It’s been only a few weeks since showcase submissions opened for the annual South by Southwest Music, Film and Interactive Festivals and Conferences, and already more than 60 Aussie bands have put their hand up to attend.
Over 200 Aussie delegates have also registered and paid to secure early discounts – the biggest early response ever, virtually guaranteeing Australia will have a huge presence at the 27th iteration of the popular event.
“We are expecting 750+ Australian delegates this year at the world’s leading music industry event and more than 300 bands from here to apply for crucial showcases,” says SXSW Australia, New Zealand and Hawai’i Representative of ten years, Phil Tripp.
“They’ve started this early today as competition for CBD hotel rooms is just as intense as for concert slots.”
In 2012, Tripp invited 71 Australian artists from over 250 that applied to showcase at the event, with 37 ending up in Austin to play multiple shows to 19,000 music industry attendees.
Pretty impressive considering that’s from a total pool of 550 international artists from 50 countries out of a total of 2286 showcasing artists accepted.
The responsibility for putting on such a great show rested in the hands of much loved creative director Brent Grulke, who sadly passed away suddenly last week following heart failure. But organsiers, including Tripp, have vowed to continue Grulke’s legacy and 2013 promises to be one of the best SXSW’s ever.
“When I took over this region in 2002, there were only five bands and 20 delegates with no stands, no marketing and no government support.” Tripp explains.
“We grew Australia’s presence into a true brand and over the years have had grants and support from AUSTRADE, Australia Council, state arts funding organisations and peak music bodies.”
“SXSW has not only served as a launchpad for major and indie artists, it’s also proven to be a winning strategy for our homegrown filmmakers and interactive entrepreneurs trying to ht the global market.”
SXSW Music is now accepting showcase applications for acts to perform at the 2013 music festival at http://www.Sonicbids.com/sxsw. Sonicbids is the exclusive online musical event submission platform of the 2013 SXSW Music Festival.
All applications must be submitted no later than November 7, 2012. Application fees are US$30 for early submissions, US$40 for applications submitted after October 5, 2012.
Registration for SXSW Music delegates allows access to all daytime events at the Austin Convention Center including the keynote address, panels, interviews, workshops, mentor sessions, the SXSW Trade Show spanning the music, interactive and film industries, the Music Gear Expo, official SXSW day parties, and priority access into all SXSW nighttime showcases.
New this year, on Tuesday, March 12 SXSW Music offers a track of convergent panel topics highlighting the increasing connection between music, interactive technologies and film.
The Music Accelerator returns this year with a competition in front of a live audience and panel of expert judges with music-related product demonstrations by the most ambitious talents in the world.
Registration also allows access to SXsocial, a great online database of registrants social tool to aid in planning SXSW meetings and networking throughout the year.
If you’re in a band and thinking of applying to perform, you should check our ‘Guide To Applying For SXSW 2013‘, written in conjunction with Phil Tripp himself.
