Dirty Epics (photo © live4ever)

In any doubt as to what kind of world you are entering when you arrive at the SXSW? Well, it’s safe to say you’d be left in no doubt if, one Saturday morning, you awoke to find your host’s well kept tennis court had been transformed into a stage ready for a rock gig, and that your small area of calm away from the storm of the festival is about to be invaded by 400 revellers and over 20 kegs of beer. It happened to our second featured Irish band of the festival, Dirty Epics, a four-piece who now have the perfect anecdote to sum up the spirit of SXSW.

Consisting of SJ Wai on vocals, Richard Power on bass, Alan Delaney behind the drum-kit and Vince Lim on guitar, Dirty Epics hail from across Ireland, while Vince was born in in the US. They are making their second trip to SXSW, and much to their annoyance, were greeted with rainstorms upon their arrival in Austin. It is warm rain though you understand, you rarely get that back home in Ireland.

With three appearances at their native Oxegen festival, alongside spots at the Solas and Indie-pendence festivals already racked up, they were one of this year’s more experienced festival bands. After a quick listen to their high-charged, pop punk tracks, it’s of no surprise to learn that their main influences include the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Blondie and they have been described in the Irish Telegraph as having a ‘winning combination of urgent drums and guitars’.

As we found out when we spoke to the band, they can boast having possibly the world’s first organised drummer, and have a guitarist who is happy to be in any group that doesn’t currently list a Tin Flute as a must-have band accessory, and we also discussed their prolific songwriting in preparation for a new album this summer.