SXSWorld
Issue link: https://sxsw.uberflip.com/i/81859
More Online Platforms Let You Revisit SXSW 2011 Again and Again by Luke Torn n the literal sense, Austin's nightclubs—crammed during a certain weekend in mid-March every year with six-band bookings—have fl atlined back to normal levels. Th e Austin Convention Center, too, is back to its usual state as a mere ghost of its bustling, bursting-at-the- seams South-by self. Yet, though SXSW music seemingly melts into the ether every year, the race of media technology is surely turning the notion that SXSW ends as the last notes fade on Sunday night's show- cases into a thing of the past. Of course, the music of SXSW had always transcended the fi ve-day musical orgy that is the festival proper. From early in the conference's his- tory, sampler CDs proliferated (anyone remember the disc from 1994, which included fi ne tracks from Giant Sand and Duke McVinnie?), and various conference recaps, off shoots and limited editions have appeared over the years, including a live DVD, SXSW Live 2007, pro- duced by Shout Factory! and featuring artists from Th e Bravery to Pete Townshend. Th ese days, SXSW music is branching out, living on year-round in cyberspace via partnerships with both brand-new and already-estab- lished media outlets: Among them are the conference's dedicated YouTube I Noisey.com, new music video programming presented by the New York City-based record label and media giant Vice Records; and, per- haps most impressively, a series of exclusive EPs featuring a fi ne roster of artists that is being released by iTunes. SXSW's YouTube channel was launched channel; Hungtai's lo-fi kings Dirty Beaches, Oberhofer and Yuck, as well as psychsters JEFF Th e Brotherhood and Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffi ti, Noisey is featuring a wealth of young talent from the beginning. Among the launch's video highlights is exclusive footage from Ariel Pink's set, including his hit single "Round and Round." Meanwhile, the inaugural run of the iTunes SXSW EP series pro- vides myriad you-are-there moments, as well as chances to catch up Glasser, recorded by iTunes, at Central Presbyterian Church. by allowing viewers to join band road trips, share experiences before a show, meet fans and industry insiders, and explore the delights of regional locales—Noisey mixes reality clips with explosive live music, resulting in a gritty, hands-on perspective. "On its 25th year," observes Vice's Jamie Farkas, "SXSW has proven itself to be one of the most important international music festivals. As a new music discovery site dedicated to showcasing the best emerging talent from around the world, there was no better place to introduce Noisey.com than at SXSW." With its inaugural showcase at Kiss and Fly, featuring Alex Zhang In providing unprecedented access to live music happenings— in February 2009 and has grown steadily through its early years, stockpiling some 1200-plus high quality video clips so far. "We are adding panel talks, red carpet fi lm pre- miers and Q&As, and music showcase videos on a daily basis," relates Matt Crawford, SXSW video curator. Constantly updated with new content, including band clips, studio interviews and more, the channel provides a remarkably kaleidoscopic view of the event's myriad strands, a crucial birds-eye view provided for patrons and fans alike who, quite understandably, can get lost in the conference's in-the-moment immediacy. Noisey.com is a new and ambitious music discovery platform launched in collaboration with Vice (with technical support giants like Intel and Dell). Th e site debuted at SXSW 2011 and is poised to push both technical and musical boundaries, creating a kind of self-described "global music documentary." With its stated goal of profi ling some of the most talented new bands and local music scenes from around the world, Noisey.com is positioning itself as a video pres- ence in an age when the granddaddy of music video, MTV, along with others, has largely lost interest in the notion that on-screen music can be entertaining. "Every day we celebrate young musicians who wear their passion for their art on their sleeves," says Eddy Moretti, Executive Creative Director of Vice. "Noisey is a celebration of music in its purest form." from 48 SXSW ORLD / M AY – J UNE 201 1 on missed performances (something that SXSW veterans pined for in years past). Off ering a half-dozen tracks per disc—exclusive live music recorded, mixed and mastered on the ground in Austin during the fes- tival—the EPs represent, for some artists at least, their fi rst "offi cial" stage recordings. Th e iTunes series, in fact, features some of the festival's most cele- brated artists, both established (Lucinda Williams, whose performance from Lost Highway's 10th Anniversary Revue includes a handful of cuts from her critically acclaimed 2011 album Blessed, and roots-rocker Ryan Bingham, with a strong showing on his fi rst offi cial live release), and up-and-coming buzz bands such as Neon Trees, Black Joe Lewis & Th e Honeybears, Le Butcherettes, Beach Fossils, Chapel Club, Dom Kennedy, Small Black, the Civil Wars, Glasser and plenty more. All in all, these auspicious beginnings signal great potential for a fascinating partnership in years to come. ■ MENELAOS PORKOS