Sticking to your schedule at South by Southwest (SXSW) takes discipline and heaping portions of luck. You better swallow this pill now: You will not be able to see all of the bands you want to see, even if you are trying to be conservative with your schedule. Think about the fact that every year in Austin the crowds get bigger and bigger, yet the venues stay the same size. Clubs and bars will hit capacity faster than ever this year, so it’s time you have some back up options, and some outlying parties to check out.
The following is some of our favorite parties and showcases from the week, including a band who we really want to see at a party, and a couple of up and coming acts who we’re curious about. And because we’re determined not to just eat slices of pizza and drink Redbull, we’ve also tossed out a good food option for each day.