FLOODfest SXSW 2016, Thursday

With day one in the books, we were heavily caffeinated and ready for the second installment of FLOODfest SXSW 2016. There was an added level of excitement to the afternoon and evening due to the fact that it was St. Patrick’s Day. It seemed like all of Austin came out in their finest shades of green to celebrate the holiday. And what better way to start off than with a Music From Ireland mini-showcase? In one of their first international shows, Saint Sister opened the morning calmly with some melodic harp and synth tunes. Fellow Irishwomen September Girls broke that tranquil tone with a raucous set of thrashing noise-pop that transitioned right into all of the quintet getting matching Sailor Jerry tattoos.

Once the Paddy’s Day vibes were set, Liverpudlians indie-rock quintet Clean Cut Kid busted out an infectious set including their massive hit “Vitamin C.” British singer-songwriter Barns Courtney kept the energy high with his charming smile and foot-stomping sound. Play-on-word-lovers Coast Modern helped the afternoon pivot from Barns Courtney’s guitar-driven sound to a synthy dream. LA via Chicago hip-hop artist Sir the Baptist took all of Cedar Street to church with his lively band, smooth flow, and uplifting message of self-worth and independence. TEEN ended the day portion of Thursday’s festivities with an eclectic mix that pulled from their three full-lengths.

Night fell and Los Angeles’s brother-sister duo XYLØ kicked off the evening with a sweet set of effervescent electro-pop, followed by fellow Angelino siblings Bleached. The Clavin sisters’ brand of fuzzed-out surf rock lead perfectly into Spanish quartet Hinds‘ cheeky distortion-filled performance. The SXSW darlings and Madrid natives played a handful of songs from their strong debut LP, Leave Me Alone, while being gifted shots of tequila from the packed crowd. FLOOD 3–featured artist Grace Mitchell brought her soulful cover of Hall & Oats “Maneater” to her highly anticipated set. New York’s chamber-pop staples Ra Ra Riot closed the night out with an explosive headlining show.

Special thanks to DTS, Serato Pyro (which you can download here), Ernie Ball, Haufe, and Sailor Jerry.

Below, check out photos from morning, afternoon, and night at FLOODfest, courtesy of Rozette Rago.

SXSW 2016 coverage: Wednesday ⋅ Thursday ⋅ Friday ⋅ Saturday ⋅ The Portraits

FLOODfest Day Two

FLOODfest Night Two