Nordic Invasion

Music Information Centre Norway reports that SXSW 2007 will host a crop of Norwegian talent, including indie press darling Annie whose 2005 North American debut, the aggressively poppy Anniemal (Vice), made a whole stack of best-of lists that year.

The full list includes Ane Brun, Animal Alpha, Annie, Green Carnation, Hurra Torpedo, Leif Inge, Magnet, New Violators, Serena Maneesh, The Jessica Fletchers, The Real Ones, Thomas Dybdahl, and WE.

Source

Class of 2007: Shapes Have Fangs

Hometown: Austin, TX
Label: Unsigned
Showcase Dates/Times TBD

Native Texans Shapes Have Fangs haven't even reached 5000 hits on their MySpace page, but don't count them out for a spot on 2007's list of SXSW success stories. On top of their indie-pop sheen and comparisons to The Shins, their infusion of garage-rock sensibility and frenetic guitar playing is more agile and explosive than most of their indie-pop compatriots would ever dare put onto tape. They are a little fish in the sea of 1400 acts that will descend onto Austin, but based on their impressive live performances, look out for some serious buzz spurred by their appearances.

Track Highlights: The Spectre, Slumber Party (available on their MySpace page)

Shapes Have Fangs Official MySpace

get ready to get sweaty

for all you metal heads (and dillinger escape plan fans, especially), a fresh showcase announcement via blabbermouth:

Relapse Records has announced the details for its 2007 South by Southwest (SXSW) label showcase. This showcase, the label's sixth consecutive at SXSW, will be held at Room 710 (710 Red River Street) on Thursday, March 15, and will be open to the public as well as SXSW badge-holders.This year's lineup includes ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY (Richmond, VA), DON CABALLERO (Pittsburgh, PA), MINSK (Peoria/Chicago, IL ), RWAKE (Little Rock, AR), a special appearance by PRADA KILLERS (featuring members of THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN; Morris Plains, NJ), and one more band to be announced soon. Running order and show time are forthcoming.

Source

volunteer at sxsw: do it for the sex!

Courtesy of the Austin News 8 Morning Show, some information about volunteering at SXSW and what it entails.

You can sign up directly here, too.

They had quite the banter going there for a while, from the looks of it.

Q: And this is a lot of fun. I’ll let both of you from your perspective talk about that. Just, this is inside stuff here, isn’t it?
Stout: Yeah, definitely, you get to see the behind the scenes of this massive event that takes place for 10 days. There’s a lot of people watching, very good people watching and rubbing off this.

Rubbing off this? Either this is some sort of wierd Freudian slip, or they are suggesting that volunteering at SXSW has its rewards in the form of, well, you draw your own conclusions.

Better sign up quick, folks!

Meet your editors.

Combined, they have:
- (1) job at a major record label group
- (1) job as a music editor for a respectable publication
- (2) cats
- approximately 75% of a B.A. in journalism
- approximately 92% of a B.A. in political science

Stay tuned for completely biased and unofficial coverage of the music conference and festival, March 14th through 18th 2007.