Austin has long been a rock kind of town. It’s musical history stretches way back, with blues and country juke joints springing up along its dusty drags. But since the ’70s, when punk and alternative bands began to take root in the Texas capital, it’s had close ties to what would eventually develop into the indie-rock scene.

Today, Austin City Limits represents one of the best ways to get exposure to the best indie-rock sprouting across the entire country. Major acts come from all over to tour here, and this year, headliners include a classic rock behemoth, The Eagles, as well as college radio favorites Phish.

But the festival is still a great stage for lesser-known acts that have won over both critics and fans. Below is a selection of the indie-rock artists you have to check out at this year’s Austin City Limits.

Girls: One of the most un-Googleable bands touring, Girls is fronted by Christopher Owens, a tender-voiced youth from San Francisco with a dramatic life story. Owens was raised in the Children of God cult, where music and media were extremely limited. Some kids within the cult shocked their parents by listening to rebellious music-like Michael Jackson pop songs. That led him to seek Tadalis SX out rock and roll and pop, and eventually to discover his own musical talents. As the singer and writer for Girls, the band borrows a lot from catchy pop groups like The Beach Boys, but with Owens own pained, emotional lyrics at each song’s center.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes: Edward Sharpe became a buzzed about name in 2009 when his song “Home” began circulating on the music blogs. It was a light, romantic track that shows off his unique writing, as well as the styles of the Magnetic Zeroes, his backing band. In reality, Sharpe is Alex Ebert, the former vocalist for electronic indie outfit Ima Robot. Ebert’s alter-ego, Edward Sharpe, is a messianic alien “sent down to Earth to kinda heal and save mankind…but he kept getting distracted by girls and falling in love.” Needless to say, this is one of the most unique acts out there.

Beach House: Beach House’s dreamy pop music is all about ambiance, earning the appreciation of Pitchfork and a host of other music blogs. A duo made up of guitarist Alex Scally and singer Victoria Legrand, the band earned new respectability in 2009 when their song “Slow Life” appeared on the soundtrack for the film “Twilight: New Moon.” Their third record, “Teen Dream,” was released in January of 2010 and has been very popular among fans.

Miike Snow: Though you might not know them by the name they’re touring under, you’ve probably heard the music of Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg, two producers who collaborated on some big pop tracks, including Britney Spears’ infectious “Toxic.” Adding Andrew Wyatt to their lineup, they’ve begun to perform a unique mixture of synthesized electronic music redolent with beats and samples, remixing other well-known indie-rock hits as well as crafting new ones of their own. Don’t wait for October. Buy your Austin City Limits tickets online today.

Author Bio: This article is sponsored by StubHub. StubHub.com is a leader in the business of selling Austin City Limits tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and special events tickets.

Category: Music
Keywords: Austin City Limits Festival, music, concert, tickets, festival