SXSW 2024: The Best Live Acts We Saw at This Year’s Music Festival

This year’s SXSW Music Festival may be remembered for the kerfuffle over dozens of bands dropping out of their official festival showcases in protest to the US Army serving as a festival sponsor, but there was still a ton of great music throughout Austin during the week.

Read on for the list of our favourite live acts we caught throughout this year’s SXSW, including explosive sets from The Armed and Gel to the psychedelic groove of Colombia’s BALTHVS.

You can find all of all our SXSW coverage here.

Reviews by Gabriel Sigler and Jacinta DeJoseph

The Armed

The Detroit punk collective are a true force of nature on-stage; with multiple vocalists switching in and out and a band that seems to be weighing the idea of simply throwing their instruments at the crowd to get their point across, The Armed put one of the most exciting sets at this year’s SXSW. From full-on raging punk to moodier moments that brought to mind early post-punk and the glory days of ‘90s alt-rock, every moment of their midday set at Mohawk was as beguiling and thrilling as the next. (GS)

BALTHVS

Colombian psychedelic funk trio BALTHVS are all about setting a mood, and their evening set at the outdoor Mohawk stage was an exercise in maintaining a groove. Khruangbin is the most obvious source of comparison, but BALTHVS seem intent on creating their own sound that combines the headiness of psych-rock with the approachability and soul of funk. (JD)

Being Dead

If you do SXSW right, you might hear a band that literally stops you in your tracks. That was the case with Austin’s Being Dead, a band that sounded so irresistibly catchy and upbeat from the outdoor stage at Cheer Up Charlie’s that we momentarily forgot whoever we were on our way to see. Fans of Alvvays and The Beths take note; Being Dead may be your new obsession in 2024. (JD)

Dry Cleaning

One of the most recognizable names at this year’s SXSW, UK post-punk band Dry Cleaning drew large crowds throughout the festival, including at the outdoor at Mohawk where we caught them. Vocalist Florence Shaw has perfected the speak-singing voice that countless newer bands try to match, but the band’s incisive lyrics and jerking rhythms put them in a league all their own. (GS)

Fat Dog

To quote SNL’s Stefon, UK’s Fat Dog “has everything”: a drummer in a dog mask, a sax player, and a vocalist clad in white robes that looks suspiciously like a cult leader. A raging mix of post-punk with shouty vocals and a pulsing dance beat, fans of Viagra Boys and Idles should glob right onto this. (GS)

Gel

The American hardcore scene has exploded in recent years, and New Jersey’s Gel have rightfully been celebrated as one of the nest new hc bands out there. Gel aren’t out to reinvent the wheel but their classic hardcore attack set against vocalist Sami Kaiser’s powerhouse vocals inspired one of the biggest mosh pits of the fest (in the small indoor room at Mohawk, no less). (GS)

Hinds

Spanish garage rockers Hinds were one of the hardest working bands at SXSW, performing numerous times a day throughout the festival. With a new rhythm section in tow, the band delivered a joyous and energetic set to a packed house at Swan Dive. With their infectious and catchy rock songs that sound like Weezer with a bigger surf influence, it’s hard not to get wrapped up in the fist-pumping atmosphere the band inspires. (JD)