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fuzuoko/flickrSouth by Southwest, Day 1
With over 1700 bands, 80 stages, and 10,000 participants, South by Southwest is the largest music conference in the country. In the first of two special live broadcasts from Austin, Texas, Soundcheck takes a look inside this annual music industry blitz. Later: Austin-based, lo-fi folk group Peter and the Wolf performs in abandoned buses and Salvation Army outlets. Leader Red Hunter joins us to tell his unusual story, and Peter and the Wolf performs live in the studios of our host station, Classical 89.5 KMFA.
Follow John Schaefer and the Soundcheck staff on our festival blog, Soundcheck on Site: SXSW
Why Mess With Texas?
Twenty-two years after its humble beginnings, the South by Southwest conference is the music industry's premier schmoozefest. But labels, bands and fans alike are tangled up in retail woes and soul-searching over the future of music. We hear what SXSW has to offer guitarist Peter Buck of R.E.M., a group that is debuting its new album at the festival. We get three different takes on the value of SXSW from Will Sheff, singer and songwriter from Austin band Okkervil River (pictured at right), Amy Phillips, news editor of the online news site Pitchfork and John Kunz, president of Austin's Waterloo Records and Video.
Peter and the Wolf
The lo-fi folk outfit Peter and the Wolf is led by songwriter and indie label honcho Red Hunter. He’s known for performing in unusual venues like a Salvation Army outlet, an abandoned bus, and beneath a highway overpass. Today, Peter and the Wolf opts for a more traditional live performance setting: Soundcheck’s temporary Austin studio.
Find out more about our host station, Classical 89.5 KMFA
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Soundcheck's Noteworthy New York
Want to know the hottest places to go this weekend? Check out where New York's musicians go in their free time.
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Soundcheck Blog
Go behind the scenes!
Find out what John Schaefer and the Soundcheck staff have to say about recent segments on the show.
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Noteworthy New York
Soundcheck
We have invited musicians and artists to help us select their favorite cultural destination in the neighborhood where they live. From parks and coffee shops to bowling alleys and museums, the options are as diverse as our group of contributors.
Your "Democracy Song"
Soundcheck
As we march toward Election Day, Soundcheck wants you to identify a song that captures the spirit of democracy. It might be Woody Guthrie’s populist classic “This Land Is Your Land” or Sly and the Family Stone’s funky hit “Everyday People.” It might even be a current Top 40 hit with mass appeal. Put on your musical thinking cap, get creative, then post your song here.
Buying Music: A Smackdown Series
Soundcheck
Check out our ongoing series of Soundcheck Smackdown debates on the music marketplace -- and how we shop inside it. Part I: the pros and cons of MySpace. Part II: two documentarians throw down over music at Wal-Mart. Coming up: Part III: iTunes and Part IV: iPod vs. Zune
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Atmosphere
Soundcheck
With minimalist beats and confessional rhymes, the hip-hop duo Atmosphere became the toast of the hip-hop underground after it formed 10 years ago. Now, the group has turned to classic funk and soul, and frontman Slug is still telling captivating stories. They perform in our studio.
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Tin Pan Alley
Soundcheck
A two-block stretch of West 28th Street was once the home of American songwriters and music publishers. But buildings in area are now up for sale, and preservationists fear a major development is in the works. We look at the history and future of Tin Pan Alley.
I Am Azerrad ... No, I Am Azerrad!
Soundcheck
Nirvana biographer and indie-rock historian Michael Azerrad writes about musicians for a living. Now, the British band Tubelord (pictured) has written about him -- and the lyrics are a tad scary.
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Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile
Soundcheck
Two major players from the worlds of classical and American roots music have joined forces for an album of new material. They perform in our studio.
- Comments [7]
