This article originally appeared on Boston Band Crush ).
Pariah Beat are headed to Austin to bring their gypsy-punk to the people. You can catch them tonight (3/12) at The Alchemist in Jamaica Plain it’s a free show (starts at 10).
1. Where/When are you playing?
We are playing at Monkey Wrench Books, at 11 AM and Treasure City Thrift at 6 PM on Friday March 20th. We’ll also be playing on the street, and we’re trying to put a couple more things together.
2. How did you get your SXSW gig?
Friends of ours in Austin invited us to come down and go swimming, and helped us set up some shows.
3. Is this your first time at SXSW?
Yes. It’s something we’ve been wanting to do for awhile, as either spectators or performers.
4. How important do you think it is to have an “official” showcase?
I think it sounds very nice to have an official showcase. We don’t. We’ve sort made a habit, for a variety of reasons, of not being on the “official” showcase generally speaking, in all walks of life. That said, maybe next year.
6. What do you hope to achieve by playing at SXSW?
We’re looking forward to becoming huge. Barring that, we’re looking to see some bands we like, meet some new people, and perhaps get a tan.
7. How do you plan to use the conference (beyond your shows) to promote yourself?
We’ll be handing out CDs to some folks, and passing out flyers, which I imagine a couple other bands will be doing too. To set ourselves apart we’ll be wearing funny hats, and no clothes. We’re definitely going to play on the street, be rowdy, and potentially put out. The sky is the limit.
8. Are you attending any of the actual conference? Are you attending other shows, what shows/bands are you looking forward to?
We probably won’t be attending much of the conference. We are going to see the Queers video release show. We’re all from Vermont and New Hampshire, so we’re fans. We recorded a song at Joe Queer’s studio last weekend, and he’s a really good guy. That will be a highlight. We’re also going to the Fireman party.
9. Do you expect that Boston will have a strong showing this year?
Yes, Boston’s always had a strong music tradition. That said, we’re not close with too many bands going down this year. We do really like what Eli “Paperboy” Reed and his band does, and Low Anthem are really impressive, and play in a similar circle as us.
Check out thier Valentine’s Day special:
Love The Pain – Valentine’s Day Release