South By Southwest (SXSW) may be the biggest gathering of music, entertainment and technology leaders on the planet. The annual festival in Austin is not just a place where Google unveils its latest products, and where Edward Snowden makes his first public address since becoming a whistleblower on NSA spying. It’s also where many up and coming bands and DJs go to make a name for themselves on a national stage, including some from the San Joaquin Valley.
Josh Tehee, music and entertainment reporter for the Fresno Bee joined us on Valley Edition to talk about three local groups who hope to it big at SXSW this year. They include:
Light Thieves
This local group is know both for their catchy melodies and for their visually compelling on-stage performances. You can get a glimpse of their approach with their video for the song "Crystal Maps," from the album Spirit Homes.
http://youtu.be/9wlmIUncIoM
Le Wolves
Young, exciting and raw are three words that describe one of the hottest groups to hit the Fresno music scene in recent years. Their song "Creepy" of the Melted Eyes EP is one highlight of their sound.
Strange Vine
Pound-for-pound this music duo packs more punch than almost any other group on the local music scene. Ian Blesse rocks both the drums and the Fender Rhodes keyboard (and sings) while co-frontman Tony Cordova bluesy guitar riffs give Strange Vine's music a raw and earthy flavor. We listened to a selection from their song "Lonesome Trouble," from the Ghost EP.
http://vimeo.com/87650984
