SXSW Music kicks off on Wednesday the 12th, as always with the Annual Austin Music Awards at Austin Music Hall, but it has become clear over the last few years that the music really starts the night before. Just thinking back to last year, we remember walking up and down Red River, watching bands like Golden Bear, White Denim and Broken Teeth at venues such as Beauty Bar, Emo’s and Red 7, and congratulating ourselves for getting started early....

FRIDAY [20] benefit/music • Ashera-Blare-A IV with All In the Golden Afternoon, The Heirs, The Minderchucks, and The Otters at Club DeVille beer/party • Black Star Co-op's Craft Beer Celebration with Pong, Opposite Day, The Second Line Social, and fine craft beer from around the country at Fiesta Gardens (8pm-Midnight, $10) comedy • Punchline, open mic stand up comedy at ColdTowne Theater (10pm) dance • Room, part of Refraction Arts' Fuse Box Festival at The......

Do Make Say Think You, You're a History In Rust (Constellation) It might just be a coincidence that Do Make Say Think release their latest full length just one week after local favorites Explosions in the Sky, but even without the timing to consider, both albums (and their eager fans) confirm the post-rock instrumental movement's throbbing heart. At the core of this kind of thing must be a conscious effort to avoid the trappings......

Hometown rock stars I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness have finished two quick jaunts to Europe, are working on a new album, put together a terrifyingly beautiful music video for "The Owl" with Emmanuel Ho, and will be playing at SXSW. If you aren't already familiar with their unique brand of Peter Murphy meets Nick Cave inspired minimalist (but fist-flinging urban) post-rock, change your ways: you don't want to miss them live. Recently......

We'd heard rumors of a big blogger bonanza taking place during SXSW Music, and today finally got a glimpse of their awesome setup: two days, three stages, and 32 bands divided between Club Deville and The Mohawk. But then again, what else would you expect from music bloggers like Chromewaves, Gorilla vs Bear, Largehearted Boy, My Old Kentucky Blog, rock insider, and You Ain't No Picasso? Friday Catfish Haven, Thunderbirds Are Now!, Apostle of......

TUESDAY [10] film • AFS Essential: The Romantic Englishwoman at Alamo Drafthouse (7pm) ® film • The Flower of My Secret at Arbor (2:45pm & 7:30pm) ® film • Talk to Her at Arbor (12:10pm, 5:05pm, 10pm) ® film • Noam Chomsky: Rebel Without a Pause at The Space (8pm, Free) ® film • Yellow Submarine at Alamo Drafthouse (9:45pm, $2) film • Beetlejuice at Rounders Pizzeria (9pm, FREE) film • SXSW Presents: The......

The Bound Stems have one of those names that triggers flashbacks to 10th-grade biology, but the sound is quite a bit more pleasant than the click click click of Mr. Wright scrawling away at the chalkboard. In fact, the Chicago-based outfit plays low-key indie rock of the stripe that one might expect to hear providing atmosphere at Spiderhouse. Apparently the guys in the band played on the same high school basketball team -- charming,......