SXSW Bands Back; Coolies Stay On To Record

Most of the New Zealand artists who played this year’s South By Southwest (SXSW) music conference are safely back home from Austin, Texas. The Coolies, The Have, Jakob, The Mint Chicks, and Pluto all accepted invitations from SXSW to perform showcases during the music arm of the festival, which ran from March 16 - 20 2005.

The annual SXSW NZ Music Function was once again held in Austin’s historic Brush Square Park, this year attracting some 500-odd people. They included guests from Billboard Magazine, the UK’s Music Week and Radio 1 among the assortment of labels, managers, musicians, and media who were in attendance.

Kim Crawford Wines came to the party in a big way, allowing the guests to sample a range of NZ wine while watching performances from all the NZ bands playing the conference.

The Lion Foundation played a major role as well, by making funding available for the bands travelling to SXSW; their financial support was the difference between some bands being able to attend or not.

The Coolies have remained in the USA to play some shows and record an album. They have played in New York, Baltimore, Washington DC, San Diego, LA, and San Fransisco, where they are currently recording.

www.nzmusic.org.nz

www.thecoolies.com