Kiwi bands set the dial for Texas

By STEVEN SHAW

New Zealand bands are taking their music to the world next month in more numbers than before.

The South By Southwest music festival, held in Austin, Texas, from March 13 to 15, has become a key calendar event for this country's bands. Some acts go there hoping to be discovered; others go simply with the intention of having a good time.

This year New Zealand bands will be all over the festival, like the proverbial rash. At least 19 applied for a performance slot at SXSW. Of those, eight were accepted and seven have confirmed they will be attending. The acts are the Datsuns, the D4, goodshirt, Evermore, 8 Foot Sativa, betchadupa and solo artist Damien Binder.

For the D4 and the Datsuns, who both have busy international touring schedules, this is a return visit.

NZ On Air's Brendan Smyth sees the increase in local bands at SXSW as a logical extension of the progress that has been made at home.

"The way I see it," says Smyth, "the Government's faith in New Zealand music - as demonstrated by the boost in funding for NZ On Air's New Zealand music work two years ago, the establishment of the NZ Music Industry Commission and the support for the World Series - is paying dividends with these international developments."

Rather than being just an industry showcase at a central venue or convention centre, performances are held at up to 40 bars, all within walking distance of each other.

This year's schedule includes Lucinda Williams, Ron Sexsmith, Supergrass, and a revived lineup of the Yardbirds.

Back home, artists are seeing SXSW as a crucial stepping-stone in the business of rock'n roll.

Platinum-selling Kiwi band goodshirt are careful not to count their chickens: "It's essentially an A&R event," says frontman Rodney Fisher, "but it doesn't mean anything until contracts are signed." Goodshirt are playing a showcase in Los Angeles before the festival and will perform in New York, London and Australia before returning to familiar shores.

New Zealand heavy metal band 8 Foot Sativa have used SXSW as a pivotal gig in planning a world tour that takes in club dates at New York's CBGB's and Los Angeles' Whisky-A-Go-Go. "While we were trying for SXSW we were accepted for the World Series," says bassist Brent Fox. "There we met a guy from Canada who told us about Canadian Music Week. We applied for that as well, and were accepted. It was about $3000 for each band member to get to America and Canada and back, but only an extra couple of hundred bucks to do a world tour. The best thing is we're opening for Soulfly at the Astoria in London now as well."

For the D4, last year's SXSW festival was so much fun that they're going back for another party. "It fits in with the tour that we're doing," says the D4's Jimmy Christmas, "and it was so much fun to be able to walk from bar to bar and constantly be surrounded by such good music."

"We never ever went to make a deal," says the D4's Dion Palmer. "We didn't even think about trying to get record company people along, it just wasn't our focus. It's more a place to play a show and develop a good reputation, or meet promoters, bookers and other bands."

For one New Zealand artist, South By Southwest is an excuse to live out a musical dream. Binder is flying to Los Angeles, and then driving to the festival in Texas. "I don't really have any expectations - I'm trying to incorporate a road trip and see some of the country. I've never been to America myself before and I've always wanted to travel with music, so here's my excuse."