We know you’ve all been planning your TX days and nights without worrying about the Levi’s®/FADER Fort, because you already knew that it’s all day, every day from Wednesday, March 18 through Saturday, March 21. And we know you already had planned to be there regardless, you were just waiting to hear where it is and who would be there. Well, now you know.

This year we’ll be holing up at a new Fort, on 1101 E. 5th Street (between San Marcos & Waller), and the only way to get in is to RSVP. The Tripwire day is Friday, March 20, but you can check out the full lineup and additional sponsors below. And this year, anytime you want the latest info, text the word “FORT” to FADER (32337) to get Levi’s®/FADER Fort updates sent to your mobile device. Because we’re technical like that.

The Levi’s®/FADER Fort: 1101 E. 5th Street (between San Marcos & Waller)
RSVP

Wednesday, March 18
1:30 – 1:55 American Princes
2:15 – 2:40 Let’s Wrestle
3:00 – 3:25 The Strange Boys
3:45 – 4:10 Esser
4:30 – 4:55 Post War Years
5:15 – 5:40 Abe Vigoda
6:00 – 6:25 Graham Coxon
6:45 – 7:10 Micachu and the Shapes
7:30 – 7:55 B.o.B.
8:15 – 8:45 Little Boots

DJ’s sets by DJ Ceeplus Bad Knives, DJ Kayper, Rezound

Thursday, March 19
1:30 – 1:55 Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head
2:15 – 2:40 Handsome Furs
3:00 – 3:25 Janelle Monae
3:45 – 4:10 Amazing Baby
4:30 – 4:55 The Hot Melts
5:15 – 5:40 Francis & The Lights
6:00 – 6:25 Late of the Pier
6:45 – 7:10 Lissy Trullie
7:30 – 8:10 Tricky
8:30 – 9:00 The Warlocks

DJ’s sets by Disco Shawn and Oro 11 (Bersa Discos), Jokers of the Scene, DJ Diabetic, Egg Foo Young aka Michna

Friday, March 20 (The Tripwire Day)
1:00 – 1:20 The Kidz in the Hall
1:40 – 2:05 The Love Language
2:20 – 2:45 Coupleskate
3:05 – 3:30 Solid Gold
3:45 – 4:10 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
4:30 – 4:55 We Have Band
5:15 – 5:40 Women
6:00 – 6:25 Hatcham Social
6:45 – 7:15 Tinted Windows
7:45 – 8:45 Peter Bjorn & John

DJ’s sets by Round Table Knights, The GrooveLayers, Holy Ghost!, Flosstradamus

Saturday, March 21
1:30 – 1:55 Blank Dogs
2:15 – 2:40 Wavves
3:00 – 3:25 Theophilus London
3:45 – 4:10 Maluca
4:30 – 4:55 Popo
5:15 – 5:40 Major Lazer
6:00 – 6:25 Rick Ross
6:45 – 7:10 Jadakiss
8:30 – 11:00 Good Music with Kid Cudi, Big Sean, GLC, Consequence, Really Doe, Tony Williams, Mr. Hudson and special guests

DJ’s sets by Brick Bandits / Ghetto Division, Nick Catchdubs, Paul Devro (Mad Decent), WE MAKE IT GOOD with Pretty Titty, Chris Devlin, XXXChange & Blaqstarr, Green Lantern

Additional sponsors: East Village Radio (EVR), Guitar Center, Skull Candy, Xbox, Ray-Ban, ShockHound, Budweiser, Budweiser American Ale, Southern Comfort, Pepsi, Ace Hotel.

Cantora Records helped throw a party at the Bowery Ballroom last night. What was the second Guilty By Association Vol. 2 release party also served as the 3rd installment in a series showcasing bands on Cantora. Having built a solid reputation for putting out singles and EPs from bands like Violens, MGMT, Rumspringa, and promoting bro-bands outside of their label just for the hell of it, last night was a showcase for their banner act Francis And The Lights and the release of his new single.


[Savoir Adore]

Savoir Adore are a delightfully poppy duo who opened the show backed by a full band. They are a good band, seemingly new to the scene with some very catchy tunes. I’d love to see them again once they get a few more live shows under their belt.

By the time Francis took the stage the show had sold out and people were wasted. Francis’ music is engaging, but by no means groundbreaking. It’s an 80s, New Wave influenced sound with a reliance on deep-digging bass, keyboard hooks, and sporadic guitar riffs. The real treat is the live show. Seeing Francis live is a spectacle. He is a combination of Elvis and Morrissey (a nicer version of Morrissey).

[Francis And The Lights]

He strikes me as the type of guy who thrives on being in the spotlight, but is soft-spoken and a bit shy offstage. He’s got a great stage presence and very high hair that he loves to comb back. He’s a confident dancer and can work wonders with a microphone stand. There is a ton of free music on the bands website and I’m pretty sure if you bug the Cantora dudes enough, they’ll throw a free copy of the new 7″ your way. Francis and the Lights is a band that has staying power and should be on every ones lips come SxSW.

Back in October of last year, we proclaimed Francis, of Francis And The Lights, one of our favorite CMJ shows of the entire Marathon. A skinny white guy who dances like Michael Jackson and sounds like a mix between Prince and Phil Collins, the emotion and moves that Francis exude on stage will only take this cat to bigger ones, even if the band behind him remains nameless (”The Lights” refer to the lights on stage, not the band). Since Francis (and his band) will be playing Bowery Ballroom tonight as part of the Guilty By Association Vol. 2 show — a record he appears on — as well as celebrating a newly release 7″ single on Cantora Records, we thought we’d offer up his newest single “LIME” for you to check out.

Tonight, Francis And The Lights, Savoir Adore and The Bloodsugars will get together in honor of their inclusion on the Guilty By Association compilation, of which Francis contributed his take on Kanye Wests‘ “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” for the series. But making it much more personal for the soulful singer is that it will be his New York release show for the “LIME” b/w “WYN” 7″ he just put out. You can grab a physical copy here if you’re so inclined, or check out 50% of it and the artwork digitally below.

Francis And The Lights – “LIME”