1. Bad Brains
We had to do a double-take when we saw the Bad Brains on the itinerary for this year’s conference. But it’s true: the undisputed champs of punk/reggae fusion will make their South by Southwest debut at Emo’s Main Room on Wednesday night. We’re still not sure if HR or any of the enigmatic band’s members are actually of Jamaican lineage (even after listening to their music for 2/3 of our lives) but their devotion to Jah and flawlessly executed dub interludes have made them honorary yardies since their formation in Washington, DC three decades ago. For a demonstration of how powerful their live show was in their heyday (And it was still pretty nuts when we last caught them five years ago), check this 1982 clip filmed at their NYC homebase, CBGB: