Countdown to SXSW (episode 1)

Here's the first installation in our series about South by Southwest (SXSW), a music festival that takes place in Austin, TX every year.  Leading up to SXSW, we'll be highlighting some artists who are performing at the Bay Area Takeover, a showcase of San Francisco Bay Area bands and artists happening at Beauty Bar in Austin, from noon until 6pm on Thursday, March 13th.  (We will also be doing a live webcast from that event.)

 Countdown to SXSW and the Bay Area Takeover: Meet the Blacks (download mp3)

Here's a little blurb about The Blacks:

The Blacks are a dark and dancy San Francisco three-piece known for their short, blistering stage shows and laser-beam intensity. With a stripped down instrumentation featuring guitar (Luisa Black), drums (Gavin Black) and wild-eyed tambourine player JDK Blacker, The Blacks serve up a hot, electric, garage noir sound that mixes the rawness of The Jesus and Mary Chain and The Stooges with the vocal elegance of Romeo Void. Their debut full-length "Nom de Guerre" will be released July 10 with a British tour following in September 2007.

Upcoming installments will feature "The Union Trade" and "Loquat", as well as interviews with some of the indie labels from San Francisco.