South by Southwest is a tricky animal. Each year, thousands upon thousands of submissions are sent to the Austin festival promoters and a limited number from all across the globe are chosen to represent the “official” showcases. Sure, there are probably 10 times that many bands that play in and around Austin at un-official showcases — what used to be referred to as South by So What when there were venues and artists who cared about rebelling. But, getting onto that official list, no matter how long it is, can be a big deal for young artists.
In the latest release of artist names from the folks at SXSW, there are a fair number from Houston, 16 in fact who made the cut. That makes a total of 965 artists and bands added to a list that will swell to over 2,000 before the festival opens March 17.
There are some familiar and some rather obscure names on the list. Not surprisingly, it is heavy with artists from rap and hip hop, making up nine of the 16 names on this list. The remaining seven are spread across electronica, indie rock, blues and even gospel.
You can check out the full list here. The H-Town representatives are below.
Big Pup
BOAN
Jewel Brown
Buxton
Dj Buddha (Missouri City)
Gifted |007 of RAW
G.R.I.T. Boys
Corey Paul and Reconcile (Frontline Movement)
Propain
Rabit
The Tontons
Trae Tha Truth
The Walls Group
World Rejects
Wrestlers
Yung Redd
This article appears in Jan 8-14, 2015.
