As the Australian rep for SXSW, how are the artists chosen for the festival?
I’m the rep for Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii — gotta have that territory. The good news is that a committee in Austin chooses all the acts. I’ve nothing to do with recommending or choosing artists. After all, I’m 55, what do I know about good music? So as the rep, what do you do? The same as I did with New Music Seminar and MIDEM. As head evangelist, I make sure that they are in the news, that media at all possible outlets are across the event, then doing email blasts to the industry with regularity. We even established a localized OZ & NZ site at www.themusic.com.au/sxsw which serves our side of the world with a lot of information on maximising the participation. As the salesperson, it’s about selling ad space in the Guide, securing stand space for clients — we have three major stands this year with the Australians@SXSW, New Zealand Music and Film plus the online video and news site, Undercover, which is sending 10 people, too. Part of the fun has also been upping the attendanc
