Matt & Kim

The sea level in New York is gonna feel a little lower for the next few days. This here internerd tried to purchase plane tickets to Austin from New York at the very last minute and let me tell you: they do not exist. The point isn't that this SXSWer will be flying in and out of Dallas and driving to Austin (which we will), but rather that there're a shitload of New York bands playing down South. Voice music editor Rob Harvilla previewed five of them: Earl Greyhound, Matt & Kim, Aa, Masta Killa, and Oakley Hall. Do yourself a favor and check this shit.

Click the photo for an audio slideshow of Lesbian, representing Seattle's hard rock scene at SXSW.

Here's a look at a few of the band's Seattle's bringing to town next week. From the hip-hop beats of The Saturday Knights to experimental folk of Tiny Vipers, these bands encapsulate the city's eclectic scene.

Esquire's showcase at SXSW on Saturday is looking to be one of the hottest, um, wristbands in town, featuring a closing set from The Stooges, and a 10 p.m. set from the Nashville heart breakers The Kings of Leon.

Don't be left out in the cold. Get a sack of barbecue and camp in front of Stubb's, immediately after you wake up, or the closest you're going to get to the Followills is this video for "The Bucket."