| Austin, Texas has a vibrant live music scene, and | | | | one-night-only supergroup, as Tom Morello of Rage |
| boasts more music venues per capita than any other | | | | Against The Machine and Audioslave was joined on |
| city in the United States. Austin's music scene | | | | his solo set by a mass of unannounced special guests |
| revolves mainly around the many nightclub venues on | | | | including Jane's Addiction frontman Perry Farrell, MC5's |
| 6th Street, but the pinnacle is arguably the annual | | | | Wayne Kramer, Primus bass supremo Les Claypool |
| music, film and multimedia festival called South By | | | | and Slash of Guns 'n Roses and Velvet Revolver |
| Southwest (SXSW). | | | | fame. |
| SXSW officially began in 1987, originating as the | | | | SXSW is the single highest money-making public |
| Austin Battle of the Bands and is centered around | | | | event for the Austin community, generating more |
| the downtown Austin Convention Center. It has | | | | revenue than even home games by Austin's hugely |
| become one of the largest music festivals in the | | | | popular college football team, the Texas Longhorns |
| United States, with more thousands of performers | | | | SXSW is just one of Austin's festivals - the city is |
| from all across the globe playing in over seventy | | | | also host to the All Tomorrow's Parties-esque Fun |
| venues across Austin over four days in March. | | | | Fun Fun Festival, a two day event that last year saw |
| Largely an industry-based event, SXSW has garnered | | | | performances across three stages from acts such as |
| a reputation for being the place for new, | | | | Cat Power and Diplo as well as sets from Austin |
| up-and-coming bands to break into the industry, and | | | | natives Okkervil River, Zykos, I Love You But I've |
| particularly British bands looking to break the US | | | | Chosen Darkness and Explosions In The Sky, who |
| market. Acts who have gained mass notoriety after | | | | headlined. |
| playing sets at SXSW include The White Stripes in | | | | Also, the Austin City Limits festival has quickly |
| 2001, and British emo-punks Gallows who took the | | | | become one of the most popular and well-attended |
| festival by storm in 2007. | | | | festivals in the entire United States, ranking alongside |
| 2007 was SXSW's biggest year yet, and saw more | | | | Coachella and Lollapalooza. The festival brings |
| than 2000 bands take over Austin between March | | | | together over 130 bands across eight stages over |
| 14th and 18th. Highlights included stand-out sets from | | | | three days. The festival works in conjunction with |
| The Rapture, Cold War Kids and Kings of Leon. David | | | | the popular Austin City Limits TV show, which |
| Byrne, formerly of Talking Heads, and The Who's | | | | showcases local Austin acts as well as artists playing |
| Pete Townshend were among the event's | | | | the festival. |
| conference speakers (Townshend later made a | | | | For any fans wishing to experience "the live music |
| guest appearance, joining The Fratellis onstage and | | | | capital of the world" for themselves, there are plenty |
| showcasing his trademark windmill guitar moves). | | | | of hotels in Austin available to suit a range of |
| British punk legends The Buzzcocks also played a | | | | budgets, but with the eye of the America turning to |
| raucous set, as did US punk icons Iggy & The | | | | Texas, booking in advance is advised for the more |
| Stooges. There was also the emergence of a | | | | popular acts. |