Welcome to the first in a week-long series of spotlights profiling the bands and artists performing at the Boston & Beyond party at SXSW, a collaborative effort between Berklee College of Music and Vanyaland. Our second-annual event — and Berklee’s 10th SXSW party overall — goes down Thursday, March 19 at Austin’s Brush Square Park, 409 East 5th St., next to the Convention Center. The party is co-presented by Berklee Alumni, The Red Room @ Cafe 939, and Heavy Rotation Records, and is all ages and open to SXSW badge holders. The public can email sxswrsvp@berklee.edu to attend free of charge. An oyster bar will be provided by Island Creek Oysters, and VanyaRadio will be streaming all the performances. More info and music links can be found here.
The Ballroom Thieves, 4 p.m. set time
The Ballroom Thieves are ready for their closeup — at home and beyond. The homegrown and Americana-kissed indie-folk trio of Martin Earley (guitar/vocals), Devin Mauch (percussion/vocals), and Calin Peters (cello/vocals) has an incredible few weeks ahead.
In addition to throwing down at SXSW, the band returns to town for the release of debut album Wolf In The Doorway on April 21 via Blue Corn Music, then readies for a gig on the main stage of Boston Calling Music Festival, sharing a May 24 bill with the Pixies, TV On The Radio, and Vance Joy.
A relentless touring schedule, a string of sold-out hometown gigs, and an ambition to redefine the current landscape of roots music has driven Ballroom Thieves to the cusp of national acclaim.
Last month, Relix premiered the trio’s latest single, “Wild Woman,” with Mauch telling the magazine: “The opening lyrics, ‘Left the homestead and poured out into the unknown,’ seem to resound in the listener and cause a reflection of one’s own personal journey as the song progresses. Every night we play ‘Wild Woman’, I’m drawn to the passion behind its words and the personal connection others find in her story.”
These are stories that demand to be heard. And sometimes, in this crazy musical climate, the band finds the audience just as the audience finds the band.
Follow the Ballroom Thieves on twitter @ballroomthieves
