SXSW released its initial band list this morning, and Houston artists did very well indeed. Out of the more than 1,300 artists now confirmed for the March 12-16 festival, 47 Houston-area acts will perform, a significant increase over past years. (The efforts of new SXSW staffer Matt Sonzala doubtless have something to do with this.)

Hip-hop is of course well-represented (Bun B, Chingo Bling, Karina Nistal, H.I.S.D.), but so is the rest of the city’s music scene: rock (Million Year Dance, Blaggards, Thee Armada), indie and punk (the Dimes, Something Fierce, the Tontons, the Jonbenet), roots (Katie Stuckey), blues (Little Joe Washington, Tomball’s Earl Gilliam, Joe Doucet), noise/psych (Linus Pauling Quartet, Indian Jewelry), avant-garde (Jandek, Nameless Sound Collective) and DJs (DJ Sun, Witnes).

Several hundred more bands may be added before the festival begins, so congratulations to everyone who got in. A full list of Houston-area SXSW 08 acts is after the jump. – Chris Gray

Blaggards

Chingo Bling

The Circle G'z

Da Mex Connect aka Lil J

The Dimes

DJ Sun

Joe Doucet

Fatal Flying Guilloteens

Fat Tony & D ee R ai L

H.I.S.D.

Honey Claws

IB3

Indian Jewelry

Jandek

Jezufavio

The Jonbenet

Kam

KB Da Kidnappa

Lady Lux

Linus Pauling Quartet

Lower Life Form

Lucky

Million Year Dance

Mr. Capone-E

Nameless Sound Collective

Nanachill

Karina Nistal

Nosaprise

Papa Chuk

Peekaboo Theory

Shina Rae

Rob G

Scale The Summit

Something Fierce

Space City Gamelan

Squincy Jones

Katie Stuckey

Studemont Project

Thee Armada

Thurogood Wordsmith

The Tontons

Little Joe Washington

The Western Civilization

Will To Live

Witnes

Earl Gilliam

The Mirrors (Grey Ashley)

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