme. Katie Hayes Luke for NPR hide caption

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La Vida Boheme, Live In Concert: SXSW 2012

Wearing paint-splattered shirts, the Venezuelan dance-rock band kicked off NPR Music's day party at The Parish in Austin, Texas with chant-along songs and stage-shaking energy.

Andrew Bird performs a headlining set at Stubb's during SXSW 2012. Katie Hayes Luke for NPR hide caption

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Andrew Bird, Live In Concert: SXSW 2012

Bird made his lone show at the festival count, holding the stage for one sweet, soaring hour.

The Alabama Shakes' lead singer, Brittany Howard, onstage at NPR Music's SXSW showcase at Stubb's Wednesday night. Katie Hayes Luke for NPR hide caption

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Alabama Shakes, Live In Concert: SXSW 2012

Armed with a bright new batch of songs, lead singer Brittany Howard fed off a crowd 2,000 strong.

Dan Deacon plays NPR Music's SXSW showcase at Stubb's Wednesday night. Katie Hayes Luke for NPR hide caption

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Dan Deacon, Live In Concert: SXSW 2012

Deacon served as ringleader for an orgy of sound and a live act all about barely contained chaos.

Sharon Van Etten plays NPR Music's SXSW showcase at Stubb's Wednesday night. Katie Hayes Luke for NPR hide caption

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Sharon Van Etten, Live In Concert: SXSW 2012

The singer-songwriter practically dared her audience to pipe down as she held long, cooing notes.

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Julia Holter In Concert

Julia Holter blurs the line between composer and songwriter, between ambient and pop. Watch Holter turn pop music inside-out, recorded live from Le Poisson Rouge.

Tenor Joseph Calleja performing at Le Poisson Rouge, New York City on October 24, 2011. Melanie Burford/Melanie Burford for NPR hide caption

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Tenor Joseph Calleja And Friends In Concert

The vibrant young opera star from Malta performed an intimate club date live in New York City — along with some fabulous special guests.

The Olivia Tremor Control live at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City. Ryan Muir for NPR hide caption

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The Olivia Tremor Control In Concert

Bill Doss, singer of The Olivia Tremor Control and co-founder of the Elephant 6 Recording Company, died at age 43. In September 2011, NPR Music recorded this performance of the seminal psych-pop band.

Conor Oberst, a rock 'n' roll lifer at the age of 31, played a two-hour set with his band Bright Eyes at Auditorium Shores in Austin, Tex. Shantel Mitchell for NPR hide caption

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Bright Eyes, Live In Concert: SXSW 2011

On the new People's Key, Conor Oberst is no longer a prodigiously gifted kid; he's become an adventurous, fully formed folk-rock icon. Listen to Bright Eyes cap SXSW 2011 with a two-hour concert.

Janet Weiss and Carrie Brownstein (right) of WILD FLAG perform at The Parish in Austin, Texas. Shantel Mitchell for NPR hide caption

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Wild Flag, Live In Concert: SXSW 2011

True to its name, WILD FLAG — a brand new band made up of Carrie Brownstein, formerly of Sleater-Kinney, and members of Helium and The Menders — harness a wild power.