Cut Off Your Hands have announced a string of US dates, kicking off at the end of the month in Hartford, CT.

Holly Golightly, Hockey, Rolo Tomassi and Cut Off Your Hands were among the bands who played slots on the first afternoon of the South By Southwest festival in Austin today (March 18).

While out in LA, Barsuk pop crew Ra Ra Riot did three things of note: a session at KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic (full band), a sold-out show at the El Rey Theatre (full band), and a full-on power slide a la Bruce Springsteen at said sold-out Los Angeles venue (just Wesley). Photographer Andrew Youssef didn't quite capture the Wesley's showman...

-- Modest Mouse's Marr-less winter tour is now bigger and probably better than it was before. The trek will start tomorrow and run through March 15 and take the band from [Obama voice] Oregon...to Oklahoma City...to Baltimore...to New York. All dates are listed at the band's site. And those who can nab tickets will be able to buy a tour-exclusiv...

 -- As Bloodshy & Avant, the Swedish producers Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg provided the deliriously great synthetic whizzing noises for jams like Britney Spears's "Toxic" and "Piece of Me", as well as hits for Kylie Minogue and Rachel Stevens. And now they've pulled an N.E.R.D., hooking up with musician Andrew Wyatt (...