8 Austin Indie Artists to Get You Through Quarantine
With live shows still on hold due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, local artists need all the support they can get. Take a break from the world’s issues while showing your support for the community by listening to these Austin-based indie artists.
Written by Dhiren Wijesinghe
THE IRONS
Photo courtesy of The Irons
The quirky, laidback group known as The Irons offers smooth music perfectly suited for listening while making breakfast on a lazy Sunday morning with your significant other. They’ve honed their ability to make feel-good music that can help you escape these uncertain times. The band released its second full-length album, Taking It All In, in January 2020. When they’re able to, they frequently play shows at local venues such as Austin’s Pizza, near UT, where they display their guitar virtuosity and solid rhythm.
Listen to The Irons on Spotify and purchase merchandise on Bandcamp.
CAELIN
Photo courtesy of Julia MacDonald
A former St. Edward’s University student, Caelin produces dramatic, acoustic indie music. Trained by Halsey’s voice coach, Caelin has an incredibly wide vocal range. Her music is as empowering as it is beautiful; it gives you a feeling of nostalgic serenity that makes you miss the past, but hopeful for the future. A group of accomplished Austinites rounds out her live sound, adding keys, drums, lead guitar, and a violin to her set. If quarantine has got your spirits low, Caelin is your remedy.
INDOOR CREATURE
Photo courtesy of Indoor Creature
Indie pop group Indoor Creature has gained quite a following in Austin from their recurrent sets at fan-favorite venues like Cheer Up Charlie’s and Swan Dive. With such a tight live show, the band looks as if they have been playing together their entire lives. The band mixes electronic styles with unconventional instruments like the saxophone to produce their uniquely laid-back yet intense sounds. Their strong lead vocals, punchy basslines, and use of an audio sampler create a vintage aesthetic that transports you to a time before 2020.
GLAZE
Photo courtesy of Glaze
If cabin fever from quarantine has got you angsty enough to kick down your bedroom door, Glaze is your band. The trio combines fast punk drums, hard-hitting basslines, heavily distorted guitar solos, and dreamlike vocals to create a unique sound that only their name can describe. Before quarantine, the band was killing the Texas touring circuit, and even toured with well-known indie rock band The Last Dinosaurs.
TC SUPERSTAR
Photo courtesy of TC Superstar
All eight members of TC Superstar are UT Austin graduates. Led by frontman Connor McCampbell, the collaborative performance group combines aspects of choreographed dance, ‘70s and ‘80s style electronic music, and deeply introspective lyrics. Their music addresses societal issues ranging from toxic masculinity to American identity. Even while covering such deep topics, TC Superstar’s music will make you dance the night away — even if it’s from your bedroom.
BELCURVE
Photo courtesy of Belcurve
From their dedication to gigging throughout the city to their ownership of a recording studio here, Belcurve is truly an Austinite band. Describing themselves as a “progressive power pop” group, Belcurve brings together gritty guitars and lullaby-like vocals to create music that is energetic, yet easy on the ears. Belcurve is the cure to both the angst and introspection caused by 2020 isolation.
SASHA AND THE VALENTINES
Photo courtesy of Sasha and the Valentines
If you need a break from reality, Sasha and the Valentines offer dreamy tunes to whisk you away from the mental confinement of your bedroom. Their first EP, Green, steadily takes you on a feel-good, lo-fi journey through the collective mind of Sasha — the group as a whole — and the Valentines — their romantic attitude. The playful quintet is a great addition for the summer.
Listen to Sasha and the Valentines on Spotify.
BROTHER SPORTS
Photo courtesy of Brother Sports
Starting out with just a laptop and a keyboard in their living room, Brother Sports has come a long way in the Austin indie scene. The band’s latest EP, mala, is a meeting of The Kooks and The Drums. Their busy instrumentals offer a welcome distraction from the doldrums of quarantine life; intense synth pads and tons of guitar solos keep you on the edge of your seat, waiting for the next detail to pop out.
Listen to Brother Sports on Spotify.
There’s no better time to support Austin-based artists than now. This list consists of just a few of the artists in Austin’s diverse community of musicians. Listen locally to help support your favorite Austinite bands.