Spring Break in the South:
For music lovers, spring break has the potential to be absolutely amazing this year. South by Southwest, the annual independent art, music, and film festival, falls directly over AU’s spring break. The festival provides a unique alternative for those who aren’t looking for a beach vacation.

Located in Austin, Tx., South by Southwest (or SXSW, for those into hip lingo) is a showcases all forms of art. But the music remains the main draw for festival-goers who come to the sweltering South each year. Independent bands come together in a weeklong mélange of good sounds and good people in an environment that seems like a world of its own.

Bands play in venues (usually of the small, intimate sort)all over the city, thus maintaining an close-knit atmosphere despite the festival’s vast reach. History has been made in some of these local Austin indie clubs, some of which have become famous nationwide. Emo's, Stubbs, and Maggie Mae's have become national musical landmarks, even for those who don’t frequent the Austin metropolitan area.

Each year the keynote speakers are people who have not only made waves in the art community, but have forever changed youth culture. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO and founder of Facebook is lined up to address the attendees this year, along with Jane McGonigal and Frank Warren. But the main attraction to the keynote events -- and quite possibly to the festival itself -- may very well be Lou Reed’s speech on March 13, which promises to appeal even to those who think speeches have no place music festivals.

While music afficionados are enticed by many elements of SXSW, they are particularly drawn to the showcasing of great new talent. Each year, previously unknown bands watch their careers skyrocket as a result of playing at the festival. Last year was no exception as bands like Voxtrot, Peter Bjorn and John, Loney Dear, and Dan Deacon established their bases in the indie community; some even branched out to mainstream outlets.
This year will surely be no different -- there is already exciting buzz about some of the new bands on this year's bill. The sound of the New Violators, a “blog band” of late 2007, is a throwback to a time somewhere between glam and new wave. At times it's hard to believe they’re a contemporary outfit, as they’ve mastered a mix of something between The Cure, Depeche Mode, and The Smiths. While The Killers and The Editors only embarrassed themselves attempting synth-revival, the New Violators have achieved the sound with near-perfection.

New indie sweethearts Vampire Weekend will also be gracing the SXSW stage. The band only recently made its debut in the music scene with an EP in late 2007 and an LP in late January 2008. These four collegiate types have been causing a buzz in the blogosphere since mid-2007, and their impressive climb through the charts has been emphasized by their possession of a slot on the SXSW bill before their album was even released.

While South by Southwest is a place to showcase new talent, it is also a place for returning talent to try new things. Peter Moren, one third of the Swedish trio Peter, Bjorn, and John, is causing a buzz with his solo debut at the festival. Considering how SXSW helped set off PB&J's career, one can only assume it will do good for a returning favorite. With strings, strong percussion, vibraphones, and synthesizers, Moren’s debut is shaping up to be more lush and complex than the sound expected from PB&J.

If there’s anyone who knows about lush arrangements, it's Jens Lekman, Swedish heartthrob extraordinaire – guaranteed to be your favorite singer-songwriter that you've never heard of. Though he's been around for awhile, Lekman is only now gaining the momentum he should have had all along. With a charming back-catalogue, Jens sings of unrequited love, blind girls at summer camp, and sliced avocados - all with a melodic croon that can make anyone melt.

While new and old sounds alike promise to draw music geeks from all over the country, the atmosphere of the festival itself keeps people coming back each year. Nothing compares to thousands of people coming together in one place to enjoy the same music, films, and art. SXSW attendees share an appreciation for artists who value their aesthetic over mainstream indulgence.