Frightened Rabbit @ T5, Nov. 2010 (more by Lionel Bergeron)

SXSW has just announced another round of bands for the 2013 edition of the annual music festival that will happen March 12 - 17. This brings the total current number of acts to around 1300. Someome of the highlights include Vampire Weekend, Frightened Rabbit, The Thermals, Black Lips, Camera Obscura, Merchandise, Bleached, Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire, Eagles of Death Metal, Parenthetical Girls, Indians, Night Beds, IO Echo, KEN Mode, Prince Paul, Pure Bathing Culture, Sepalcure, UK motorik post-punks TOY, Finnish instrumentalists K-X-P, Toronto's Moon King, UK indie rockers Splashh (not Brooklyn Splash with one "h") and loads more. Head to BV Austin for the whole Round 3 list.

Merchandise at Mousetrap in Chicago, April 2012 (more by Jimmy Farabi)

You may have noticed the announcements of CMJ artists trickling out as of late (like Sub Pop's lineup), but now comes the official word from the fest on another batch of bands. Highilights include AraabMUZIK, UK acts Savages and Everything Eveything, Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire, Cities Aviv, Ken Mode (playing with Pig Destroyer), Daughn Gibson (playing with Pissed Jeans), Local H, Slug Guts, Dune Rats, Royal Canoe, and Sleepies among many many others. A full listing of the second round of CMJ artists is below.

One of said surprises is Merchandise, who plays NYC tonight at WIERD (9/12). The show is first of THREE NYC dates for the band, who will also play 538 Johnson tomorrow (9/13) before hitting Saint Vitus on Friday (9/14, tickets).

A list of the second round of CMJ artists is below, along with updated Merchandise dates and a recent video.

Continue reading "CMJ announces second round of artists; Merchandise is here, catch them three times this week (tonight at WIERD)"