SXSW MIXES THINGS UP
The preliminary lineup for next month's South by Southwest (SXSW) music conference has been announced, and one thing that's obvious is the lack of stars and legends.
That's not necessarily a bad thing.
In recent years, it felt like performances by Robert Plant, Elvis Costello, Willie Nelson, Norah Jones, The Black Crowes and The Pretenders, just to mention a few, overshadowed many of the up-and-coming artists who also were showcasing in Austin, Texas, during the music industry's unofficial spring break.
The initial list for this year does include such established vets as Cracker, Rickie Lee Jones, Steve Earle, The Stooges, Jello Biafra and the Hoodoo Gurus, but with all due respect, they don't carry the same clout as the names mentioned above.
The Jersey Shore is represented by the rock quintet Parlor Mob (based in Red Bank) and singer/songwriter Nicole Atkins (who grew up in the Neptune area).
Of course, there will be plenty of buzz-worthy acts (Lily Allen, VietNam) and solid Austin-based talent (Spoon, David Garza).
Then there are a few eyebrow-raising, out-of-place oddities, such as groupie legend Pamela Des Barres and American Idol winner Taylor Hicks.
Could SXSW organizers have a few superstars up their sleeves when they announce the next wave of '07 performers? Maybe, but if not, a mixed-bag lineup of emerging artists doesn't make the conference any less worthwhile.
The preliminary lineup for next month's South by Southwest (SXSW) music conference has been announced, and one thing that's obvious is the lack of stars and legends.
That's not necessarily a bad thing.
In recent years, it felt like performances by Robert Plant, Elvis Costello, Willie Nelson, Norah Jones, The Black Crowes and The Pretenders, just to mention a few, overshadowed many of the up-and-coming artists who also were showcasing in Austin, Texas, during the music industry's unofficial spring break.
The initial list for this year does include such established vets as Cracker, Rickie Lee Jones, Steve Earle, The Stooges, Jello Biafra and the Hoodoo Gurus, but with all due respect, they don't carry the same clout as the names mentioned above.
The Jersey Shore is represented by the rock quintet Parlor Mob (based in Red Bank) and singer/songwriter Nicole Atkins (who grew up in the Neptune area).
Of course, there will be plenty of buzz-worthy acts (Lily Allen, VietNam) and solid Austin-based talent (Spoon, David Garza).
Then there are a few eyebrow-raising, out-of-place oddities, such as groupie legend Pamela Des Barres and American Idol winner Taylor Hicks.
Could SXSW organizers have a few superstars up their sleeves when they announce the next wave of '07 performers? Maybe, but if not, a mixed-bag lineup of emerging artists doesn't make the conference any less worthwhile.
posted by Chris M. Junior at 2:53 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home