Independent Brooklyn-based trio Pearl and the Beard is Jeremy Styles (guitar/vocals), Emily Hope Price (cello/vocals), and Jocelyn Mackenzie (percussion/vocals). All individual songwriters, they collaborate to create their genre-bending sound and have been compared to the likes of Mumford and Sons, The Avett Brothers, and Dirty Projectors all balled up into one. Performing and touring for 5 years, Pearl and the Beard has opened for the likes of Ingrid Michaelson and Ani DiFranco all over the east coast, mid-west and Canada.

Dragons of Zynth's frontmen, Aku and Akwetey, are twins and were raised in Cleveland, OH. The group first won notice with the demo recording of their first single "War Lover" in 2004. The band gained attention early on for their live show opening for TV on the Radio in 2005 and collaborating with U.K. outfit Massive Attack later that year. Their debut full-length, Coronation Thieves, was released in September 2007 and was produced by David Sitek. In support of the album, D.O.Z. embarked on a multi-national tour with Yeasayer and U.S. dates with poet, musician Saul Williams in 2008.

It was thirty years ago today when the Saturday boy from Essex who would become Britain’s foremost political singer-songwriter released his first record, the mini-album Life’s a Riot With Spy Vs Spy. It contained seven songs, honed live and bashed out over three days on a punk rock electric guitar, and its utilitarian, single-colour sleeve bore the following legend: ‘Pay no more than £2.99.’ In the same week, you could buy the new album by Big Country or Paul Young for £3.99, and many punters did.

Eluding tidy categorization, Seattle multimedia ensemble Midday Veil combines haunting, dramatic vocals and kosmische synth work with Middle Eastern-influenced guitar tones and driving, hypnotic rock grooves.

Her particular style influenced by Afrocaribbean sounds, rhythms such as Champeta, Cumbia, Calypso, and Socca are blended in a contemporary sound with electronic layers and urban beats. A performance full of joy & Latin Flavor which immediately conducts to dance & celebration.

Hour Magazine wrote that "Delhi 2 Dublin is the United Nations of rock 'n' roll". The band challenges the definition of urban music and drags it to the intersection of Bhangra, Celtic, Dub Reggae, Rock and Electronica. Strong word-of-mouth for their live performances has helped them play several of the top festivals in Canada, the UK, the US, the Pacific Rim and Europe. Their new album, Turn Up The Stereo, signals that originality and evolution are still part of the Delhi 2 Dublin experience.

Southern Hospitality is a London-based, globally respected DJ collective, club promotions brand, record label and music website. Across the hip-hop, pop and electronic music worlds, Southern Hospitality has become renowned for breaking new artists, hosting some of London’s wildest club nights and events, and releasing hundreds of critically-acclaimed mixtapes and groundbreaking label releases from Danny Brown, Darq E Freaker, Sinden, Star Slinger, Lunice, ISSUE, Young L, Keyboard Kid and more.

This is Southern Hospitality's third consecutive year at SXSW.

"I grew up in a house where speakers blasted female-fronted bands like Patti Smith, Kate Bush, Joan Jett, Stevie Nicks, and Debbie Harry. I always admired the way those artists made the statement that a chick could be in charge, get rowdy & rock, AND remain feminine and sweet at the same time. It's a powerful combo. I've ended up creating through my music, my own version of that combo.”

Winsome, wicked and witty, Chic Gamine embody the ‘60s girl-group vibe all grown up and living in a new century. Wall-of-sound harmonies, hip-shaking beats – these women could be straight out of Motown, before you throw in the curveball of French pop and four rotating lead-singers. By all the laws of the music business, this group is like the unicorn – it probably shouldn’t exist, let alone be performing at the Olympics and winning Juno Awards. And yet, here they are, soon to release their official U.S.

Even though Bajofondo has been a pioneer in what has been known all over the world as “electronica tango”, the group doesn’t consider that this definition is appropriate for their music. It’s been already five years since Gustavo Santaolalla conceived this project along with Juan Campodónico, with the idea of bringing together a collective of Argentine and Uruguayan artists dedicated to creating “contemporary music of the Rio de la Plata".