In these parts, South by Southwest is primarily known as a five-day, alcohol-fueled music festival, where thousands of artists take to music venues, pizza shops, and even – uh – restrooms for a shot at music blog stardom. In fact, it was the best music festival of ‘em all last year. But South by Southwest is also a showcase for new films and documentaries, many of which focus on music-related topics. Today, the 2012 film schedule was revealed and Girl Talk, Big Star, Paul Simon, and Bad Brains are all featured subjects. These films and more, with their accompanying descriptions, via SXSW.com:

– Girl Walk // All Day: A feature-length dance music film that combines freestyle dance with the daily chaos of New York City, set to Girl Talk’s recent mashup album, All.

– Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me: A feature-length documentary about the massive critical acclaim, dismal commercial failure, and enduring legacy of pop music’s greatest cult phenomenon, Big Star. (Work in Progress)

– Under African Skies: Paul Simon returns to South Africa to explore the incredible journey of his historic Graceland album, including the political backlash he received for allegedly breaking the UN cultural boycott of South Africa designed to end the Apartheid regime.

– Bad Brains: Band in DC: How four young men from DC changed music forever. (World Premiere)

– The Comedy: Indifferent even to the prospects of inheriting his father’s estate, Swanson (Tim Heidecker), a desensitized, aging Brooklyn hipster, strays into a series of reckless situations that may offer the promise of redemption or the threat of retribution. Also starring Eric Wareheim and LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy

– Uprising: Hip Hop & The LA Riots: 20 years after riots ripped through Los Angeles, Uprising documents how hip hop forecasted – and some say ignited – the worst civil unrest of the 20th century. (World Premiere)

– An Evening With Sacred Bones Records: Brooklyn-based record label Sacred Bones presents an evening of original and curated programming of music videos, short films, works in progress, and a rare screening of their first film production, Twelve Dark Noons. (World Premiere)

– Charles Bradley: Soul of America:  The incredible late-in-life rise of 62-year-old aspiring soul singer Charles Bradley. (World Premiere)

– Rock ‘N’ Roll Exposed: The Photography of Bob Gruen: Iggy Pop, Debbie Harry, Yoko Ono, Alice Cooper, Billie Joe Armstrong and others discuss the incredible life and work of the world’s foremost rock ‘n’ roll photographer, Bob Gruen. (North American Premiere)

– Grandma Lo-fi: The Basement Tapes of Sigrídur Níelsdóttir: At the tender age of 70 she started making music – and then she couldn’t stop! A tribute to the Danish/Icelandic artist and late bloomer Sigrídur Níelsdóttir.

– Sunset Strip: The 100-year history of the loudest street on the planet, The Sunset Strip. (World Premiere)

As for the music portion, a number of new acts have been added (or re-added) to the schedule in recent days, including The Shins, Best Coast, Kasabian, Miike Snow, Neon Indian, OFF!, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Big Star’s Third, Sharon Van Etten, Deerhoof, Japandroids, Matthew Dear, Nneka, Rachel Yamagata, Shearwater, Murs, Tennis, Diamond Rugs, Cancer Bats, Caveman, Fake Problems, Fanfarlo, Gary Clark Jr., Doldrums, Machinedrum, Princeton, Cities Aviv, Eternal Summers, and James Husband. Check out a more complete list at Festival Outlook.

Badges are available via sxsw.com

As Wayne Coyne mentioned on Twitter in September, his Flaming Lips recorded their cover of “Smothered in Hugs” for the compilation. Now, No More Fake Labels founder Misty Dawn Briggs has revealed to Independent Weekly a bunch more artists that pay homage on the album. They include Blitzen Trapper covering “Hot Freaks”, Cymbals Eat Guitars doing “Gleemer”, and Thurston Moore’s cover of “Stabbing a Star”, which was recorded with Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley under the moniker Male Slut and appeared on the 1998 GBV tribute album Blatant Doom Trip. Other artists covering GBV include Elf Power, Superdrag, Kelley Deal with Buffalo Killers, of Montreal’s James Husband, and La Sera (a.k.a. Vivian Girls bassist Katy Goodman).

Briggs also mentioned that the tracklist is incomplete and will feature “a couple super secret surprise tracks” and that a bonus EP will be released in addition to the LP. Go here for more info and artist quotes, and check out the confirmed songs below.

Tentative Tracklist:
The Flaming Lips – Smothered in Hugs
Western Civ – Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory
Western Civ – My Valuable Hunting Knife
Cymbals Eat Guitars – Gleemer
Sorry About Dresden – Echos Myron
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Everywhere With Helicopter
Crooked Fingers – Tractor Rape Chain
Elf Power – Man Called Aerodynamics
I Was Totally Destroying It – I Am Produced
The Pneurotics – I Am a Tree
La Sera (Katy Goodman of Vivian Girls) – Watch Me Jumpstart
Kelley Deal with Buffalo Killers – Scalding Creek
Blitzen Trapper – Hot Freaks
Superdrag – A Salty Salute
David Kilgour (The Clean) – How Loft Am I
Thurston Moore – Stabbing a Star
James Husband (Of Montreal) – Buzzards and Dreadful Crows
Twin Tigers – TBA

Digital-Only EP Tracklist:
Marie Stella – Little Lines
Free Electric State – Weedking
Mass Solo Revolt – Gold Star for Robot Boy
Gregg Yeti – Quality of Armor

Yep, starting May 22nd, Of Montreal will embark on a 13-date venture, one which will see the outfit giving love to the states like Texas, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Of Montreal member and current tour opener James Husband will again serve as support.

Tickets for the upcoming dates can be obtained via Ticketmaster.com

Of Montreal 2010 Tour Dates:
04/08 – Tampa, FL @ The Ritz *
04/09 – Miami, FL @ The Fillmore *
04/10 – Orlando, FL @ Firestone Live *
05/22 – New Orleans, LA – Howlin’ Wolf *
05/23 – Austin, TX – The Mohawk *
05/24 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theater *
05/25 – Tulsa, OK – Cain’s Ballroom *
05/26 – Columbia, MO – 9th Street Summerfest *
05/27 – Lexington, KY – Buster’s *
05/28 – Pittsburgh, PA – Ches-A-Rena *
05/29 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre Of The Living Arts *
05/30 – Durham, CT — B.O.M.B Fest *
05/31 – Charlottesville, VA – The Jefferson *
06/01 – Richmond, VA – The National *
06/02 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle *

* = w/ James Husband

Our travels took us to a slew of different showcases and parties with lineups featuring heavy hitters, old favorites, up-and-comers, and relative unknowns. We traveled to Stubbs on Wednesday to watch Sharon Jones bring the funk, Broken Bells make its SXSW debut, and Spoon deliver a hometown show. We checked out acts like Titus Andronicus, We Are Scientists, and Local Natives on Thursday. We ate cookies, played video games, jammed to The Protomen, and hung out with Rock It Out! Blog on Friday, all before stumbling into The Parish and watching Broken Social Scene deliver a two-and-a-half hour set of the week.

Please find the end results below, courtesy of Mr. Alex Young and Mr. Cap Blackard. Until next year Austin, good riddance/we’ll miss you.

Free Energy:
Paste Party, March 17th

[nggallery id=2]

Freelance Whales
Paste Party, March 17th

[nggallery id=3]

Here We Go Magic
Little Radio Presents, March 17th

[nggallery id=11]

Born Ruffians
Canadian Blast, March 17th

[nggallery id=12]

Jason Collett
Body Parts, March 17th

[nggallery id=4]

The Walkmen
Stubbs, March 17th

[nggallery id=5]

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
Stubbs, March 17th

[nggallery id=6]

Broken Bells
Stubbs, March 17th

[nggallery id=7]

Spoon
Stubbs, March 17th

[nggallery id=8]

Shout Out Out Out Out
CoS + Sled Island, March 18th

[nggallery id=14]

Titus Andronicus
CoS + Sled Island, March 18th

[nggallery id=13]

Elevator Fight
Phoenix, March 18th

[nggallery id=17]

The Champman Family
Phoenix, March 18th

[nggallery id=18]

We Are Scientists
Phoenix, March 18th

[nggallery id=16]

Local Natives
Emos, March 18th

[nggallery id=19]

Light Pollution
CoS + Rock It Out! Blog, March 19th

[nggallery id=24]

Surf City
CoS + Rock It Out! Blog, March 19th

[nggallery id=20]

Look Mexico
CoS + Rock It Out! Blog, March 19th

[nggallery id=21]

Sweet Apple
CoS + Rock It Out! Blog, March 19th

[nggallery id=22]

The Protomen
CoS + Rock It Out! Blog, March 19th

[nggallery id=23]

Billy Bragg
Mess With Texas, March 19th

[nggallery id=1]

Zeus
The Parish, March 19th

[nggallery id=9]

Broken Social Scene
The Parish, March 19th

[nggallery id=10]

We should also note that if you’d like to check out South by Southwest from the perspective of a video blogger, you might want to check out the Rock It Out! Blog.

On Wednesday, we’ll team up with our internet buddies Elbo.ws and The Music Slut and the awesome Austin promoters Knuckle Rumbler to help kick off South by Southwest with a bang!

What: Body Parts
Where: Peckerhead’s (402 E. 6th St)
When: Wednesday, March 17th, 1 – 8pm CST
Who: Theophilus London, Broken Social Scene’s Jason Collett, The Death Set, Drink Up Buttercup, Acrylics, Gemni Club, Maps & Atlases, The Depreciation Guild, Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt, and Dignan
Extras: Free So-Co + tacos!
How: Free, but please RSVP

We’re particuarly proud of our Thursday event, and for good reason. We teamed up with one of our favorite music festivals, Calgary’s Sled Island Music Festival, and put together a lineup that rivals all. At least, we and some 4,700 others seem to think so.

What: CoS + Sled Island’s 1st Annual SXSW Day Party
Where: Republic Live (301 W. 5th St)
When: Thursday, March 18th, 12 – 7pm CST
Who: Titus Andronicus, Surfer Blood, Rural Alberta Advantage, Of Montreal’s James Husband, Jukebox the Ghost, Garotas Sueces, Brasstronaut, and Royal Bangs + a ???.
How: Free, but please RSVP. Please note that this event will likely be at-capacity, so we suggest you get there early to ensure entry (First come, first serve).

Then, on Friday, we’ll look to cap it all off with a rather intimate event, personally curated by CoS’ Michael Roffman. “Lo-Fi Friday” presented by CoS and the Rock it Out! Blog, features music that lives up to the events name and lots of cool goods. Plus, we’ll have pizza!

What: CoS + Rock It Out! Blog present: 1st Annual “Lo-Fi Friday”
Where: Republic Live (301 W. 5th St)
When: Friday, March 19th, 12 – 7pm CST
Who: The Protomen, Sweet Apple, Hurricane Bells, Light Pollution, Surf City, Look Mexico, You Say Party! We Say Die!, The Happy Hollows, Male Bonding, and Chaperone
Extras: Blu Energy Drink + 8-bit gaming station + Pizza!
How: Free, but please RSVP.

We hope you can join us! Also, be sure to follow CoS on Twitter for all the latest SXSW updates as well as opportunities to score guest list access to all three of these events.

We should also note that because of our travels, regular programming on the actual website will be limited this week. Please check back next week for a complete recap of both our travels and any news we might have missed. In the meantime, whether you’ll be joining us in Austin or sitting at home in envy, please enjoy your week!

According to Pitchfork (via the Playlist), the documentary was shot throughout the band’s 2009 European tour by English professor Spenser Simrill Jr., and while the it will also feature the band’s extravagant make-up and pageantry that comprises their stage show, the movie will also feature men in pig costumes and a boatload of pushups. Now that’s wacky!

The move will debut on March 5th at the Chicago International Movies and Music Festival. For tickets and showtimes, head here. Can’t make it? Enjoy the trailer below. And you can also savor the wait for their new album. A few tour dates this April should ease the pain.

Of Montreal 2010 Tour Dates:
04/06 – Oxford, MS @ The Lyric
04/07 – Tallahassee, FL @ The Moon
04/08 – Tampa, FL @ The Ritz
04/09 – Miami Beach, FL @ The Fillmore
04/10 – Orlando, FL @ Firestone Live
06/01 – Richmond, VA @ The National *

* = w/ James Husband

This year’s festivities will feature a lineup made of some of the hottest up-and-coming outfits in music, including — drum roll!!! — Titus Andronicus, Surfer Blood, The Rural Alberta Advantage, James Husband (Of Montreal), Jukebox the Ghost, Garotas Suecas, Royal Bangs, and Brasstronaut!!!

And the best part? The entire event will be free! Yeah, you’re welcome!

That said, the capacity for the event will be limited to 750 lucky individuals, so it’s probably a good idea to get there early in order to guarantee admission for this intimate affair. Doors will open at 12pm and the party should run until 7pm.

Additional details, including set times, accommodations (liquor!), and maybe even another band!, will be announced in the weeks ahead. We may also provide a few opportunities to get on the guest list. So, stay tuned!

Scroll down for band bios and venue information! Again, how f’ing epic is this!?!?!

About the Bands:

Titus Andronicus: Hailing from Glen Rock, NJ, these lo-fi rockers drew rave reviews with the release The Airing of Grievances in April of 2008. Now signed to XL Recordings (the home of Radiohead, the Raconteurs, and more), the band is gearing up for the release of its much anticipated sophomore studio effort, The Monitor, due out March 9th. In addition to its appearance at our party, Titus Andronicus is scheduled to perform at Fucked Up’s official SXSW curated showcase with Dinosaur Jr.’s J. Mascis, Cold Cave, and others on March 20th.

Surfer Blood: One of the hottest names currently in all of indie rock, Surfer Blood has been catching everyone’s ears since a much acclaimed appearance at last year’s CMJ Music Marathon. The Florida outfit recently furthered the hype with the release of its critically acclaimed debut LP, Astro Coast, an album which CoS staff writer EN May described in the following way: [Surfer Blood] found a fresh way to reinvent the indie-rock sound in a way that was needed, something that wasn’t so bright and shiny from the first single to the inevitable car commercial. This is what makes the record so perfect for this moment in time, and finally it’s something with cojones.” Word on the street is that they’re just as good live!

The Rural Alberta Advantage: The trio of Paul Banwatt, Amy Cole, and Nils Edenloff is all about their hometown. Not only is the Canadian providence featured in the band’s name but many of the outfit’s songs are said to be “born out of images from growing up in Central and Northern Alberta.” This influence and these songs laid the basis for RAA’s stellar 2008 debut Hometowns. Since then, the band has signed with the legendary Saddle Creek Records, which subsequently re-released the album in 2009, embarked on a North American headlining tour, and opened for Passion Pit.

James Husband: Best known for his work as a member of the acclaimed indie outfit Of Montreal, James Huggins III also has a full-fledged solo career under the monkier James Husband. Last October, he released his proper solo debut, A Parallax I, on Polyvinyl and has since been touring the country playing double duty — opening for and playing with Of Montreal.

Jukebox the Ghost: The best thing to come out of Washington, DC in some time, Jukebox the Ghost emulates the brilliance of Ben Folds inspired piano rock while still offering an incredibly unique flavor and style. Speaking of Mr. Folds, Jukebox spent early 2009 touring with the indie star in support of its stellar 2008 debut Let Live and Let Ghosts. Now, as the band gears up for LP #2, it will take to Austin to offer a preview of what’s to come.

Garotas Suecas: When you have NPR touting you as a band that “should be absorbed,” you know you’ve got something going for you. This is exactly the case for Garotas Suecas, a Brazilian six-piece that blends the sounds of soul and rock. Basically one of music’s best kept secrets, and we couldn’t be happier that they’ll be donning our stage.

“Ghostwriter”

Royal Bangs: A write-up in Rolling Stone, an appearance at Bonnaroo, and an acclaimed studio debut, which has been described as “belting garage rock, quirky indie rock and bamboozling electronica, all served up in one smart and super-confident package, rather like a chirpier, younger, less navel-gazing Radiohead.” How’s that for a resume?

Brasstronaut: In a mere three years, the Canadian outfit Brasstronaut has already released an acclaimed debut EP (2008′s Old World Lies), topped the Hype Machine, and started its own blog. Having spent much of 2009 recording, the band will kick of what will surely be a busy 2010 with a much anticipated performance at our party.

“Requiem For A Scene”

About the Venue:

The Compound is located in Austin, TX at 1300 E 4th St. It’s less than a ten minute walk from the Austin Convention Center.

About The Presenters:

Sled Island Music Festival is an annual independent multi-venue music and arts festival in Calgary, Alberta that attracts over 17,500 attendees each year. Entering its fourth year, it aims to celebrate, showcase and nurture the best emerging and established local talent alongside national and international independent music, comedy, film and art.

Consequence of Sound is a global music publication averaging 50,000 daily page impressions. Now in its third year, CoS sports over 50 contributors, recognition from countless premiere media outlets, and a readership that proves to be one of the most active and dedicated in all of the online music blogosphere. The SXSW day party will also coincide with the launch of a brand new, professionally designed CoS website.

This year’s lineup once again again showcases a diverse roster of national and international acts, including alt-rock legend Billy Bragg, acclaimed folk-rock outfit The Mountain Goats, psychedelic rockers Dr. Dog, indie sensations Rogue Wave, UK punk band Leatherface, and the hardcore group Senses Fail. And that’s just getting started.

Man Man, Delta Spirit, Anti-Flag, The Moldy Peaches’ Kimya Dawson, Torche, High on Fire, Anvil, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Portugal. the Man, Danielson, Of Montreal’s James Husband, Past Lives, Bear In Heaven, Freelance Whales, Dead Confederate, Fruit Bats, and Dr. Octagon (aka Kool Keith) are also confirmed participants. The full list of notables can be found here.

Three-day tickets are on sale now and still incredibly cheap, however, they will rise in price as the festival draws closer. From January 14th through February 11th, tickets will be available at the early-bird price of $39.50. From February 12th to March 11th, they will jump to $49.50. Walk-up 3-day tickets will be $60.00. Single day tickets will be available for $25.00/day in advance and $35.00/day weekend of. Three-day camping passes are also now available at $19.50/person. A small number of VIP passes are available at $99.50 per person. The VIP pass includes access to the VIP camping area, a three-day festival pass, and extra goodies. Find all the info here.

Of course, we’d be remiss not to note that Harvest of Hope serves to raise awareness and provide financial support for the Harvest of Hope Foundation, a charity organization that aids migrant farm workers across the country. Check out our recent interview with co-founder Ryan Murphy for the complete story.

According to Pitchfork, the band will hit the road on January 25th in Baltimore, MD and play a total of nine dates before wrapping up the microscopic jaunt on February 6th in Nashville, TN. Of course, Kevin Barnes’ crew will likely use the engagements to road test material off that new, yet-to-be-completed, still untitled, release dateless new album.

And if that weren’t enough Of Montreal for you, James Husband, aka guitarist James Huggins III, will open for the band and play a few of his own shows. Plus, we can confirm he’ll also be making an appearance at South by Southwest 2010.

Oh, and just for kicks, we should probably point out that new Of Montreal collaborator Solange Knowles recently Tweeted that Kevin Barnes had her sing the line “you look like a play ground to me playa.” Color us stoked.

Tickets are on sale January 8th at Ticketmaster.com.

Of Montreal 2010 Tour Dates:
01/25 – Baltimore, MD @ Ram’s Head
01/26 – New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom
01/27 – Boston, MA @ Paradise
01/28 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
01/29 – Norfolk, VA @ Norva
01/30 – Richmond, VA @ The National
02/04 – Athens, GA @ 40 Watt
02/05 – Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel
02/06 – Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom

James Husband 2010 Tour Dates:
03/13 – Miami, FL @ Pop Life (at Pickle Electric)
03/14 – Orlando, FL @ The Stardust
03/16 – Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon

The Jesus Lizard, Of Montreal, Mission of Burma, Ratatat, The Pharcyde, and Destroyer head the recently unveiled 2009 bill. Other acts of note include Danzig, Yeasayer, Fucked Up, The Cool Kids, Wu Tang’s GZA performing Liquid Swords, The King Khan & BBQ Show, Lucero, Why?, and No Age.

As it stands, the Fun Fun Fun Fest 2009 currently looks something like this:

7 Seconds, Alaska in Winter, All Leather, Astronautalis, Atlas Sound, Bankrupt and the Borrowers, Betaplayer, The Black and White Years, Brendon Walsh, Brian Posehn, Broadcast, Buraka Son Sistema, Car Stereo (Wars), Cedric Burnside & Lightnin’ Malcolm, Chelsea Peretti, MC Chris, Coalesce, Coliseum, The Cool Kids, Crystal Antlers, Crystal Castles, D.R.I., Danzig, Dead Confederate, Death, Destroyer, The DJ Melee, Face to Face, Flipper, Foot Patrol, Fuck Buttons, Fucked Up, Gorilla Biscuits, Growing, GZA performing Liquid Swords, Hannibal Burress, Harlem, HEALTH, James Husband (Of Montreal), The Jesus Lizard,  Josh Fadem, Kid Sister, King Khan & BBQ Show, The Laughing, LAX, Les Savy Fav, Low Line Caller, Lucero, Melt Banana, Metallagher, Mika Miko, Mission of Burma, Moonlight Towers, Neon Indian, The New Movement, Nick Thune, No Age, DJ Numark, Of Montreal, Off With Their Heads, Pack of Wolves, Peligrosa DJs, The Pharcyde, Rat King, Ratatat, Red Sparowes, Reign Supreme, Riverboat Gamblers, The Roller, Royal Bangs, Russian Circles, Shearwater, Shonen Knife, Ssion, The Strange Boys, Street Dogs, Sugar & Gold, This Will Destroy You, Times New Viking, Todd Barry, The Underground Railroad to Candyland, VEGA, White Kids You Know, Why?, Yeasayer, Young Widows, Youth Brigade

Early bird weekend ($67.50) and VIP ($135) are now available via funfunfunfest.com.

James Huggins/James Husband:

On October 27th, James Huggins, best known to you and me as the dude who plays all the different instruments in Of Montreal, will make his solo debut, under the name James Husband, with the release of A Parallax I via Polyvinyl. According to Pitchfork, the 12-track effort was recorded between 2003 and 2008 in Athens and Stockholm, with help from his of Montreal bandmate Dottie Alexander, Swedish pop starlet Jenny Wilson, and Andy LeMaster of Now It’s Overhead. Samples of what to expect can currently be heard on Huggins/Husband’s MySpace.

Califone:

Chicago rockers Califone will soon submit its entry for most depressingly titled album of 2009 with the release All My Friends Are Funeral Singers. Due for release on October 6th via Dead Oceans, the 14-track is described as a “dense collage of sounds, expertly formed into fully realized pop songs.” Sounds like the perfect music for film, right? Califone apparently thought so too, and penned a companion film of the same name. Both the album and the film will be featured on the band’s recently announced fall U.S. tour

Beak>:

While a new album from his main outfit is still said to be coming, Portishead producer and multi-instrumentalist Geoff Barrow will devote his attention for the foreseeable future to his brand new project, Beak>. Formed earlier this year, the band also features Billy Fuller and Matt Williams. On October 19th/20th, they’ll make their self-titled debut with an album recorded in one room, without overdubs, over the course of just 12 days — or, the complete opposite of a Portishead recording seasion. For a preview, hit Pitchfork to listen to a track called “I Know”.