SCHED* Unofficial Guide to SXSW 2010

event::type Unofficial Party
Venue: The Parish (214B E 6th St)
About: The Shins' warm, amiable sound may be running out of gas, but it's looking like Surfer Blood might manage to grab the reins of James Mercer's jangly pop caravan. The Palm Beach lads made waves with single "Swim (To Reach The End)," a reverb-drenched track that defines Surfer Blood's calling card: walls of fuzz meshed with sing-along hooks. Expect the Shins comparisons to persist throughout the bands early careervocally, lead singer John Paul Pitts could be Mercers brotherbut theres ample time for this newborn act to refine its sound. The band's much-anticipated debut record,Astro Coast, hit stores in early 2010 to overwhelmingly positive reviews. Sleigh Bells, Surfer Blood, G-Side, Local Natives