An endless amount of people have made their way to Austin, Texas for the 2023 installment of SXSW. The iconic festival has delivered performances from then-unknown acts such as HAIM, Hanson, Kid Cudi, and James Blunt before they landed major hits on the radio. With a plethora of music acts coming from all over the world, it can be a struggle to determine who to catch during the event. We look at 10 acts to check out during SXSW this week. More information about SXSW can be found here.

Annie Blackman (High Noon - March 16 from 12:40 p.m., Vaquero Taquero - March 18 from 12:00 a.m. — 12:40 a.m.)

New Jersey native Annie Blackman’s usage of TikTok landed them a deal with Father/Daughter Records (Diet Cig, Sir Babygirl), who unloaded a handful of singles throughout 2021. Last year, the singer-songwriter unveiled their studio album All of It, which landed them on a fall trek with Alex Dupree and S. Raekwon. Blackman will be previewing material from their forthcoming EP Bug, which is slated for an April 28 release.

Dead Pony (British Music Embassy @ The Courtyard - March 14 from 12:00 a.m. — 12:40 a.m., The Creek and the Cave Backyard - March 17 from 12:30 a.m. — 1:00 a.m.)

Scottish alternative rock band Dead Pony have been making waves in the U.K. and Europe with performances alongside The Maine, Lauran Hibberd, and Mother Mother. Now, they're ready to captivate the U.S. crowd with their first-ever performances in the region. Dead Pony will be on tour this June supporting CHVRCHES on their U.K. tour.

EKKSTACY (Empire Garage - March 14 from 11:35 p.m. — 12:05 a.m., Mohawk Outdoor - March 16 from 4:00 p.m. — 4:30 p.m., Shangri-La - March 16 from 11:00 p.m. — 11:50 p.m.)

Canadian post-punk act EKKSTACY managed to be one of the scene's rising acts with millions of Spotify listeners worldwide. Last year, the artist was a featured guest on HEALTH's DISCO:4 Part II album and unveiled their sophomore album misery, which features the AMV-favorite "I'm So Happy." This summer, EKKSTACY will embark on a headlining tour across the country.

McKinley Dixon (Stubb’s - March 16 from 7:20 p.m. — 7:50 p.m.)

When it comes to conscious hip hop, Maryland's McKinley Dixon has been one of the underground's leading artists. Their 2021 studio album For My Mama and Anyone Who Look Like Her gained critical acclaim for its marvelous lyrical content meshed with jazz-influenced beats. Dixon will continue to wow critics and audiences alike with their new studio album Beloved! Paradise! Jazz​!​?, which will be released on June 2 via City Slang Records. Their SXSW appearance comes during their trek with Tank & the Bangas.

Nemophila (Augustine - March 17 from 1:00 a.m. — 1:50 a.m.)

While Japanese metal band Nemophila only formed in 2019, they've quickly become one of the region's most sought-after bands. Following performances with HammerFall and LAZYgunsBRISKY, the band unveiled their debut album Revive, which was followed by a sold-out headlining show at the 2,000-capacity Line Cube Shibuya. Last year, the band played their first-ever concerts in the United States at Los Angeles' Whisky A Go-Go and Sacramento's Aftershock Festival. The band return to the States in support of their new studio album Seize the Fate, which was unveiled back in December via Master Works.

Otoboke Beaver (Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater - March 16 from 7:50 p.m. — 8:20 p.m.)

Japanese punk rock band Otoboke Beaver will make their return to SXSW in support of their latest studio album Super Champon. The four-piece act made a huge fan out of Dave Grohl, who told Vulture, "Watch this video for a song called “Don’t Light My Fire.” It’ll blow your mind, dude. It’s the most….intense [thing] you’ve ever seen." The band’s SXSW appearance is on the tail end of their current trek across North America.

Then Comes Silence (Elysium - March 16 from 10:00 p.m. — 10:40 p.m.)

Swedish post-punk band Then Comes Silence will make a special SXSW appearance during their current U.S. tour. Last year, the band embarked on their first-ever tour in the region and continued to impress the European crowd with appearances at Mera Luna and Wave Gotik Treffen. The band will be in the region supporting their latest studio album Hunger.

Silverbacks (The Velveeta Room - March 17 from 1:00 a.m. — 1:40 a.m.)

Irish indie rock band Silverbacks have been performing all over the U.K. and Europe in support of their 2021 studio album Archive Material. Following a stint at NYC's New Colossus Festival, the band will pay Texas a visit as part of their U.S. debut.

Zzzahara (Higher Ground - March 17 from 9:40 p.m. — 10:15 p.m., Hotel Vegas Patio - March 18 from 10:45 p.m. — 11:15 p.m.)

Los Angeles singer-songwriter zzzahara has been a rising force in the local scene with collaborations with Eyedress as both a former touring member and as one-half of The Simps. Last year, the artist unveiled their debut album Liminal Spaces, which is an indie rock collection of songs about love, heartbreak, and uncertainty.

Shutups (Cheer Up Charlie's Indoor - March 18 from 12:20 a.m. — 1:00 a.m., Valhalla - March 19 from 1:00 a.m. — 1:50 a.m.)

Oakland indie punk band Shutups certainly had one of 2022's most interesting album names with I can’t eat nearly as much as I want to vomit, which is out on Kill Rock Stars. In our Best Releases of 2022 list, we called the album “a 44-minute rock fest filled with tantalizing licks ("Televised Hit & Run") and moments of melodic righteousness ("A Sack Of Knives/Queen Of The Rodeo").” The band's performances at SXSW come during a trek across the West Coast with fellow SXSW act zzzahara.