SXSW Day Four: Die Spitz, Metome, Confidence Man, and more
Photo credit: Shannon Johnston - @me_onlylouder - Die Spitz @ The 13th Floor / sxsw
Another March, another SXSW exodus of the music-obsessed descending upon Austin's hallowed venues. Amid the cacophony of corporate activations and free taco chaos, genuine musical transcendence still manages to break through. Case in point: Thursday’s standout trifecta of Die Spitz, Confidence Man, and Metome—each carving distinct aural territories while collectively embodying what makes this overgrown industry maelstrom still worth enduring.
Over at the Third Man Records and Creem Magazine showcase, Austin locals Die Spitz closed out the evening following Frankie and the Witch Fingers' incendiary set. Any fears of anticlimax were immediately obliterated as Die Spitz deployed their particular brand of hard rock at 13th Floor.
The hometown heroes distinguished themselves through their instrumental musical chairs approach—band members rotating duties between instruments with dizzying frequency, sharing vocal responsibilities in a democratic dismantling of front-person hierarchy. Their riotous performance spilled outside the venue, the band effectively using the 13th Floor patio and street for their crowd-surfing and stage-climbing activities.
In a poignant moment of temporal context, the band announced this would be their final performance "for awhile" as they'd be entering the studio "later that day" to record an album. Sleep deprivation as artistic fuel after nonstop SXSW showcases is undoubetedly punk.
Photo credit: Shannon Johnston - @me_onlylouder - Die Spitz @ The 13th Floor / sxsw
The British Music Embassy patio transformed into dance euphoria central as Australian-born pop duo Confidence Man took the stage with "Now U Do"—their collab with DJ Seinfeld that's been inescapable for good reason. What followed was a masterclass in choreographed pop spectacle, their movements synced with algorithmic precision while somehow retaining human spontaneity.
The duo's now-public relationship provided additional performance fodder as they locked lips mid-set, blurring the line between authentic connection and calculated theatrics—but honestly, who cares when the result is this compelling? Banger followed banger with relentless efficiency, culminating in "Holiday" while their name flashed across background visuals with subtle-as-a-sledgehammer branding. We re-lived the magic at Mohawk the next day because if Confidence Man aren't household names by year's end, it's further proof the universe lacks fundamental taste.
Photo credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder) - Confidence Man @ Mohawk
Photo credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder) - Confidence Man @ Mohawk
Photo credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder) - Confidence Man @ Mohawk
A highlight of the evening was the Sounds From Japan showcase at Elysium, featuring Metome, a three-piece J-Rock group hailing from Nagoya. The group had an absolutely infectious level of enthusiasm that spread throughout the crowd. Decked out in matching paint-splattered boiler suits, the group apologized for their limited amount of English but promised to let “their music speak for them.” The three-piece captivated the crowd as the blazed through tracks from their latest EP 好物 [Favorites]. Equal parts joyous and raucous, their set was filled with unfiltered, dynamic, and some much needed youthful energy.