South By Southwest in Austin, Texas, is a major festival, showcasing forum and tradeshow for the U.S. and international music industry. From March 10 to 19 more than 15 000 participants gathered in Texas for conferences, panel discussions, tradeshow marketing, networking and to see bands live at Austin’s club stages.
Since its birth in 1987, South by Southwest has grown both in size and status and is now the North American music industry’s most important forum. SXSW 2006 also saw a Scandinavian initiative with a joint stand and showcases. Music Export Norway is the co-ordinator for the Norwegian participation that is as strong as last year’s muscle flexing event.
The growth of the Norwegian music industry and the wealth of talent found on the scene is evidenced by the strong delegation to the US trade fair/showcase festival. Of all Scandinavian countries, Norway brought by far the biggest roster with no less than 13 acts compared to Sweden’s 8, Denmark’s 6, Finland’s 5 and Iceland’s 4 bands.
The Norwegian SXSW roster is diverse and varied as it spans from Ane Brun’s hushed and beautiful melancholic singer songwriter tunes to Turbonegro’s loud and confident primal outbursts to Serena Maneesh’s complex sonic and rhythmic noise/feedback explorations.
These Norwegian played at the South by Southwest Festival 2006:
Ane Brun:
Animal Alpha:
Annie:
Green Carnation:
Hurra Torpedo:
Leif Inge:
Magnet:
Serena Maneesh:
The Jessica Fletchers:
The Real Ones:
Thomas Dybdahl:
WE:
SXSW showcases hundreds of musical acts from around the globe on fifty stages in downtown Austin. By day, conference registrants do business in the SXSW Trade Show in the Austin Convention Center and can enjoy a full agenda of informative, provocative panel discussions featuring hundreds of speakers of international stature.
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.
Facts about the SXSW Festival
• Showcasing Acts: 1279
• Music Venues Participating: 60
• Music Conference Participants: 7,213 (with band registrations 8,195)
• Approximate Number of Music Media in Attendance: 1,595
• Approximate Number of Music Trade Show Attendees: 10,000
• Number of Music Trade Show Exhibitors: 175