With SXSW less than two weeks away, we know you’re assembling your schedule and starting to get OMG so excited about the Fiona Apple and Third Eye Blind shows you’ve been waiting all year for.

And, of course, we know that you’re checking out the SXSW Comedy listings and experiencing unparalleled angst over the fact that you want to attend every show on the lineup (right?). Well, I’m not going to tell you not to throw everything else out the window and plant yourself at Esther’s Follies all week (I’ll be there to keep you company!) — with headliners like Marc Maron, Mike Birbiglia, the Sklar brothers, Kristen Schaal, Brendon Walsh, Kumail Nanjiani, Amy Schumer, Reggie Watts and more, no matter which shows on the eight-night lineup you attend, they're guaranteed to be great.

Even greater? There are a bunch of under-the-radar stand-ups showcasing at this year’s festival, so you’ve got plenty of chances to check out a new-to-you comic that just might turn out to be your new favorite act. Here are five performers we can’t wait to see:

Brandon Wardell

So, yes, there’s an actor named Brandon Wardell who starred in Rent alongside High School Musical’s Vanessa Hudgens — this is not that Brandon Wardell (sorry to the one very excited teen who’s been counting down the days for this very reason). The Brandon Wardell making his SXSW Comedy debut this year is a 19-year-old Fairfax, VA-based comic who’s been blowing us away since his appearance at the 2011 Bridgetown Comedy Fest. His sets blend sometimes-silly one-liners with incredibly smart observational humor, and in his relatively short tenure he’s already developed an engaging stage presence that puts many a seasoned open mic vet to shame.

Jerrod Carmichael

Named one of Variety’s ‘10 Comics to Watch’ in 2011, Jerrod Carmichael’s a Winston-Salem, NC-based comic who recently relocated to Los Angeles and has quickly amassed an audience of devoted fans who flock to Meltdown Comics, The Improv, The Laugh Factory and other big-name venues to catch his act. It’s impossible not to get drawn into his affable, no-nonsense approach to issues like celebrity crime and poverty. (Oh, also he once won a poetry contest with a MLK Jr.-themed piece, so it’s safe to say his writing skills extend beyond the comedy realm).

Beth Stelling

Sweet Beth, as she’s nicknamed herself onstage, earned well-deserved spots on lists like The Chicago Tribune’s ‘Comedians to Watch’ and Refinery29’s ‘Hottest 30 Under 30’ — in addition to being labeled ‘Best Stand-Up Comedian’ by the Chicago Reader and one of Just for Laughs Montreal’s coveted ‘New Faces of Comedy’ — before heading out to LA last year. A trained improviser, she excels at character bits as well as she captivates with her wry, dry storytelling, and we’re betting you’ll be bragging about seeing her back in the day when she eventually ends up with her own NBC sitcom.

Mike Lawrence

Another former ‘New Face’ at JFL Montreal, Mike Lawrence has been earning accolades in NYC for years, from winning the title of best Emerging Comic at the 2009 Excellence in Comedy Awards to debuting on John Oliver’s New York Stand Up Show. Watching one of his sets is like listening to your funniest, most sarcastic friend tell stories; with narrative bits about underemployment, dating gaffes and awkward moments, his writing puts a smart spin on totally relatable topics. He’s appeared at Austin’s Out of Bounds Comedy Festival, and was recently in town with SNL writer John Mulaney — if you missed both of those, do yourself a favor and make his SXSW set a must-see.

Nick Turner

A double nominee at the 2011 ECNY Awards, Nick Turner’s also a regular on the festival circuit, having slayed audiences at Bridgetown, JFL Montreal, the New York Comedy Fest and more. He also stars in web series King Temp (which happens to feature another SXSW Comedy performer, Brooke Van Poppelen), and he regularly hosts stand-up showcases in NYC. His boundless energy makes him a sincerely captivating performer (his perfect timing and seriously creative writing don’t hurt, either), and he made his small-screen debut on Fallon last year:

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Check sxsw.com/comedy for the full lineup, plus updates and interviews with performers.