Austin’s Southwest fest expects record crowds

Yes, Roland Swenson knows that old Yogi Berra line about a business that gets too successful for its own good. “Oh, the one that says, ‘Nobody goes to that restaurant anymore because it’s too crowded,’ or something like that? Yes, I’ve heard it.” It was clear that Swenson, a cofounder of the South by Southwest music festival, would rather not hear the chestnut this week, thank you very much.

The 20th annual SXSW music festival in Austin, Texas, kicks into high gear today with an expected record attendance of 10,000 for an event that essentially takes over the college town and puts bands, both obscure and venerated, in every hall, bar and club in the city limits. The scope of the event has brought complaints already from music industry veterans in Los Angeles who say it has outgrown its mission of showcasing unsigned bands.

Swenson let out a deep sigh when the topic was broached Monday.

“People in the music industry, grumbling? What are the odds? Attendance is up, there are no two ways about that, but we’ve done some things to balance that out.”

There were fewer passes sold to the general public this year and fewer “comp” admissions for bands and their friends, Swenson said, and the addition of three venues and the expansion of half a dozen others have added some elbow room.

But, clearly, the event has redefined itself in the last decade. It has added separate programs for film and interactive (they began Friday and run through this week), and, unlike its scrappy early days, the conference is now a draw for corporate powers and the world press.

That makes for a curious confluence of interests. Where else do you have Neil Young and Henry Rollins as featured speakers, as well as Ian Pearson, the British trade minister, who will join a panel discussing the grim state of affairs of United Kingdom music at American retail stores?

The heart of SXSW remains its band performances. This year there are 1,300 scheduled, and that does not include “unofficial” shows being staged to piggyback the formal conference. A performance by Morrissey is expected to draw a big crowd, as are bands such as She Wants Revenge, the Arctic Monkeys, Band of Horses, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Neko Case.

Swenson warns that anyone coming to SXSW who “bases their whole trip on getting into one particular show” will likely fly home disappointed, but that the attendee who keeps his head on a swivel and is open to unexpected music will return home with stories to tell.