It’s been twenty years since Liz Phair, a former art student, was messing around making her lo-fi, self-released cassette tapes under the moniker Girly Sounds, but she easily recalls those early days in Chicago’s indie scene and her first show days before the release of Exile In Guyville on Matador Records. Her debut success received unanticipated accolades for her sexually explicit lyrics, blunt delivery, and sassy, folk-rock stylings and launched her into a music career and a subsequent tumultuous relationship with record labels. Phair has dabbled in mainstream, ventured into composing television scores, and continues to strive and create on her own terms. This week Ms. Phair returns to Austin to participate in SXSW and perform at the IFC Crossroads House (Friday night), but first the indie icon took a minute to talk with Austinist about SXSW, the “scene,” her first performance, and some lessons she’s learned along the way. more ›

Photos courtesy Steve Hopson more ›

The Independent is gearing up to play host to a pair of quirky indie combos this Wednesday, as London’s Fanfarlo and New York City’s Freelance Whales make East Austin the next stop on their current US tour. Fanfarlo is supporting their first album Reservoir, a tight collection of songs even though the band occasionally can’t help but wear their influences (think Beirut, The National, Clap Your Hands, et al) on their sleeves. Single “Harold T. Wilkins” is one of the album’s stronger moments: it’s a propulsive tune that will definitely appeal to fans of the aforementioned major-indie bands. more ›

When it's time for some booty shakin', look no further than Bright Light Social Hour. The local indie group combines raw, jazzy vocals with poppy musicality enough to make any crowd dance. Tonight, they become another member of the 101X Homegrown Live concert series which has brought us many organic specialties as of late. BLSH is no exception. more ›

Much to our delight, L.A.’s Little Joy, a band who are casually referred to as a Strokes side project but are truly so much more, return to Austin tonight to help brighten up your Monday evening. They’ll be on hand to help break in our fair city's newest venue, the Independent at 501 studios (here’s what we had to say about the new club back in May). The L.A. trio, which features Los Hermanos’ Rodrigo Amarante - Little Joy’s principal songwriter and lead singer - multi-instrumentalist Binki Shapiro, and Strokes’ drummer Fabrizio Moretti, played an exuberant and absolutely charming set of their breezy, MPB-inflected, Strokes-esque tunes at the Parish Room in November. Expect more of the same tonight, as it should be a perfect early summer show augmented by the Independent’s intimate space. more ›