[FA Worldmusic] SPAM-LOW: Re: SXSW musings

Mon Mar 19 22:05:17 EST 2007

		YES!!!!!
i believe you just nailed it.
l.a.
----------------------------------------

				From: "Dmitri Vietze"
<music at rockpaperscissors.biz>
Sent: Monday, March 19, 2007 8:56 PM
To:
"FAworld music list" <fa-worldmusic at folk.org>
Subject: SPAM-LOW:  Re: [FA
Worldmusic] SXSW musings 

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" 
To: "Marco
Werman" ; "FAworld music list" 

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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