2003 SXSW Music Conference Review: A Musician's Perspective
The StarPolish SXSW panel featured, left to right, musician Gooding, Aware Records founder Greg Latterman, StarPolish CEO Vivek Tiwary, and writer/historian Dave Marsh |
To say that I had high expectations for SXSW 2003 would be an understatement. Well aware of the notable Austin, TX conference's reputation as the place where the industry descends each March to discover, sign and promote the next slew of buzz bands, I had high hopes that my own band might get discovered this year. When the showcase selection committee overlooked our "genius" I was disappointed, and started thinking things like it's all political -- who needs SXSW anyway? We could spend the band's time and money on something else. But pretty quickly I came around to there's always next year, which is when I realized that I had to go to Austin this year to find out what all the hullabaloo about one of the industry's most prominent music conferences was all about.
My motivators for attending SXSW were pretty simple and I'm sure fairly common for aspiring bands and musicians: one, to learn as much as possible about the music business and how it works; two to spread the word about my own band and our music; and three, to make a ton of good industry contactsthe ultimate goal being to figure out how to succeed in the business of music. With those goals in sight, I anxiously made the 1,700-mile trek south to Austin, brandishing high hopes for my first SXSW.
Arriving in Austin the night before the conference, my first impression was how MUCH music there was in town. They obviously don't call it "The Live Music Capital of the World" for nothing! On the ride from the airport, we detoured down 6th Street (Austin's main musical drag where most of the nightly showcases were centered) where I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of live music clubs stacked side-by-side, each one bursting with loud, live music. It was almost intimidating, but it only took a few blocks before I felt "at ease" hearing a band butchering "Sweet Home Alabama" and thought, Hmm, Austin can't be that different from other music towns where beer, anxious-to-please musicians and audience-requested, unrehearsed classic rock covers collide on a way-too-frequent, sometimes disastrous basis. Okay, at least there was nothing to fear about Austin!
The next day, the educational industry panel portion of the conference began with a roster chock-full of interesting and informative topics, such as "The Basics of Indie Labels and Distributors," "Airplay for New Artists," "DIY: What Does It Mean and What Does it Take?" and crash courses in Touring and Booking, Management, Merchandising and Legal Matters. These panels were led by industry veterans and upstart newcomers alike, each with their own takes on the state of the business and what it takes to make it. Essentially, if you come to SXSW looking for good information and the "plain truth" about the business, you're going to get it. (I'd recommend taking copious notes, which I was encouraged to see a few of the more "studious" attendees doing.)
In general, many of the industry folks presented a rather bleak -- but realistic -- outlook on the state of the music business. CD sales are suffering, peer-to-peer file-sharing is bastardizing traditional industry revenue streams, and major and indie labels alike are more risk-averse and less inclined to sign and develop new talent. All of this could certainly discourage the budding musician looking for a way to somehow make it in the music business.
But if you looked beyond the static, there was one key lesson that all the SXSW panels ultimately presented: there will always be room for the most talented and dedicated artists who are willing to work hard at their craft and the business of their music. In the panels, many reputable industry folks drove this point home to the delight of the more optimistic ears in the audience.
Jay Boberg, co-founder of IRS Records (the label that discovered R.E.M., who arguably invented the grass-roots/indie/DIY movement in the early 80s) and former president of MCA Records, suggested to serious, upstart musicians, "Never lose your idealism; if you have that passion for music, then you will figure it out."
The panels all suggested that "figuring it out" in an age where CD sales are declining really means finding innovative ways to grow your fan base and support your business through creative merchandising and alternative revenue streams. One suggestion was to up the price of your live shows by $5 and include a free CD with admission -- something that to me sounded better than hoping a few people buy your CD at full price. And if they leave with it, chances are they'll listen and expose their circle of friends to it, which means your next show might have a few more converts in attendance.
At the same time, the panels made it very clear that even though there is a very necessary, very critical "business" component, themusic and thesongs are still the most important element for those looking to make it. Joe Nicolo, president/CEO of Judgement Records (Fugees, Wyclef Jean) brought this point home dramatically, saying, "You've got to be un-fucking-believable, and if you're not, if you're just good, then that's going to be a problem."
Daniel Lanois gave the SXSW keynote |
In the face of all the straight talk about the potential hardships of the business, I was encouraged to meet a great number of dedicated, enthusiastic musicians (both seasoned and new) who came to SXSW hell-bent on learning and/or doing whatever it takes to get noticed and to get their music out there. Here are a few good examples of this type of dedication, creativity and hard work:
- I talked to an upstart four-member band called Slowtrain who relocated to Austin from upstate New York a few years ago to try to make their stand. They're still plugging away and trying to support themselves on the local scene.
- I met a passionate singer-songwriter from California named Franco who's getting set to record his first proper CD at the age of thirty-eight.
- I ran into a group of bands -- including Love Syndicate, Pepper's Ghost, Silvertide, The Figgs, Pilot Round The Sun -- based in my hometown of Philadelphia who organized their own three-night stint at a club that wasn't officially affiliated with the conference, but that allowed them to still take advantage of the chance to showcase to the SXSW crowds.
- I saw Mary Lou Lorda veteran who's enjoyed national radio success and been signed to several labels including Kill Rock Stars and Sony's Work Group imprintbusking on the corner of 6th and Congress Street at 2:30 am! (If ever there was a shining example that making it in the music business is all about how hard you're willing to work, this is it for me).
If it's sounding like SXSW is just a grueling, hard-work affair, that's not true; it's a lot of fun, too! The conference is totally geared toward peopleartists and industry types alikewho love music, so obviously there's no shortage of great live entertainment. The nightly live performances (well over 250 bands at 50+ venues every night) provide a great opportunity for attendees to discover new bands and see some more established -- or at least "previously" more established -- bands. So for the music fanatic, SXSW is a special treat and provides huge amounts of entertainment value in that regard alone.
Joe Jackson reappears -- and rocks the night |
In fact, I met several groups of music fans -- some from as far away as The Netherlands --who came to Austin just to enjoy the music! If there's any comfort that all the industry folks and aspiring artists like myself that came to SXSW this year can take away, it's that there are still people willing to travel 5,000-odd miles simplybecausethey love music! That's the kind of passion for music that all the panelists were saying aspiring musicians and industry hopefuls need to have.
SXSW has come under some criticism for showcasing too many established acts at the expense of more unsigned bands, but I personally enjoyed getting the chance to see resurgent artists like Joe Jackson and Camper van Beethoven as much as discovering diverse new bands such as Austin's own kick-ass roots-country rockers Reckless Kelly, and Dallas' unique 24-person choral symphonic pop band, The Polyphonic Spree. The mix was okay by me and provided that something-for-everybody approach that I think is key to making the conference palatable to such a diverse group of attendees.
Whether at the panels, at the showcasing events or even out in the streets and restaurants of Austin, another great asset of SXSW is the great opportunity for networking. While networking isn't necessarily everyone's "bag," I'd suggest that it's a key component of the value that SXSW provides if you're prepared to take advantage of it.
Most of the panelists were very accessible and visible after their panels were over. This is where I was able to meet everyone from legendary music journalist Dave Marsh (who I'm happy to say asked for and received a Rigbees T-shirt -- thanks for the exposure Dave!), to Dave Matthews' producer John Alagia, to R.E.M bass player Mike Mills.
There were also great opportunities to network at the nightly music showcases, walking the halls of the convention center, in the local restaurants and in the streets of Austin. Sometimes chance encounters in these more relaxed environments proved really interesting and productive. For example, I got to meet people as varied as Slash and prominent manager Michael Hausman this way. I also got to meet a bunch of like-minded fellow musicians, some of whom I'm sure I'll keep in touch with and look to team up with somewhere down the line. The bottom line here is if you're alert, inquisitive and outgoing at SXSW, you never know who you're going to run into, be it a music legend or the person that's going to give you your big break.
So, how did SXSW stack up against my expectations as a first time visitor coming at the conference from a musician's perspective? Very well. I feel that the conference provided significant opportunities to learn, network, promote, schmooze and have an all-around great time in the city that truly deserves its "Live Music Capital of the World" moniker. Personally, I felt I was able to meet all the personal goals I outlined at the beginning of this article and then some.
Of course, like everything else, SXSW is what you make it. You only meet as many people as you're willing to introduce yourself to. You only walk away with as much knowledge as the amount of panels you attended and the quality of the notes you took. You only get out of the conference what you put into it.
What I got out of SXSW was this: even though the industry has changed and there are some major obstacles to overcome if you want to build a career in the music business, if you believe in yourself, work hard at your craft and work equally hard at the business of promoting yourself, there are still endless possibilities for success.
On the final night of the conference, as the much-anticipated Supergrass show at Stubbs was just beginning, I asked an aspiring 26-year-old singer-songwriter named Mara from Los Angeles her feelings about her first SXSW conference. She said it was "exactly what I thought it would be, but a lot friendlier and a lot more fun. It's like a lot of the littler conferences I've been to on steroids."
Then I asked Mara if she would consider attending SXSW again. Without hesitation, she replied, "Hell, yeah!" Based on my first experience at the conference, I would have to whole-heartedly agree.
Top 5 Lessons I Learned at SXSW 2003
1) Like any other business, a solid plan, well-defined goals, a attention-grabbing "story" or elevator pitch," and determination and drive are the keys to success in the music business.
2) Be friendly, positive, inquisitive and outgoing and good things can happen.
3) It's not always what you know but who you know that counts.
4) The music business is all about the song, so make sure you have good ones.
5) If you build it, they will comedon't expect the industry to come to you, but if you work relentlessly at your craft and dedicate yourself to building your own success story, it just might.
Steve Brown is the lead singer and songwriter for the Philadelphia-based band The Rigbees (www.rigbees.com), who have received national airplay on PRI's World Café and are currently booking a regional tour of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic in support of their debut release AM Radio Companion. Steve runs his own publishing and management company (Flare Gun Music) and is also a self-proclaimed music scholar/freak, freelance music writer and photographer.
