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Watch Caitlyn Smith, Lucy Dacus, Wye Oak and more perform live at the PledgeHouse stage during SXSW

The Blackheart Bar serves as the venue for PledgeHouse, where The Current, PledgeMusic and Noisetrade curate 2 stages of music.
The Blackheart Bar serves as the venue for PledgeHouse, where The Current, PledgeMusic and Noisetrade curate 2 stages of music.MPR Photo | Nate Ryan

by Jay Gabler

March 15, 2018

On our third day at SXSW, The Current is welcoming a mix of fresh upstarts and veteran voices to PledgeHouse.

The young punks of Starcrawler have been lighting up L.A. with their famously fun and ferocious live shows, and now they're catching ears across the country with their self-titled debut album, produced by Ryan Adams. At 1:30 p.m., they'll yield the stage to Caitlyn Smith: a Minnesota native who's stepping into the spotlight with her acclaimed album Starfire after achieving behind-the-scenes success writing songs recorded by the likes of Garth Brooks, Meghan Trainor, John Legend, Dolly Parton, and Kenny Rogers.

You might not have caught the buzz for Lucy Dacus's 2016 album No Burden, but you'd have to have your head in the sand to miss the wild anticipation for her sophomore LP Historian. Her lilting and confessional brand of indie-rock will make for a riveting live set. Next up is Josh Rouse, who's built a two-decade career on tuneful and varied music that's soundtracked innumerable road trips.

Finally, the Baltimore duo Wye Oak fill the Blackheart stage with their innovative approach to songcraft. Their expansive sound has been heard in TV shows including One Tree Hill and The Walking Dead, so expect a distinctly cinematic sensibility as they close out the afternoon.

Schedule (all times CDT)

12:30 p.m. Starcrawler
1:30 p.m. Caitlyn Smith*☂
2:30 p.m. Lucy Dacus*
3:30 p.m. Josh Rouse
4:30 p.m. Wye Oak*

*Streamed live; non live sessions will be posted in the next 24 hours.
☂Streamed live, but licenses do not allow for archiving.