SXSW

About a week ago, KCRW was heavily promoting a music festival in Austin, TX called South by Southwest Music and Media Conference and Festival (SXSW). It features new artists from all over the US, as well as internationally. For about a week, over 1300 bands are invited to perform in gigs around Austin. Basically, it's one big showcase for unsigned indie bands and amateur filmmakers spanning a variety of genres.

Every spring since 1987, SXSW takes over Austin in a big way. This past year, over 1400 bands headed down to Texas to showcase their talent for industry big-wigs, including Terry McBride, CEO of Nettwerk, and Gilberto Gil, acclaimed Brazilian recording artist.

Not all acts are unsigned; however, individual hour-long showcases are booked at literally dozens of venues throughout Austin for artists. A band can invite any and all, including friends, family, fans, A&R reps, and label CEOs. Additionally, SXSW puts together podcasts from panel sessions and offers hundreds of free mp3 downloads of performances over the four days. One can go to the website to download the podcasts and mp3s without cost, or sign up for a free compilation CD that SXSW compiles annually.

One of the greatest and most accessible ways SXSW markets itself is by blogging everything from the event. There are both written and video blogs from panel sessions and band performances, and written blogs reviewing both.

SXSW is not just a music festival, either. A few years ago it added an interactive and film portion to the event for amateur filmmakers. For 8-9 days, filmmakers can post their film trailers online and screen their movies at major theaters in downtown Austin (including the Convention Center).

The festival is an amazing opportunity for bands and artists. While social networking (like Myspace and Uber) and online distribution (through iTunes, CDBaby, eMusic) have given fledgling artists an opportunity to market their music, SXSW gives new artists a remarkable performance opportunity. Label representatives, producers and those with a vested interest in new talent come from all around the country to scout talent and provide advice. The competition may be stiff, but a band has multiple opportunities to make a first impression. Luck is never so easy to come by as it is in Austin.

And advertisers seem to get it. They see the potential for new consumers in such a broad, young, hip, eager audience. Huge companies like AOL, Verizon, Toyota, and Miller all provided sponsorship for this year's event.

The execs at SXSW also seem to get it. An interactive media portion of the event was also added in the early '90s to showcase new multimedia tools that are significantly affecting the music and film industry. They understand that new media goes hand in hand with new music and new film, and are seeking to further that development rather than ignore it (ahem, major record labels).

The festival is an exciting and cutting edge experience that a band shouldn't miss. Artists like Bloc Party, Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse, Interpol, Hawthorne Heights, Badly Drawn Boy, Stars of Track and Field, and the Cold War Kids have all found exposure in SXSW. Festivals like this are too rare; they clearly have a keen audience that is willing and eager.