SXSW 2012

From Thomas Fawcett, The Austin Chronicle:

Sweet Mary mother of Marley is this showcase loaded! Nat Geo has assembled a two-headed global groove armada as formidable as any lineup at the Festival. Austin Latin funk army Brownout fires the first shot "Con el Cuete" before morphing into big band Grupo Fantasma on the patio stage. The 9pm slot poses tough choices as Chicha Libre cooks up a cocktail of psychedelic cumbia and producer Quantic joins soulstress Alice Russell to tease the lush, warm grooves of forthcoming collaboration Look Around the Corner. The pounding garage soul of UK's the Heavy (you've undoubtedly heard hit "How You Like Me Now?" on your favorite TV show) makes way for the striking voice of Nigerian war-goddess Nneka, for whom comparisons to Lauryn Hill are well-earned. Brooklyn-by-way-of-Israel electro trio Balkan Beat Box whips up a radical gypsy dance party on the patio before reggae legend Jimmy Cliff closes the evening. This lineup is as hard as they come.