Started in 1987 when Austin was cool, but not yet corporate, this little music festival in central Texas has become, according to the New York Times, "America?s most important music convention." It even got a front page article in The Wall Street Journal. And now it has film and interactive extensions of the fest. Plus, it's own Wikipedia entry. OK, anybody can have that, and this one needs improvement. Can SXSW survive its own success?http://www.newser.com/2008 - Newseren-usNewser Feed GeneratorThu, 20 Nov 2008 2:04:26 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/34494/the-hardest-drinking-us-cities.html?refid=rss_all_defaultFamous for its arts festivals and home to a large college population, Austin, Texas, takes top honors as America’s hardest-drinking city, reports Forbes in its distillation of behavioral data from the CDC. Here are the top 5: Austin—1 in 5 admit to binge drinking, and 9% of men have two drinks a day.http://www.newser.com/story/34494/the-hardest-drinking-us-cities.html?refid=rss_all_defaultSat, 09 Aug 2008 5:31:28 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/21719/hip-hop-finds-new-direction-in-sxsw.html?refid=rss_all_defaultMove over indie-rock—Hip-hop got a big bump at South by Southwest this year. Houston's emerging hip-hop scene helped spread word within the rap community, the AP reports, and some 150 acts took the stage this year. "Honestly I didn't know too much about this," says Del the Funky Homosapien, but "people would say, 'If you don't go, you trippin'!'"http://www.newser.com/story/21719/hip-hop-finds-new-direction-in-sxsw.html?refid=rss_all_defaultSun, 16 Mar 2008 18:20:58 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/21665/vampires-rem-win-austin-buzz.html?refid=rss_all_defaultAt least one "buzz band" has emerged in South by Southwest, a music festival that is increasingly dominated by big-name artists: world-beat pop quartet Vampire Weekend. Still hot from a Saturday Night Live appearance last weekend, the Columbia University band has wowed Austin with its clean, poppy sound, the Buffalo News reports.http://www.newser.com/story/21665/vampires-rem-win-austin-buzz.html?refid=rss_all_defaultSat, 15 Mar 2008 20:19:50 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/72384/1700-bands-rocking-as-the-cd-industry-reels.html?refid=rss_all_default“I don’t want to feel like I don’t have a future,” sang the Shout Out Louds, one of more than 1,700 bands that have been performing day and night at Austin’s clubs, halls, meeting rooms, parking lots and street corners since Wednesday....Southwest is a talent showcase and a schmoozathon, a citywide barbecue party and a brainstorming session for a business that has been radically shaken and stirred by the Internet. For established recording companies, the instantaneous and often unpaid distribution of music online is business hell; CD album sales are on an accelerating slide, and sales of downloads aren’t making up for the losses.http://www.newser.com/story/72384/1700-bands-rocking-as-the-cd-industry-reels.html?refid=rss_all_defaultSat, 15 Mar 2008 9:48:55 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/21588/tables-turn-on-rebel-festival.html?refid=rss_all_defaultThe South by Southwest musical festival finds itself in an odd spot—the once-tiny gathering is now the big bad authority figure as it tries to keep others from horning in on its success, the Wall Street Journal reports. Festival organizers routinely call the police, revoke privileges, and file lawsuits as they try to shut down the loads of unsanctioned parties and concerts that spring up on the fringes of the 5-day festival in Austin, Texas.http://www.newser.com/story/21588/tables-turn-on-rebel-festival.html?refid=rss_all_defaultSat, 15 Mar 2008 9:44:27 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/72385/deep-in-the-soul-of-texas-new-york-times.html?refid=rss_all_default"Bad Girls Upset by the Truth," a combination of songs and monologues, was performed in Austin as part of the annual South by Southwest Music Industry conference in March. Last year, a bunch of Austin singers recorded versions of her songs for a tribute album, "Across the Great Divide: Songs of Jo Carol Pierce," on the local Dejadisc label. At this year's Austin Music Awards ceremony, which opens the conference (or SXSW as it is abbreviated), "Across the Great Divide" swept top honors: album of the year, songwriter of the year and producer of the year. At the age of 47, Ms. Pierce is an official local hero in her adopted hometown.Austin likes to make heroes of its artists and musicians. A cultural class that would be fringe in most cities is mainstream in Austin: bad girls like Ms. Pierce; Eddie Wilson, an ex-hippie turned restaurateur; the singer-songwriter Jimmie Dale Gilmore; the guitarist, painter and poster artist Guy Juke, and the jack-of-all-arts Butch Hancock. Austin celebrates and elevates its wacky element. The Chamber of Commerce flaunts the music scene as a way to attract visitors.http://www.newser.com/story/72385/deep-in-the-soul-of-texas-new-york-times.html?refid=rss_all_defaultSat, 15 Mar 2008 9:59:29 CDT