TRIPLE A STATIONS PREPARE FOR SXSW • VUHAUS HOSTS "RADIO DAY STAGE"

SXSW, a truly unique global music, media and lifestyle event, gets underway in Austin a week from today (3/10) and noncommercial music stations will add to the fun. Among the many, many tasty happenings is the VuHaus Radio Day Stage on Friday (3/17).

Radio Day Stage is presented by VuHaus in conjunction with 89.3 The Current, WFUV, KEXP, KXT and KUTX. The show is from Noon to 6:00pm in the Austin Convention Center.  Perhaps best of all, VuHaus will be streaming most of acts live, so you can enjoy the party. The live feed will be available on VuHaus.com, VuHaus station websites, NPR Music or SXSW.com.  More information is available here.

The music line up for Radio Day Stage is mixture of the hottest new bands and even newer artists and bands.  Scheduled to appear are:

SPOON

• Hippo Campus – 12noon (personal favorite of mine)

• Lizzo – 1pm

• Chicano Batman – 2 pm

• Spoon – 3pm (another personal favorite)

• Valerie June – 4 pm

• Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears – 5 pm

SXSW is filled with fun and educational sessions.  This year there are 24 different “tracks” including Brands & Marketing, Intelligent Future, Film & TV Industry, Music Influencers, Experiential Storytelling, Journalism and many more. Complete SXSW information is available here.

SESSION FOR THE TRIPLE A COMMUNITY

Mike Henry is moderating the panel "Alt Radio: Balancing Discovery vs Playing the Hits," on Friday, March 17, from 3:30 - 4:30pm. Here is the session description:

Despite the myriad tools at our fingertips to "discover" new music, the Commercial Alternative format failed to break more than a handful of artists, particularly in the past year. How do stations, programmers, and DJs find new music and actually play it? We’ll discuss micro options like “Download Discovery” features, specialty & locals-only shows, battles of the band, but also the bigger obvious ways like simply listening to your audience more and seeking out great music personally.

Mike Henry (second from left) at the 2015 NONCOMvention

 In addition to Mike Henry, the panel includes Jeff Morad, PD of WEQX, Manchester, VT; Lazlo, PD of KRBZ, Kansas City; Leslie James, PD of CD102.5, Columbus, OH; and Mike Kaplan, Head of Clear Channel Alternative Rock programming. Read more about the session here.

The Current is making available an excellent guide to SXSW.  See it here.

WALK THIS WAY…

I’ve been to Austin many times but I’ve never been to SXSW.  If I was going to be there I’d check out the queertastic events and activities, a major component of SXSW. The Austin Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce invites all LGBT folks to Oilcan Harry’s for drinks, dancing and networking on Friday night 3/10.  Complete info is here.

Of special interest is the SXSW Queer Filmmakers Brunch, sponsored by aGLIFF, the organization that sponsors the Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Fest. The brunch is on Saturday (3/11).  More info is available here.