Musos stake claim in Texas

Iain Shedden, Music writer | March 10, 2008

THERE'S a lot of steak when Australian musos try to further their careers in the US.

Actually that should read "at stake", but if you're in Austin, Texas, this week, both terms could apply.

On Friday, 12 Australian acts including Paul Kelly, the Vines, the Panics and a handful of up-and-coming bands will peddle their wares at the Aussie Barbecue in Austin, home to the annual South By South West Music Conference and Festival.

The barbecue has become a regular feature of the international music industry event, which runs this year from Wednesday until Sunday.

The purpose of the Aussie gathering is to showcase our talent as well as to have a party, but the ultimate goal is to secure publishing, recording, distribution or touring deals with some of the thousands of industry delegates in the Texas city.

Hoodoo Gurus, Josh Pyke and Expatriate were among the Aussie acts who performed at SxSW last year. This year, a new crop of acts is on a mission, among them young Brisbane band Yves Klein Blue, which has released only one EP in Australia so far.

Last night, Yves Klein Blue played their first American show at a Los Angeles club and will also play in New York and London before returning to Australia in April to tour.

The band doesn't plan to release an album until next year, but singer Michael Tomlinson said the SxSW gig was a great opportunity to shop their songs to potential overseas labels and promoters. "We all feel extremely excited to be here," Tomlinson said in LA yesterday. "But at the same time we feel disbelief. The idea is to try to get set up overseas, get a label and things like that to push you in the overseas market."

More than 1500 acts from around the world are performing at SxSW this year, so competition is fierce. Each year there's plenty of sparring for entry to the shows that are considered the hot tickets.

Tomlinson and his three bandmates may not be among those this year, but they are enjoying the moment nonetheless.

"We're very green, to say the least," Tomlinson said. "We're just happy to have this experience. We're here with no expectations."

Also appearing at the barbecue on Friday are West Australian bands the Chevelles and the Stems, New York-based Sydney punk band Mink and Central Coast, NSW outfit Something With Numbers.

taken from: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23347397-16947,00.html