If you’re not already familiar with the music festival South By South West (SXSW), let us introduce you. For years, SXSW has been bringing the newest and hottest bands, artists, DJ’s, etc to Austin, TX for a week-long celebration of alternative music. Everything from rock to reggae to jazz and country can be heard up and down 6th St. (the Burbon St. of Austin) from March 18-22 every year. Thousands of industry professionals converge on the “weird” city for compelling panels and a heavy dose of networking, all with the goal of exploring what’s new and hot in music today. Day parties, label showcases, interactive panels and intensive networking sessions make SXSW the destination for anyone working in, or interested in music.This year’s festival is no exception. In addition to some special guests that haven’t been announced yet, artists playing include: Fastball, DD/MM/YYYY, Auqualung, Ten Out Of Tenn, the Hymns, The Decemberists, The Avett Brothers, Peter Bjorn and John, Cold War Kids, Erin McCarley, Tori Amos, Ida Maria, Monte Negro, Brooke Waggoner, Paper Toute, The Features, Shwayze, Jim Bianco, Cary Brothers, Ben Harper, Riverboat Gamblers, The Devil Wears Prada, Forever The Sickest Kids, Lady Sovereign, Margaret Cho, Camera Obscura, Tinted Windows, Cursive, The Pink Spiders, The Shys, Shiny Toy Guns, Jason Reeves, The matches, Cage The Elephant, The Urgency, Marcy Playground, and Third Eye Blind to name a few.
(There have also been rumors of a Billy Joel and Elton John show sometime during the festival, but nothing has been confirmed as of yet.)
Inklings will be keeping you updated on festival happenings throughout the week, so make sure you check back everyday to get the scoop on performances by your favorite bands, as well as a few profiles on some new talent we think you should check out.
Peace!
