SXSW Returns to Austin March 10-19

SXSW brings together artists, industry professionals, and music lovers from around the world to make connections, elevate their careers, and celebrate the magic of live music – from legendary performers to the most exciting new talent. SXSW is a music, film, and interactive-technology festival that each year draws over 200,000 people — fans and journalists alike — to Austin, Texas.

SXSW has 15 tracks of programming in various formats, including summits, keynotes, panels, workshops, podcasts and more. “It would be like if every creative person in the world went on spring break together in Austin, Texas,” Brian Hobbs, SXSW programming manager, told Billboard‘s Tetris Kelly.

SXSW features over 2000 artists from across the globe, ranging from up-and-comers to veterans over 90 venues across Austin.

This year’s musical lineup includes Manchester legends New Order; rapper, activist, and Run The Jewels member Killer Mike; and Captured Tracks’ post-punk saviors THUS LOVEImmersion (aka Malka Spigel and Colin Newman of Minimal Compact and Wire respectively) will bring their Brighton-based club night Nanocluster for a special one-off collaborative performance with Thor Harris (Swans, Shearwater, Thor & Friends). Plus, Atlanta-bred duo Coco & Clair Clair break genre barriers with their infectious songs and clever lyrics; and Anwan Glover, better known as Big G and leader of the BackYard Band, transports the world of Washington, DC go-go to Austin.

More Showcasing Artists taking the SX stage include the rediscovered 80’s West African country-folk star and recent Verve signing Peter One; Daptone smooth 60’s soul revivalists Thee Sacred Souls; current breakout star of the UK’s new drum & bass revival Venbee; and German krautrock collective Tangerine Dream, to name a few.

New, developing, and established Showcasing Artists enhance their careers by reaching new audiences and attendees at the SXSW Music Festival each year. Showcases are curated by South By Southwest® in collaboration with record labels, booking agencies, management and PR firms, export offices, publishers, media outlets, lifestyle brands, festivals, and more.

SXSW was started in 1987 and the first event saw an expected 150 registrants swell to 700 on the opening day. As hoped for, Austin’s charm won over the visitors, and SXSW took on a life of its own.

Growth was steady for the first seven years. For SXSW ’94, often remembered for the Johnny Cash keynote/performance, two new events – Interactive and Film – were introduced. It would mark a fundamental shift in how the world viewed SXSW. Still early in the paradigm shift created by the internet, the film and digital communities found a home in SXSW.

The event has changed in many surprising and meaningful ways since 1987, but at its core, SXSW remains a tool for creative people to develop their careers by bringing together people from around the globe to meet, learn and share ideas.

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