Ra Ra Riot, Tokyo Police Club, Ruby Coast

It's no fluke that Ra Ra Riot went from playing gigs around Syracuse University's campus to headlining a national tour in less than a year's time. The five-piece indie-rock band is an absolute joy to see live. Lead vocalist Wes Miles possesses a melancholy croon that drips with sincerity. And cellist Alexandra Lawn and violinist Rebecca Zeller manage to awkwardly dance—or, rather, hop—about while playing their respective instruments. (Check out a YouTube clip of the band playing The Late Show With David Letterman, and you'll see what I mean.)

Since releasing their critically acclaimed debut LP, The Rhumb Line, last year, Ra Ra Riot has become a beloved favorite on the indie touring circuit. Yet they still come off like a handful of eager (and slightly geeky) college kids rocking out to earn some beer money, which makes them all the more endearing. Joining Ra Ra Riot on this tour is Tokyo Police Club, another indie favorite with whom Ra Ra Riot previously toured a few years back, and Ruby Coast—all of whom are stopping in Dallas en route to SXSW.