How to Attend the South by Southwest Music Awards

South by Southwest works in concert with a number of local organizations to put together one of the nation's premiere arts festivals each year. What began with simple music concerts has today evolved into an electronics expo, film festival and more. But the music remains the heart and soul of this city, and today the Austin Chronicle Music Awards are among the most coveted statuettes in the industry.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Demo
• Press kit

Go as a Musician

1. Play in Austin as often as you can. This is a town with a thriving music scene, and the surest way to get noticed is by flooding the zone with gigs.
2. Maintain a good mailing list and aggressively recruit new fans. In music there is simply no substitute for the kind of buzz that comes from a critical mass of loyal fans.
3. Record new material often and keep the press apprised of developments in your sound and style. Journalists who choose the South by Southwest music awards nominees like to see signs of growth and ferment in their favorite musical acts.
4. Push for recognition and coverage from the Austin Chronicle, which created and hosts the music awards each year. If you have any contacts at the paper, attend to these diligently and do whatever is necessary to keep yourself on the radar.

Go as a Fan

5. Cast your vote at one of the Chronicle's online polls. Many past years have seen lotteries where fans can win tickets simply by participating.
6. Grab tickets to attend as soon as they appear online. The Chronicle does a good job of publicizing this event well in advance, so you want to be ready with phone in hand when the time arrives.
7. Show up in style. The South by Southwest music awards are a place where rock and roll fashion comes at a premium, and the last thing you want is to stand out for uninspired threads.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember you don't necessarily need to be nominated to attend the South by Southwest music awards, so explore as many options as you can for this coveted pass.
• The show is usually broadcast in Austin, so don't despair if you cannot seem to snag a pass. Often the television coverage is even better-looking and better-sounding than a spot up in the rafters somewhere.
• Do not try to break into the venue under any circumstances. Past revelers have found themselves fined and detained for such enthusiasm.