For those who’ve never attended South by Southwest, I’d sum it up like this: it’s so incredible that it’ll drive you to the brink of suicide. I’m partially joking of course, but seriously, how the fuck are you supposed to handle this: an 11am – 2am non-stop bonanza of 2,000 bands playing across 100+ venues, with Foo Fighters and Arcade Fire film screenings mixed in, all while people throw beer koozies, stickers, energy bars, bottle openers, and demo discs at your every turn. That’s without mentioning the constant threat of super surprises that will completely ruin your day if you don’t get in, like when Metallica played a last-minute gig at Stubb’s a few years back or like what Foo Fighters and Mr. Man will probably do this year. Plus, there’s all sort of panels and VIP BBQs and vegan BBQs (via Moby) and great restaurants and celebrities (via Bill “Chill” Murray) and drunk locals who have no idea what SXSW is (via St. Patrick’s Day). And people say Bonnaroo is tiring.

Anyhow…yep, South by Southwest returns next week, and as part of our continuing cover of the festival (which will likely prove as overwhelming as the festival itself), we selected our favorite parties and showcases and put them in a handy little one-sheet. Given SXSW’s nature to announce the best stuff last, this thing will probably become outdated fast, but still, enjoy.

Also, please don’t forget about Consequence of Sound’s events, which include a panel, a showcase, and a day party. As mentioned, we’ll also have continuing coverage — in both words and video — throughout the weekend. KO!

Wednesday Day:

– Fader Fort: Yelawolf, Raphael Saadiq, Friendly Fires, Young the Giant, & Oh Land @ 1101 E. 5th Street [RSVP]

– Paste Magazine Party: Sondre Lerche, Lord Huron, Eisley, & Ezra Furman & The Harpoons @ The Stage on Sixth

– Terrorbird & Forcefield PR Party: The Death Set, Cloud Nothings, Lower Dens, Pictureplane, Screaming Females, & tUnE-yArDs @ Red 7

– All Saints Spitafields/I AM SOUND Party: Friendly Fires, Theophilus London, Mount Kimbie, & Local Natives (DJ Set) @ Shangri-La [RSVP]

Wednesday Night:

– Frenchkiss Records Showcase: The Dodos & The Antlers @ The Parish

– Time Out Showcase: Duran Duran, Smith Westerns, James Blake, & Yuck @ Stubb’s

– Vans Showcase: Talib Kweli, The Black Lips, Bad Brains & OFF! @ Emo’s Main Room

– Doomtree Showcase: Doomtree, P.O.S., Sims, Astronautalis, & Dessa @ Flamingo Cantina

– BrooklynVegan Showcase: Ted Leo, Sharon Van Etten, & Lady Lamb the Beekeeper @ Swan Dive

– Rolling Stone Showcase: Queens of the Stone Age, The Black Angels, & J Mascis @ La Zona Rosa [RSVP]

– Secretly Canadian/Jagjaguwar/Dead Oceans Showcase: Okkervil River, The Cave Singers, & John Vanderslice @ Red 7 Patio

– The Agency Group/XXL Showcase: Immortal Technique, Freddie Gibbs, Big K.R.I.T., Curren$y, & Cyhi Da Prynce @ Mohawk Patio

Thursday Day:

– WFUV Showcase: The Head and the Heart & Josh Ritter @ Radio Day Stage

– Moby’s Vegan BBQ: Moby, French Horn Rebellion, Skrillex, & Class Actress @ Cheer Up Charlie’s

– MTV Garage: Matt & Kim, Friendly Fires, Theophilus London, & Tinie Tempah @ Red River Garage

– TwentyFourBit & Rawkblog Party: Sondre Lerche, Arms, Pepper Rabbit, & Little Scream @ The Liberty [RSVP]

– Prefix Party: Das Racist, Asobi Seksu, Jeff the Brotherhood, Oh Land, Bass Drum of Death, & Gobble Gobble @ ND at 501 Studios

– Waterloo Records Parking Lot Shows: Wye Oak, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, Royal Bangs, & Toro y Moi @ Waterloo Records

– #Offline Party: The Dodos, J Mascis, Smith Westerns, Times New Viking, Dum Dum Girls, OFF!, & Mount Kimbie @ East Side Drive-In

– The Billions Corporation & Tickefly Party: Black Joe Lewis The Honeybears, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Owen Pallett, & Telekinesis @ The Mohawk

Thursday Night:

– Levi’s Showcase: The Strokes @ Auditorium Shores

– Music Matters Showcase: B.o.B., J. Cole, & Big Sean @ Kiss & Fly

– Village Voice Showcase: Wu-Tang Clan, Yelawolf, & Fishbone @ Austin Music Hall

– Spinner Showcase: TV on the Radio, Charles Bradley, & Portugal. the Man @ Stubb’s

– Atlantic Records Showcase: Lupe Fiasco, Cee Lo, Wiz Khalifa & Donnis @ La Zona Rosa

– Domino Recording Co. Showcase: The Kills, Owen Pallett, & Cass McCombs @ Emo’s Main Room

Friday Day:

– SPIN Party: TV on the Radio, The Kills, OMD, Smith Westerns, OFF!, & Young the Giant

– AV Club Party: Low, Ted Leo, Wye Oak, An Horse, & Sharon Van Etten @ Mohawk [RSVP]

– Under the Radar Party: Okkervil River, Menomena, Surfer Blood, & Owen Pallett @ Flamingo Cantina

– Dickies Party: Little Dragon, Black Lips, GAYNGS, Dum Dum Girls, & Liam Finn @ Lustre Pearl [RSVP]

– Other Music & Dig For Fire Party: !!!, Cults, John Vanderslice, & James Blake @ French Legation Museum

– Consequence of Sound Showcase: Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, PS I Love You, & Pepper Rabbit @ Dot Com Day Stage

– Thrasher Magazine & Santos House Party: Pentagram, Odd Future, Das Racist, Sweet Apple, & Fang Island @ The Scoot Inn

– Fader Fort: Matt & Kim, Odd Future, Smith Westerns, Ellie Goulding, & Frankie & the Heartstrings @ 1101 E. 5th Street [RSVP]

– BrooklynVegan Party: J Mascis, The Dodos, Middle Brother, Old 97’s, Vetiver, & John Grant w/ Midlake @ Swan Dive/Barbarella

Friday Night:

– Merge Showcase: Wild Flag, Wye Oak, Telekinesis, & Apex Manor @ The Parish

– Biz3 Showcase: Das Racist, The Cool Kids, Freddie Gibbs, & Pharoahe Monch @ Emo’s Main Room

– Bella Union/Zeitgeist Showcase: Menomena, John Grant w/ Midlake, & Sondre Lerche @ Central Presbyterian Church

– Sub Pop Showcase: The Head and the Heart, J Mascis, Dum Dum Girls, Papercuts, & Shabazz Palaces @ Radio 7 Patio

– Billboard Bungalow: A Place to Bury Strangers, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Screaming Females & Beach Fossils @ Buffalo Billiards

Saturday Day:

– Filter Magazine Party: Little Dragon, The Naked and Famous, & Datarock @ Cedar Street Courtyard [RSVP]

– MOG Party: TV on the Radio, Big Boi, Okkervil River, Wild Flag, Smith Westerns, Yuck, & Theophilus London

– Fader Fort: Lil B, Curren$y, The Cool Kids, James Blake Cass McCombs, & Lower Dens @ 1101 E. 5th Street [RSVP]

– MWTX Party: Surfer Blood, !!!, Dead Milkmen, Odd Future, Ted Leo, Deer Tick, & Thee Oh Sees @ East Side Drive In [RSVP]

– BrooklynVegan & Pop Montreal Party: Trail of Dead, !!!, Owen Pallett, Bass Drums of Death, & PS I Love You @ Swan Dive/Barbarella

– Ground Control Touring Showcase: Bright Eyes, Middle Brother, Man Man, The Felice Brothers, & Kurt Vile And The Violators @ Auditorium Shores

– Axis of Audio Party: The Greenhornes, A Place to Bury Strangers, P.O.S. + Astronautalis, Jukebox the Ghost, & Ezra Furman & the Harpoons [RSVP]

Saturday Night:

– Billboard Bungalow: Odd Future, Big K.R.I.T., Curren$y, & Big Sean

– WME Showcase: Trentemøller, Shit Robot, Nervo, & Beardyman @ La Zona Rosa

– Never Not Fresh Showcase: Freddie Gibbs, The Alchemist & Oh-No, & Shad @ Club Fuze

– Stereogum’s Last Night in Texas: Das Racist, Cults, & Owen Pallet @ Pure Volume House [RSVP]

– Sexbeat SXSW Night Party: Japanther, Moon Duo, Indian Jewelry, & No Joy @ 21st Street Co-op [RSVP]

– Polyvinyl Showcase: Starfucker, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Asobi Seksu, & Casiokids @ The Parish

– Hit the Lights: Dan Deacon, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Austra, & Dirty Beaches @ Cheer Up Charlie’s [RSVP]

– Sargent House Showcase: Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group, Fang Island, Le Butcherettes, & Gypsyblood @ Emo’s Annex