Ed. note: This is Round 5 in our SX 2014 rumor round up. Read Round 1, Round 2, Round 3 and Round 4. We do the internet-digging for you to discover which bands could be added to the SX line up or make special appearances – this round of rumors comes from @SXSWhoa and also includes rumor news from @CameronatSXSW, among other Twitter users. Keep up with who to follow on Twitter for all things South By with our list of best users to follow.
On the official side, Neil Young will be speaking during the music conference on March 11th, which was already hinted at in this Rolling Stone story about his speech at the Grammy Honors Ceremony in LA, when Young said: “We’re trying to make music sound technically better, and that’s what I want to do. So we have a player that plays whatever the musicians made digitally, and that’s going to come out. We’re announcing that at SXSW, we’re introducing it, it’s called Pono.” Get your badge now if to attend this and other conference programming.
On to rumors…
How To Dress Well has announced he will be touring with Forest Swords, a confirmed act. We think that all but confirms an appearance in some capacity even if only as a special guest.
A Day To Remember is on an extended European tour with Every Time I Die — The guys with ETID have nothing scheduled past February, but have been touring extensively lately – there’s a chance for an SX date. As for ADTR, their last scheduled overseas tour date is in Australia on March 3rd at Soundwave and then they head back stateside for Self Help Fest on March 22nd. This is the first Self Help Fest, which is a concert presented by ADTR, and the line up includes SXSW confirmed acts Bring Me The Horizon and Of Mice & Men — an ADTR appearance at SXSW could be a showcase with all three acts. Another possible band to get in on a showcase: August Burns Red is currently touring with nothing scheduled between Soundwave and South By So What. They aren’t known to skip Austin on their tours so we’re leaning toward them fitting in a show on 3/13 during SXSW.
While sifting through news of tour releases and new albums, we came across an article mentioning a possible Slowdive reunion in the works. For the unfamiliar, Slowdive is one of the legends of shoegaze and the last time this band worked together was in 1994. Just recently though a new twitter handle @slowdiveband surfaced which at this moment has still not tweeted anything. However, the former singer of of the band, Rachel Goswell has been cryptically tweeting a countdown, which expires on the 29th. Is that a confirmation? Foreshadowing? Nothing at all? Well we’ll just have to wait and see. We sure hope it happens. After 20 years of silence — it would guarantee to turn heads.
Foster The People announced a new tour and album coming out soon. Their tour does have some dates scheduled in TX at the end of April — but neither one of them is Austin. The incoming tour kicks off at Coachella, but SXSW may be a great place to debut some new music from their album, which comes out on March 18th.
Twitter user @jimbo_dublin pointed out to us that former Pavement singer Stephen Malkmus has a gap in his tour with Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks after he hits Dallas from 3/10 to 3/14. We expect an SX appearance.
Denmark’s MØ is taking a very convenient break in her European tour from 3/10 to 3/19. We think she is going to be headed back this year. If you missed her last year at the Hype Hotel — don’t sleep on her this year.
English indierockers Wild Beasts are coming stateside March for a NY date, a CA date, then a stop in Mexico 3/8. With a new album dropping on Feb 24th — it would be a good move to stick around for SXSW and try to get some extra publicity for it before heading back to Manchester by 3/26. Also, SXSW already has 4 bands with ‘wild’ in their name on the official line up – why not add one more?
Mötley Crüe is calling it quits after 33 years. Not before they go on one final tour though. The dates of which they are set to announce on January 28th,which leaves SX up to speculation for now.
Beck has released a new track, which will be on his new album that is dropping on February 24th — since this usually means new tour as well so we’re thinking Coachella isn’t the only stop Beck has planned for the near future. Maybe he’ll get one of those Jimmy Kimmel slots — which, you can only get (free) tickets to by following the Long Center Facebook page for updates.
Midlake just announced a tour with no TX dates that ends at Kansas on 3/13, which is during SX music. We think a stop at SXSW is very likely.
Against Me! lead singer Laura Jane Grace looks to be interested in finding a show at SXSW to play as well.
Any bands out there touring around SXSW this year?
— Laura Jane Grace (@LauraJaneGrace) January 23, 2014
Another twitter rumor find – Failure is set to reunite and could play SXSW.
@SXSWhoa @rsvpster @CameronAtSXSW Failure is set to reunite this year. FFFfest is highly likely but maybe SXSW too. — James Brown (@thisisleftbrain) January 22, 2014
Finally, we’ve got a quick recap on rumor twitter chatter from @CameronAtSXSW: Tool
Interesting gap in Tool’s tour schedule. 3/11 San Francisco, 3/18 in Mexico City. Thanks to @Marcflosx for the #SXSWrumor — Cameron @ SXSW (@CameronAtSXSW) January 21, 2014
Taking Back Sunday/The Used
Taking Back Sunday/The Used will be playing SouthBySoWhat in Dallas during #SXSW with a lot of SXSW confirmed bands #sxswrumors #highschool
— Cameron @ SXSW (@CameronAtSXSW) January 21, 2014
Kodaline
Kodaline has a week-long gap in the US from 3/7 to 3/14 before heading off to Ireland #SXSWrumors — Cameron @ SXSW (@CameronAtSXSW) January 17, 2014
Delta Rae
Delta Rae is also extremely likely to return to SXSW this year #SXSWrumors — Cameron @ SXSW (@CameronAtSXSW) January 17, 2014
Son Lux
Son Lux is a shoe-in for SXSW given his tour schedule, but will he bring Sufjan and Serengeti with him to promote Sisyphus? #SXSWrumors — Cameron @ SXSW (@CameronAtSXSW) January 17, 2014
The War On Drugs
Pretty sure James Vincent McMorrow and The War On Drugs will be at #SXSW, but we’ll see #sxswrumors
— Cameron @ SXSW (@CameronAtSXSW) January 17, 2014
