BMI Presents:  Film Music, the Bastard Child of Post Production

Sunday, March 15; 11 a.m. at Austin Convention Center (500 E. Cesar Chavez St)

Film music drives audience emotions and individual scenes can be defined by a particular song or music cue. Essential as it is, film music is often under budgeted and misunderstood. Hosted by BMI and moderated by BMI Vice President, Film & Television Relations Doreen Ringer Ross, this roundtable discussion will explore effective tactics for finding a film’s sound as well as the practical realities for licensing source material. This event is open to conference registrants only.

Panelists will include Hunnypot Unlimited’s John Anderson, Grammy-nominated composer, producer and recording artist Paul Haslinger, Know Your Mushrooms documentary director Ron Mann, agent Linda Kordek, songwriter/artist Grant Lee Phillips and Primary Wave Music’s Michelle Belcher.

Coming & Going….

Check out the BMI-sponsored stage in the newly-christened Ray Benson Roadhouse Bar at Austin/Bergstrom International Airport:
 
Tuesday, March 17
2:00-3:45 p.m. Patricia Vonne; 4:15-6:00 p.m. nelo
 
Wednesday, March 18
2:00-3:45 p.m. Paula Nelson Band; 4:15-6:00 p.m. Redd Volkaert      
 
Monday, March 23
11:00 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Dan Dyer; 1:15-3:00 p.m. Elizabeth Wills; 3:30-5:30 p.m. Uncle Lucius

A Conversation with Michael Penn

Tuesday, March 17; 11 a.m. at Austin Convention Center (500 E. Cesar Chavez St) Hosted and moderated by BMI Vice President, Film & Television Relations Doreen Ringer Ross, this panel will feature a discussion with a prolific singer and composer Michael Penn; the event is open to conference registrants only.

Michael Penn is not afraid of new artistic challenges: He has composed original scores for films including Boogie Nights, Melvin Goes to Dinner, and American Teen, while as a singer-songwriter, he specializes in pop that analyzes and questions as it sparkles, warmed by his inviting tenor. He has released critical-standout albums including March, Free-for-All, and Mr. Hollywood Jr., 1947, which was reissued in 2007 with bonus tracks. www.myspace.com/michaelpenn

BMI Howdy Texas Party

Tuesday, March 17; 6-8:30 p.m. at Stubb’s (801 Red River)

At this BMI invitation-only party, live music in one of Austin’s premier venues will help ease attendees into SXSW. This year, festivities are co-sponsored by NBC Universal and Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation.

Performers include:

Those Darlins (Murfreesboro, TN)
Those Darlins’ whiplash-inducing music prompts head-banging and two-stepping thanks to punk prowess and proud hillbilly roots; the trio hasn’t just turned BMI heads: The New Yorker’s Sasha Frere-Jones and Nashville indie institution Grimey’s New and Preloved Music’s Mike Grimes can’t get enough of them, either.
www.myspace.com/darlins

Chuck Mead & The Grassy Knoll Boys (Nashville, TN)
BR549 cofounder Chuck Mead’s warm, nasal voice weaves stories and quips over vintage-inspired but uncompromisingly original rockabilly licks; while BR549 enjoys a healthy hiatus, Mead is scratching his solo itch with new album Journeyman’s Wager, slated for release March 12.
www.myspace.com/chuckmeadmusic

Elliot Brood Band (Canada)
Trio Elliott BROOD offer jangly folk-pop sharpened by Mark Sasso’s lead vocals, which rasp and punch through story songs and wry confessions; their debut snagged a JUNO nomination, and their September 2008 follow-up, Mountain Meadows, promises more acclaim.
www.myspace.com/elliottbrood

David Garza (Austin)
Ranked second only to Stevie Ray Vaughan in a 1990’s Austin Chronicle Musician of the Decade poll, David Garza remains one of Austin’s most esteemed inhabitants; inimitably capable of Latin-infused soul, Bryan Ferry-bravado, and hip-swiveling rock-and-roll, Garza released his 21st album, Dream Delay, last year.
www.myspace.com/davidgarza

Austinist Day Party

Wednesday, March 18; Noon-6 p.m. at The Mohawk (912 Red River @ E. 10th)

Sponsored by BMI, this free day party will feature indie artists at Austin hotspot The Mohawk, recently voted one of the top ten bars in the U.S. by Esquire.

Performers include: Caitlin Rose, TV/TV, Gringo Star, Telekinesis, Kevin Devine and more.

For more information, please visit www.austinist.com.

Austin Music Awards

Wednesday, March 18; 8 p.m. at Austin Music Hall (208 Nueces St)

Austin’s annual award show will salute the year’s best sounds in a city happily saturated with eclectic musical greatness; tastemaker Andy Langer will return to host, while BMI’s Jody Williams and Mark Mason will present the prestigious Song and Songwriter of the Year awards.

www.myspace.com/musicawards

Girl’s Rock Camp Benefit

Wednesday, March 18; 8 p.m. at Maggie Mae’s (323 E. 6th Street)

Infectious indie energy will take center stage at the Girls Rock Camp Austin showcase, presented by BMI; the internationally farmed lineup of music kicks off sharply at 8 p.m., and any door proceeds will be donated to Girls Rock Camp Austin, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering girls and young women of all backgrounds and abilities through musical education and performance.  Priority admission is reserved for SXSW badge holders, while general public admission requires a minimum donation of $10.

www.girlsrockcampaustin.com
 
7:30 p.m. - UME (Austin, TX)
Ume specializes in dramatic contemporary rock anchored by guitarist Lauren Larson’s lead vocals, which charismatically oscillate between nuanced and brazen; the Austin Chronicle called the band’s Sunshower EP a “forcefully lusty, rich sonic mosaic.”
www.myspace.com/umemusic

8:30 p.m. - The Besties (Brooklyn, NY)
The Besties charm listeners with winsome pop vocals and punk tempo, sonically batting their eyes as they deliver one-liners; the band’s new album, Home Free, hit outlets in February this year.
www.myspace.com/thebesties

9:30 p.m. - Zolof the Rock & Roll Destroyer
Zolof the Rock & Roll Destroyer offer richly candied pop vocals tangled with punk tenacity and electronica exclamation points; the duo released a full-length album, Schematics, in November of 2007.
www.myspace.com/zoloftherockandrolldestroyer

10:30 p.m. - Girl in a Coma (San Antonio, TX)
Girl in a Coma inked a deal Blackheart Records in 2006 after stunning label head Joan Jett with their tightly executed rock punctuated by ferocious and vulnerable lead vocalist Nina Diaz; 2007’s Both Before I’m Gone was a promising introduction, and the trio’s sophomore effort is slated for release this year.
www.myspace.com/girlsinacoma

11:30 p.m. - Jedd Hughes (Nashville, TN)
Australian singer-songwriter Jedd Hughes’ smooth story-telling is matched only by his soulful guitar-slinging; a veteran sideman for heavy-hitters including Patty Loveless, Hughes released a new eponymous EP last year.
www.myspace.com/jeddhughes

12:30 a.m. - Ten Out of Tenn (Nashville, TN)
Originally conceptualized by singer/songwriter Trent Dabbs and wife Kristen, Ten Out of Tenn celebrates the friendships and music of ten auspicious indie and major label artists who proudly call Music City home; in addition to embarking on a national tour through this spring, the ten compatriots released Ten Out of Tenn, Vol. 2, featuring one contribution from each of the group’s members. Ten Out of Tenn is Erin McCarley, Matthew Perryman Jones, Butterfly Boucher, Griffin House, Tyler James, k.s. Rhoads, Trent Dabbs, Katie Herzig, Andy Davis, and Jeremy Lister.
www.myspace.com/tenoutoftenn

Quickies #3: People Who Pay Money for Music

Thursday, March 19; 11 a.m. at Austin Convention Center (500 E. Cesar Chavez St), room 16A

BMI’s Bradley Collins will participate in this panel discussion that will also include insight from publishers, labels, distributors, and music supervisors.

Songwriters Panel: Songwriters Tell Tales

Thursday, March 19; 12:30-1:45 p.m. at the Austin Convention Center (500 E. Cesar Chavez St)

Moderated by BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville Jody Williams, this in-depth discussion on the business and art of successful, dare we say lucrative, songwriting will draw from a diverse hive of creative minds, including Jeffrey Steele, Ed Harcourt and Jessica Lee Mayfield.  This event is open to conference registrants only.
 
Jeffrey Steele
Standing out in Nashville’s overwhelmingly talented community can’t possibly be as easy as 2007 and 2003 BMI Country Songwriter of the Year Jeffrey Steele makes it seem: Rascal Flatts (“What Hurts the Most”), Montgomery Gentry (“Hell Yeah”), Tim McGraw (“Cowboy In Me”) and numerous others have all turned to Steele for a hit or two; the list covers a virtual who’s who of contemporary country’s elite—top sellers who have wisely come to trust the energetic songwriter with the easy, infectious grin. 
www.jeffreysteele.net

Ed Harcourt
British singer-songwriter Ed Harcourt infuses his introspective pop with melodrama and lounge-singer swagger, prompting the New York Times to proclaim his songs are “as close to cabaret tunes and 1960s pop as they are to current rock”; he is currently hard at work on an EP dubbed Russian Roulette, slated for release in March 2009. 
www.myspace.com/edwardharcourt

Jessica Lea Mayfield
19 year-old singer-songwriter Jessica Lea Mayfield fluctuates between a sort of psychedelic interpretation of 50’s bubble-gum pop and rich roots-music sensibility, with a consistent earnestness that hints, mesmerizes, and unnerves; Pitchfork called her “fascinating and endlessly listenable,” while Huffington Post dubbed her voice “lilting, aching, and magnetic,” praising her distinct “forlorn expertise.”
www.myspace.com/jlmayfield

BMI Club Showcase

Thursday, March 19 at Maggie Mae’s (323 E. 6th Street)

BMI will highlight more promising indie-endowed music with an eclectic grab bag including Latin and electronica-tinged artists strutting their collective rock roots.
 
8:15 p.m. - Charlie Mars (Atlanta)
Oxford, Mississippi’s Charlie Mars’ rootsy pop weaves playfully through stories and lovesick pleas; he released his fifth full-length effort, Like A Bird, Like A Plane, in September of last year.
www.myspace.com/charliemars

9 p.m. - Cash Cash (New Jersey)
Cash Cash’s infectious pop promotes 80s-nostalgia and the tossing of inhibitions; “Party in Your Bedroom” ignited an industry buzz, and the guys recently released their major label debut, Take It to the Floor.
www.myspace.com/cashcash

9:45 p.m. - Kyle Andrews (Nashville)
Kyle Andrews incorporates synthesized hooks, melodic keys and lush strings alongside pensive lyrics and the occasional chirping bird to create a distinctly original and thoroughly modern sound; NPR proclaimed his pop “instantly memorable,” calling his sophomore album Real Blasty “an upbeat album for sad people who just want to dance.”
www.myspace.com/kyleandrews

10:30 p.m. - Glacier Hiking (Los Angeles)
Indie rock indulges in the ultra-dramatic in Glacier Hiking’s musical genre web, appreciatively dubbed “electro-crash synth-rock, glam and emo-punk” by L.A. tastemaker Kevin Bronson; the band recently released their first EP, The Color by Number.
www.myspace.com/glacierhiking

11:15 p.m. - Monte Negro (Los Angeles)
Bilingual rockers Monte Negro digested the sounds of their collective Mexican, Chinese and Japanese roots, and spiced the influences with their American present; the quartet’s album Cicatrix features the novel touch of Green Day and Santana producer Tone.
www.myspace.com/montenegrorocks

12 a.m. - Val Emmich (New Jersey)
Svelte-voiced singer-songwriter Val Emmich purveys intelligent pop that’s not afraid of head-bobbing hooks; also an actor who landed the role of “Jesse” on hit series Ugly Betty, Emmich’s artistic versatility is generating a substantial load of deserved attention.
www.myspace.com/valemmich

12:45 a.m. - Ida Maria (Norway)
Norwegian Ida Maria’s tongue-in-cheek pop-rock has prompted international sing-a-longs: The winner of Spellemannsprisen (Norwegian Grammy) newcomer of the year, the singer-songwriter released a revamped version of her album Fortress Around My Heart in February this year.
www.myspace.com/idamaria
 
Time: 7:30 p.m. - 2 a.m.
Admission: Must be a SXSW badge holder

BMI Acoustic Brunch sponsored by Billboard

Friday, March 20; 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at the Four Seasons (98 San Jacinto Blvd)

As the moniker implies, this invitation-only industry mixer offers fresh brunch fare and warm acoustic sounds; ten up-and-coming BMI singer/songwriters perform 15 minute snap-shot sets.
 
11 a.m. - Mandi Perkins (Los Angeles, CA)
Canadian singer-songwriter Mandi Perkins delivers climactic pop-rock that has already found allies in MTV’s The Hills and The Real World, which have featured her personal compositions; “Why Pretend,” off her recently released Alice in No Man’s Land, is slated for release early this year.
www.myspace.com/mandiperkins
 
11:15 a.m. - Laura Warshauer (Fair Haven, NJ)
Island Def Jam recording artist Laura Warshauer composes contemplative pop anchored by rock roots and enriched by folk sensibilities; she recently released her eponymous seven-song EP digitally, and her upcoming full-length album is slated for release this summer.
www.myspace.com/laurawarshauer

11:30 a.m. - Guy Sebastian (Australia)
Neo-soul singer Guy Sebastian doesn’t shy away from his roots: Album The Memphis Tour offers Sebastian’s inspired takes on classics “Soul Man,” “Hold On,” and more, featuring the accompaniment and blessing of original session legends including Booker T. & the MG’s Steve Cropper and Donald “Duck” Dunn, saxophonist Steve Potts, and keys player Lester Snell.
www.myspace.com/guysebastian.com

11:45 a.m. - Val Emmich (New Jersey)
Svelte-voiced singer-songwriter Val Emmich purveys intelligent pop that’s not afraid of head-bobbing hooks; also an actor who landed the role of “Jesse” on hit series Ugly Betty, Emmich’s artistic versatility is generating a substantial load of deserved attention.
www.myspace.com/valemmich
 
12:00 p.m. - April Smith (Brooklyn, NY)
Singer-songwriter April Smith concocts indie pop with vaudevillian swagger backed by impressive vocals; she shows off her wry humor, considerable vocal chops and lyrical knack on her live EP, Live from the Penthouse.
www.myspace.com/aprilsmithmusic
 
12:15 p.m. - Sarah Jarosz (Austin, TX)
Teenage multi-instrumentalist Sarah Jarosz has mesmerized both bluegrass elder statesmen in search of torch bearers and indie hipsters jonesing for something fresh; the soulful young singer recently inked a deal with Sugar Hill Records and will release a full-length album this year.
www.myspace.com/sarahjaroszmusic

12:30 p.m. - Madi Diaz (Nashville, TN)
Singer-songwriter Madi Diaz playfully experiments with pop by infusing fetching melodies with quirky arrangements partially indebted to her comfortably confident sense of roots music and folk; with musical partner Kyle Ryan, she released the Ten Gun Salute EP late last year.
www.myspace.com/madidiaz
 
12:45 p.m. - Megan McCormick (Nashville, TN)
Megan McCormick’s intimate vocals may hook listeners first, but her tastefully nimble guitar-playing seals the deal; 22 years-old and already a veteran of acclaimed roots troupe the everybodyfields, she is currently writing for her first solo album.
www.myspace.com/meganmccormicksmusic.com

1:00 p.m. - Yadira Brown (Austin, TX)
Yadira Brown couples a penchant for electro-pop with her sugary vocals to create dreamy, sway-inducing mood music; she digitally released her EP, Dreams of Home, in December of last year.
www.myspace.com/yadir
 
1:15 p.m. - Elizabeth Elkins (Atlanta, GA)
After a recent show, Paste magazine proclaimed Elizabeth Elkins fronted Atlanta rock outfit The Swear “with a thundering certainty”; whether with The Swear or standing alone on stage with her acoustic guitar, the singer-songwriter has mastered the delivery of her dramatic pop-rock compositions.
www.myspace.com/ghostofsummersuns

BMI Friday Night Show

Friday, March 20; 8 p.m. at Austin Music Hall (208 Nueces St)

This Friday-night show marks new wave proginators DEVO’s first appearance at SXSW. U.K.-based artist Tricky and Oklahoma City’s Stardeath & White Dwarves will join DEVO on the red-letter bill.

8 p.m. Black & White Years (Austin, TX)
The Black & White Years have generated industry tongue-wagging (Austin Monthly Magazine called their first album “hip-shaking cool”) beyond obvious Talking Heads comparisons; producer (and ex-Talking Heads member) Jerry Harrison helmed their studio debut, which is at once an ironic, dance-inducing, spine-tingling frolic.
www.myspace.com/theblackandwhiteyears

9 p.m. Stardeath & White Dwarves
Stardeath & White Dwarfs infuse psychedelic rock with the occasional electronica flourish, creating an inescapable groove; after inking a deal with Warner Bros. Records, the band released a 7″ vinyl, I Can’t Get Away, in February this year.
www.myspace.com/stardeath

10 p.m. Datarock
Datarock exuberantly channels the snark and synth of new wavers including Devo to create their retro-inspired but current electronica-laced sound; the Washington Post delighted in a recent performance, dubbing their show “joyous genius.”
www.myspace.com/datarock

11 p.m. Tricky
Musically adventurous artist Tricky explores humanity’s underbelly with magnetic swagger and undeniable chops, evidenced most recently on his 2008 release Knowle West Boy.
www.myspace.com/trickola

12 a.m. DEVO
Devo’s thorough understanding of the ability of precise, multi-faceted artistic expression to relay relevant social commentary elevated the band from quirky cult icons to mainstream players in the late 70’s and 80’s. 1978’s Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! ignited a devout underground following, and thanks to their smash “Whip It” and its corresponding video, the band emerged as early MTV heroes; hits including “Beautiful World” and “That’s Good” followed.
www.myspace.com/devo