SXSW 2005 March 11 - 20 Austin, TX

The annual SXSW is taking place March 11 - 20, 2005 and features a film component in the first week and a music component the second week, featuring performances by a whopping 1300 bands!!

For those of us who can't make it, hundreds of the bands have provided MP3s that you can download. Peruse the first day's schedule of performers and their MP3s here:

http://2005.sxsw.com/music/showcases/date/2005-03-16.html

Make yourself some seriously cool mixed CDs for free. Best of all, anticipate that wonderful sense of discovery. There are some familiar names performing, but the vast majority of the bands are unknown to me.

1. Film & Interactive Conferences, Festivals & Trade Shows: March 11 - 15.
2. Music Conference, Festival & Trade Show: March 16 to 20.

I won't be able to attend - woe is me!! But, really I look forward to reading reviews from those lucky Blogcritics who do.

My favorite Winnipeg band, The Wailin' Jennys, are playing on Wednesday, March 16, 10 pm at BD Riley's (204 E 6th St.)

This year's keynote speaker is Robert Plant.

From the website:

SXSW Music
March 16-20, 2005

"Now in its 18th year, the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, is a veritable fantasyland for music fans. There's a nearly 24-hour-a-day onslaught of live music showcases, parties and panels, as well as a whiplash-inducing propensity to run into other journalists, publicists, long-lost friends...." Billboard.com March 19, 2004

Every March SXSW Music delivers new opportunities to make your vision real. Musicians and the companies they work with have been using SXSW as a cost-effective way to promote themselves since 1987, and they come back year after year because SXSW works! It's a potent method to connect with press, radio, and other music industry players.

Over 1200 acts showcased last year before more than 8000 registrants from all over the world. Pop, jazz, country, blues, reggae, hip hop, electronica - every imaginable style of music, from nearly every continent - is represented each night at over 50 of Austin's premier stages, many within walking distance of one another. By day, the music industry's most accomplished and creative personalities collaborated, argued, and shared their experiences in dozens of panels, workshops, interviews, and meetings.

There's more amazing music performed in Austin over those few days than anyone who hasn't been to SXSW can imagine. If you have been, you'll want to come back, if you haven't, now is your chance. Make South by Southwest part of your plans this year.

http://2005.sxsw.com/