The 2012 edition of South by Southwest Festival will take place from March 9th to 18thin Austin, Texas. For those of you who haven’t heard about it before, SXSW is one of the most important festivals in the US.
SXSW 2012 via Mxdwn
South by Southwest is a company that organises trade shows, conferences and festivals. The events taking place during March are a convergence of original music, independent films and emerging technologies. The organisers of the festival describe it as a premier destination for discovering new talent in each of the fields.
“Year after year, the event is a launching pad for new creative content. New media presentations, music showcases and film screenings provide buzz-generating exposure for creators and compelling entertainment for audiences. Intellectual and creative intermingling among industry leaders continues to spark new ideas and carve the path for the future of each ever-evolving field, long after the events’ conclusion.”
SXSW is mainly known for SXSW Music, which is one of the largest music festivals in the US. This edition’s gigs will start on March 13th and will go on until March 18th. During these days more than 2,000 events will take place, including talks, shows, expos and parties.
One of the highlights this year is the presence of Bruce Springsteen as a keynote speaker. Alongside other big names like Norah Jones, who will perform during this edition, the festival is known for showcasing independent bands that in some cases have become popular after their performances at SXSW. This is the case of John Mayer or James Blunt.
If you’re lucky enough to attend to this year’s edition, don’t forget to check names like Beach Fossils, Craft Spells, Delta Spirit or Oh Land. In case you’re a little lost with so many bands playing and events taking place, we’ve prepared a Pinterest board with what you shouldn’t miss at SXSW 2012.
SXSW Film is the film section of the festival, since 1997 it has focused on new directing talent. Several movies have had their US premieres during the festival, including The Hurt Locker, which won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2010. SXSW Film has gained popularity during the past few years, after last year’s edition film critic Christopher Kelly wrote that the festival went from being “a well-regarded but fundamentally regional event to having joined the leagues of film festivals around the world”.
The 2012 edition goes from March 9th until March 18th. Some of the films not to miss this year include Eden, Los Chidos and Pilgrim Song, which will have their world premieres during the festival. In the documentary section names such as The Source or Bay of All Saints seem candidates to receive several awards during next year’s film festivals.
SXSW Interactive focuses on emerging technology. During the past years’ editions several notable events have taken place, making the festival earn a reputation as a source of creative technologies and new ideas.
In 2006 the festival featured a keynote panel of Craigslist founder Craig Newmark and Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales, in 2007 Twitter gained buzz and became popular after that year’s edition and in 2009 the mobile app Foursquare was launched at the Festival. The festival has also presented a big variety of tools for digital marketers, such as customer intelligence software, since the first edition was held.
This year’s edition will feature 5 days of presentations from some of the brightest minds in emerging technology, taking place in March 9th-13th. Some of the highlights this year include the presentation of MakerBot Replicator 3D printer and the Microsoft Interactive Lounge.
Have you ever attended SXSW? Are you planning on going this year? Let us know in the comments section below!
