What we've got going on in town tonight and tomorrow night is nothing short of a one-two punch, SXSW 2010 style. Two of the acts I liked enough to venture out and brave the endless lines for in Austin are both coming through town: Good Old War at El Corazon tonight, and First Aid Kit at the Vera Project tomorrow.

Both shows are guaranteed to raise a smile, both are all-ages, and both have such a wide appeal that you practically can't miss. First Aid Kit, my personal favorite of the two, showcases two talented singer-songwriter gals who sing sweet, contrasting harmonies full of smart lyrics -- think of them as older cousins of Smoosh, with a little more string-based hippie-parenting influence and a bit of a darker take on things.

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Now that the rest of the music community has moved on to bigger and better things, it's time to take a look at last month's adventures in Austin for SXSW 2010. Everyone is back, rested, over the post-festival flu, and digging their proverbial heels into favorite finds -- here's some of the highlights and likes (as well as a few dislikes) from this year's trip, in no particular order:

Hey Marseilles

Our favorite seven-piece alt.indie.orchestral conglomerate of goodness, Hey Marseilles, did Seattle proud in Austin this year, playing what seemed like a dozen different showcases over the course of three days. Each performance was spot-on, right up to and including Saturday night's rooftop-blowing-off official at St. David's. HM ran the rooms, raged every single performance, and left us giddy with anticipation for the release coming up later this year. If you weren't able to see Hey Marseilles (or your exes) down in Texas, you can come by The Tractor on May 22 (21+) or to the Vera for an all-ages show on May 21. Tour dates abound -- more news, mailing list and goodies here.

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Swedish sister duo Johanna (17 years old) and Klara (15 years old) are crafting songs that transcend their age.

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