• South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual music, film and interactive media conference that takes place in Austin, Texas. Originally called the Austin Battle of the Bands, the festival quickly grew both in the scope of its coverage and the amount of attendees. SXSW remains primarily a music festival, one of the largest of its kind in the U.S.

  The 2009 event will be held between March 13 until March 22. Bands cheduled performer include The Decemberists, Explosions In The Sky, Lady Sovereign, No Age, Ra Ra Riot and Primal Scream. The opening night film is I Love You Man, starring Paul Rudd and Jason Segel.

• 1. 2009 dates: March 13-22
  2. Interactive: March 13-17
  3. Film: March 13-21
  4. Music: March 18-22
  5. Started in 1987
  6. Film and interactive events added in 1994
  7. Began as the Austin Battle of the Bands
  8. Sister event, North by Northwest, held annually in TorontoSXSW.com: About
  9. The 9 days that make up the event is known as "SXSWeek"
  10. Original event had only 700 registrants

• Beyond Music

  The film and interactive media components of the festival are largely separate from the music component and each other, taking place at different locations and different dates. Even so, SXSW has become a major conference in technology circles, showcasing new and cutting-edge technologies and services every year.

• Previous SXSW Performers

  Although SXSW has always been a showcase for up-and-coming musical acts, many well-known performers and bands have played there over the course of its existence. In 2007 and 2008 such acts as Amy Winehouse, Chromeo, and Del The Funky Homosapien have played the festival.

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