A little bit of Italy will take over South By Southwest on Mar. 16, when Italia Music Export puts on Ciao SXSW!: The Italian Showcase at The Stay Put in Austin, Texas. With the rise and success of Måneskin, Italy has become one of the hottest centers of the music world, but as Italia Music Export shows, Italy has more than rock on the menu. To sample it yourself before you hit up The Stay Put to see this extravaganza in person (Here is the RVSP Link), Italia Music Export has put together an EXCLUSIVE playlist of songs and acts for HL.
“The SXSW booker did a great job selecting some of the most exciting new artists on the Italian music scene, as people will get a glimpse – both at the Ciao SXSW showcase and throughout the whole festival – of the variety and richness that Italy is currently offering,” the Italia Music Export offices tell HL. “From Sans Soucis’ pop to Big Mountain County’s rock, all the way to Dumbo Gets Mad’s psychedelic. Don’t miss the chance to discover all the Italian artists performing at SXSW this year.”
The lineup starts at 8 PM with Arya, an Italo-Venezuelan singer, and songwriter representing the Atelier 71 independent collective and music label. Describ”d as “warm and smooth,” her music stitches together nu-soul, hip-hop, and R&B. At 9 PM, Big Mountain Country will take the stage. Hailing from Rome, the band invokes memories of proto-punk groups like Iggy Pop and The Stooges, The MC5, and The Velvet Underground. Fearless in their experimentation and commitment to their sound, Big Mountain Country walks through the decades of the past and the present. Hopefully, their near future includes a follow-up to their 2020 album, Somewhere Else.
Speaking of experimentation, GIUNGLA plays at 10 PM. With a history of playing shows alongside bands like The xx, FOALS, Battles, and Let’s Eat Grandma, the artist (also known as Emma Drei) is building buzz for a can’t-miss live show. She’s working on her album with Andrew Savours (My Bloody Valentine, The Kills, Black Country New Road), so perhaps you’ll get a preview of it during the Mar. 16 showcase?
Baseball Gregg, an indie pop duo from Bologna and Stockton (California), will play at 11 PM. One of the bands all your cool friends listen to, Baseball Gregg released Pasttimes in 2022 and will bring that enchanting music to the SXSW showcase. Dumbo Gets Mad, a psychedelic pop project, will take you to a new dimension at midnight (12 AM) with their cosmic-inspired sound. Sans Soucis – an award-winning band combining Congolese Rumba elements, classic Italian songwriting, electronic R&B and alt-pop sounds – will close out the showcase at 1″AM.
“Italian music has witnessed a significant growth in popularity in recent years, both locally and internationally: we’re talking about Måneskin, of course, but also about many innovative and exciting Italian artists who are performing abroad more and more often,” Italia Music Export said in a statement. ” Some of them will play at SXSW, so don’t miss the unique opportunity to listen to the impressive live performances.”