Atwood Magazine took on Austin, Texas’ annual SXSW Music Festival yet again and wrangled up a shortlist of the best performances of the week!

A week has passed, and finally Austin has begun to recover from another intense year of South by Southwest.

After a week (and two days) of getting in an insane amount of steps, waiting on public transportation with understandably annoyed bus drivers, searching for Ubers escaping I-35 traffic, and sweating then freezing in indecisive Texas weather – I survived SXSW. Never have I been so grateful to live in Austin… mostly because I could crawl back into my own bed and escape to my apartment for meals instead of relying on hotel mattresses and overpriced snacks. But also because of the devotion to music that’s forever intertwined with the city’s culture.

As expected, every venue was stacked, with lineups ranging from local favorites like punk-rockers Gus Baldwin & The Sketch and classic country outfit Chaparelle to out-of-towners like Montreal’s dreamy pop/rock hybrid Alicia Clara, indie-rock New Yorkers Monobloc, and oh so many others. Julien Baker & TORRES played their first proper live show, and St. Vincent even closed out the week’s festivities with a special surprise set. But of course, there was a plethora of unfamiliar sounds… and I conveniently compiled the best acts for you.

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shishi? yesyes.

An ethereal entity exits the icy Baltic Sea and splits its consciousness into thirds… surely it’s the only logical explanation for the three women of shishi being ever so transfixing and entrancingly in sync. Hailing from Lithuania, the trio draws on the eclectic sounds of various rock subgenres and pop neighbors – a refreshing find in an oversaturated genre.

Victoria’s bass line foundation loosens with Benadetta’s punchy hits, wriggles with Teresa’s slippery Stratocaster supplements, and collapses under their witty lyricism, “You didn’t do your homework / Probably your dog ate it / Or maybe it ate your brain / Is your dog OK” (“Dog OK”). In perfect tune with their playfulness, their names are but assumed aliases… so who are shishi? And how soon can I get more of their funky, wavy, sideways sounds injected directly into my bloodstream?

Laura Lee & the Jettes Transcend Language

Krautrock in Texas? More likely than you’d think. Alt-rock immersion jolts the midnight gatherers awake as Laura Lee & the Jettes take centerstage. “Thank you for your unsolicited advice / I’d get back to you / But I think we’re doing fine,” Laura Lee quips to the voice mansplaining motherhood throughout the track (“Unsolicited Advice”).

Switching to her native tongue, the English-speaking, head-banging audience absorbs each word as if German themselves. Outfitted in an oversized hockey jersey and a Jazzmaster in hand, the Berliner snakes through the dancing crowd mid-riff as the three men on stage back their charismatic frontwoman. Sonic chaos ensues as drums rage, bass tightens and quick, heavy strums of electric guitar feed off the room’s feverish frenzy.

Joan & the Giants’ Vibrant Sonics

Draped in red, from her dyed hair to her bright, flowing dress, Grace Newton-Wordsworth effortlessly wins over the room with her vivacity and pop/rock hooks. The Perth four-piece (and Atwood Magazine 2025 artist to watch) reflects off the mirrored walls, their electric presence being absorbed from every angle. The small stage wiggles under the Australian’s bare feet with each hop to the mic.

Hair shielding her face, she simultaneously shreds and sings without missing a single note; her three bandmates projecting the sonics even further. Declaring a desire to expel anger, four familiar chords ring out as she channels her inner Dolores O’Riordan for an impressive “Zombie” rendition.

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