According to WIKI, South by Southwest (SXSW) is a company that plans and executes conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Current roster of events include SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco, which take place every spring (usually in March) in except SXSWeco, which takes place in October, all in Austin Texas. The company began its operations in 1987, in an event at Austin Convention Center. In 2011, the conference lasted for ten days, with SXSW Interactive lasting for five, Music for six, and Film for nine days. My explanation of SXSW. It is an industry trade show and business conference. Because it's a trade show and conference, they use it to showcase new bands.....all kinds of music industry trades are there to see new acts that record labels are promoting for the coming year. For instance, there's a lot of national music critics that cover it so they can get up to date on who to watch for in the coming year.
It's not intended to be a music festival ,that's why it costs so much to actually attend the conference.....bands are supposed to play only in scheduled events that happen within the convention center for conference participants, like the press, and you have to have credentials to get in. Record labels, etc. pay for their people's access, BUT.....
over the years, bands who are represented by private individuals started to attend and couldn't afford to pay for the premium conference access, so they started making use of the clubs in the area to do their promoting locally while they were in town (particularly since Austin is where University of Texas is, the venues they play at are all downtown just a walk away from campus). SXSW as an entity doesn't support the shows that go on around town, and at one time asked that they not do it, but it's grown so much that there's nothing they can do anymore to stop the bands from booking their own shows.
And now, literally every club in the area is booked solid every night of the conference, so much so that they've taken to setting up canopies and such on side streets and throwing together their own stage to do a half hour show . More importantly, I think at least as it pertains to you, there are bands that just find a way to get to Austin that week and stand on the street corners or set up in front of apartment buildings, dorms, etc. and just play.
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The SXSW2012 (South by Southwest) Survival Guide : Tips On How To Advance Your Career at the Most Overwhelming Music Conference of Them All Envision What You Want Before You Arrive
My first bit of advice: Arrive prepared. Know who will be attending and create some goals before you get there.
Attend at Least One Music Conference Each Year
I believe all serious musicians should make it part of their job to attend at least one conference a year. They can be expensive to get to, but think abut it this way: music lessons and equipment were at one time expensive, and those things are also vital for your career. Conferences are the best place to meet people who work in and around the music industry, and conferences are a relaxed environment to connect with people in the industry who can change the course of your career.
Austin, Texas is a wonderful city, and its distractions are many. Keep in mind that this is not a vacation. It’s a work-related learning experience. With a little planning and foresight, you can have a million-dollar conference.
Before You Go, Get Connected!
SXSW Social Media:
Get registered to the South by Southwest Directory
Go through the site, which is VERY user friendly, and add links to your Twitter and Facebook seamlessly to determine whom you may want to meet before you arrive. Drop them a personal e-mail using their interface.
Bring Business Cards, Fizzkicks Cards & Postcards
Yes, you should have a business card, and your card should not just have your name and number. It should have good information about what you or your band sounds like (your pitch) , your Twitter handle, Myspace & Facebook URLS, and links to any other places people might be able to find you online. A photo of you or a band logo would also be highly recommended.
Don’t Haul A Ton Of CDs
I do not recommend bringing a lot of CDs. People are overwhelmed with free CDs, and they won’t want to carry them home. It’s better to get people’s business cards and mail them a CD, or (better yet!) send your music digitally through Bandcamp or Soundcloud as a follow-up after you get home.
Talk To Strangers
Don’t be scared to take risks and meet people. Conferences are friendly places. Just walk right up and ask “So, what brings you here?” You’ll have a new BFF in no time.
Attend Panels – You Will Learn Something
It’s tempting to blow the panels off and hit all of the free day parties, but I encourage you to make an effort to sit in on at least one or two panels per day. Choose any topic that interests you, and take notes.
Get Mentored!
Most conferences have amazing mentoring sessions where you can sign up to have one-on-one face time with the industry peeps. Some of the most important people in the music business will be sitting there ready to meet with you.
When you do go to a one-on-one mentoring panel, be prepared to meet these people. Make sure that you have done your research, and have specific questions to ask them.
Follow Up!
The moment you get home, make sure to send thank you notes or e-mails. Follow up with every single person that you met. If appropriate, add them to your e-mail list. Never send your pitch or talk about business in the initial e-mail. Get people to respond to your follow up by just being friendly. If you do not follow up, your trip and hard work will have been a waste of your time. So, don’t rip yourself off here!
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