from top40-charts.com
SYDNEY, Australia - Over 420 Australian and New Zealand artists applied for the crucial showcase side of SxSW, which has proven to be a groundbreaking event for our artists seeking recording, publishing, management, agency or touring deals in the lucrative North American market. But a whopping 8000 artists from around the world submitted applications for the coveted one-hour shows that make or break bands to music and media professionals.
The 40 bands playing in 2006 is an eightfold increase from the five that appeared in 2002. The 200+ OZ & NZ registrants in addition to artists will be over eight times the 25 attending in 2002.
With over 10,000 music business registrants including 1000 key print, radio and television journalists, it's a networking beehive which the Australian Trade Commission (AUSTRADE) has supported for four years with a major 36 square metre stand presence, a sponsored 10 act Australian Barbecue Concert on top of the night shows & a 36 page free 'street-press' style magazine with 15,000 copies of the 'Australian Music Guide' circulated at key music and book retailers, venues and in each delegate's showbag.
New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, in concert with the New Zealand Music Industry Commission, has also booked its fourth annual stand and will hold an opening night party/concert of Kiwi bands. In addition, the West Australian state government will host its third private party at SxSW and assist in travel expenses and promotion of participating WA acts through Arts WA and the WA Music Industry Association. Continuing support of governments has added to continued success of Australian and New Zealand artists & businesses.
Commenting on the largest number of Australian bands and music executives in the US at any one time, AUSTRADE's Business Development Manager of the recently created Australian Music Office at the Los Angeles Consulate, Tony George, states, 'AUSTRADE's Music Office has gone the extra mile this year by spearheading innovative new ways to give artists, bands and music industry executives exposure and networking opportunities at this mammoth music marketplace which has been a critical strategy of music exporting over the past three years as the result of government and industry synergy. Our continued investment is a result of escalating success.'
Among the initiatives are a teleconferencing 'boot camp' where bands and delegates will gather in AUSTRADE offices across Australia six weeks out from SxSW, to get the latest information on visa procurement, publicity, promotion, dealmaking opportunities and other strategies of attacking the North American market from experts in the online networking session. Aside from the resources of the three day trade fair stand presence and marketing magazine, media appearances and in-store shows are also being lined up as well as airplay on satellite radio and Internet sites.
AUSTRADE - in association with the non-profit Australian Music Collective which produces the SxSW Australian Barbecue Concert of ten acts March 17 in Austin-is also facilitating a major showcase for the industry in Los Angeles Monday March 13 prior to SxSW at the legendary Troubador in Hollywood as well as two New York showcases in New York March 21 and 22 after SxSW concludes for music executives and agents in that industry centre at venues to be announced.
SxSW representative for Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii, Phil Tripp, is based in Sydney at IMMEDIA! which for four years has expanded the attendance and enabled the success of participants from the farthest countries in the world that participate. 'Having been in the industry 30 years, Australia for 25 and having run national presences at global music markets for 20, we knew the potential for Australia and New Zealand at SxSW was phenomenal since our live performance based artist and contemporary music styles matched the needs of the North American marketplace that SxSW services. As the event has grown over the past four years to incorporate more countries' attendees, we've reaped the benefits from creating and maintaining a strong Australian 'brand' at the event through the governments' support of stands, promotion and media. At least 10 major deals have come out of 2005's SxSW AustralAsian Invasion and we feel the outcome of this year's participation will make a major contribution to our export music income.'
The AustralAsian South by Southwest website is at http://www.themusic.com.au/sxsw. The official South by Southwest website is at http://www.sxsw.com For further information, images & interviews contact Phil Tripp tripp@sxsw.com or (02) 9557 7766
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