[FA Worldmusic] SXSW musings

[Dmitri Vietze]

Maybe at an event like SXSW, instead of having a world music panel, 
potential speakers from the global music realm should infiltrate panels on 
other general topics (online, A&R, DIY, media, booking, etc.)

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tom Frouge" <tom at avokado.net>
To: "Marco Werman" <marco.werman at bbc.co.uk>; "FAworld music list" 
<fa-worldmusic at folk.org>
Sent: Monday, March 19, 2007 4:50 PM
Subject: Re: [FA Worldmusic] SXSW musings


> Just a quick response Marco -
>
> I think that getting world music artists to SxSW is a good thing, I am not
> sure lumping them together is, although I myself do like the idea.  There
> was quite a bit of world or world-ish music that happened around town this
> year, in fact it seemed more than in past years.  The Pistolera, Charanga
> Cakewalk, Upground and Antibalas showcases were pretty packed and none of
> them with just globalistas, but then none of those bands seem to be
> presenting themselves as simply "world" music acts (nor, interestingly, 
> does
> NOMO).
>
> The "MO" of SxSW has not been A&R for YEARS. It turned into a label 
> showcase
> event and the past decade or more has really been a press junket.  However
> that too seems to be shifting, as it is harder and harder to get Press
> Credentials unless you are covering something specifically.  On the other
> hand, I did go see bands with my Globalquerque hat on, ie: as a presenter.
>
> As to the panel, I was unable to stay very long at it as I had a booth at
> the trade show so I can't really comment on it except for the beginning of
> it, but have done many panels at SxSW including a few of the World panels
> and I think they do tend to be choir to choir or very rudimentary.  The
> former being just a conversation amongst "us"; the later potentially dull
> except to those just getting invloved (although I do think there is a 
> place
> for this - in fact the world music "primer" I put together a couple of 
> years
> ago had a pretty strong attendence).  I also think, with all due respect 
> to
> John Kertzer, who moderated, that we SHOULD tackle the questions and 
> issues
> that he dismissed as "those we can't do anything about'" like visas, an
> issue that affects more than just the world music community and could draw
> others both on and off the panel. It may be that the panel itself needs to
> be topic specific and not an "all encompassing" roundtable.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: fa-worldmusic-bounces+tom=avokado.net at folk.org
> [mailto:fa-worldmusic-bounces+tom=avokado.net at folk.org]On Behalf Of Marco
> Werman
> Sent: Monday, March 19, 2007 11:06 AM
> To: FAworld music list
> Subject: [FA Worldmusic] SXSW musings
>
> Musings on World Music at SXSW:  A Minority Report
>
>
> I've been curating the All Music Is World Music showcase now for three
> years at SXSW.  A few years ago, I had the idea of roping off an evening
> with a few international acts that fell under the "world music" banner,
> along with a few that didn't, but which were global in spirit.  After
> seeing all the international artists who showed up at SXSW, I felt that
> many of the rock and pop acts shared a similar guerilla/DIY ethos of
> many world music artists.  Despite the genre heading and language they
> sing in, all these musicians have something to say and what they all
> make is, after all, music.  And the enormous fringe benefit for the
> audience would be discovery.
>
> This year's showcase featured Ana Laan, Eliza Carthy, NOMO, Tita Lima,
> and Mexican Institute of Sound.  The turnout was not huge, but probably
> above average for a SXSW showcase, with the room at its fullest for
> NOMO, a crowd intent on dancing.  Ana Laan seemed to attract the most
> professional attention, and from what I hear, she enjoyed her SXSW
> experience.
>
> The day after the showcase, I was pestered by doubt.  I come to this
> showcase production thing not as a booker or music programmer, but as a
> journalist who wants to extend the musical experience I aim to create on
> the radio to a live setting.  I also believe that SXSW and Austin offer
> a unique and receptive setting for performance of world music.  And
> infiltration into these unexpected locales seems like a good way to
> acquire new converts to music in foreign languages with groovy rhythms
> (think Bonnaroo and Coachella -- esp this year).
>
> The All Music Is World Music showcase is co-sponsored by Austin's
> beloved public radio station KUT.  They have a lot of world music in
> rotation, and PRI's The World has the city's highest market share in its
> 7pm time slot.  KUT did a lot of promotion this year with all the
> artists in the showcase (with the exception of MIS).  And not
> surprisingly (like last year), many of those in attendance at the venue
> were locals.  They did not have badges or wristbands.  They bought
> tickets to the show.  That's a good thing.
>
> But how much does this showcase do for the artists?  I don't know the
> faces, but I didn't get a sense that any labels (major or minor) were in
> the room trolling for unsigned talent.
>
> Then again, according to many I spoke with at SXSW, that may not really
> be the MO of SXSW any more.  This is a time when the music business is
> working over numerous scenarios over where the industry is headed.  So
> the notion of going to Austin to find the next unknown big thing and
> putting them on a CD is looking quaint at best.  For artists who have to
> play for what amounts to nothing, it's an even more pointed question.
> That's what bounced around in my head:  what's the point of coaxing an
> Eliza Carthy to shell out a bunch of her own money to make a stop in
> Austin?  Is the proper venue for this kind of thing GlobalFest or
> Bonnaroo?  Does it make sense to continue this kind of event at SXSW?
>
> These questions are linked to a discussion that happened at Saturday's
> "World Music Roundtable" panel session.  Leigh Ann Hahn rightly asked
> whether we in the room represented the choir preaching to the choir.
> There were no major players in the room.  And the panel did not have a
> David Byrne for example who could fill the room and bring in a bunch of
> non-believers and/or people from outside the world music community.  The
> lesson the room concluded is that we all need to be more clever in how
> we bring those people to this music.
>
> My conundrum that I'm still dealing with:  is getting world music
> artists to SXSW a clever thing, or a waste of time?
>
>
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