SxSW

Today the SxSW Music Conference announced their full list of showcasing artists. There are hundreds and hundreds of acts that are going to be making their way to Austin next month for the world renowned multi-media conference. I included the full list after the break for any of you music nerds who need to read every band (like me). For those of you who just want to see some highlights, check out the tags for this post. Also, for all of you Houston readers, I went ahead and bolded all of the bands that are coming from the Bayou City (congrats guys!).

2008 Showcasing Artists for the SxSW Music Conference:

If you haven't heard by now, Athens, Georgia rockers R.E.M. are releasing a new album. Accelerate is their first album since 2004's Around The Sun, and is due out on Warner Bros. on April Fool's Day. They just announced the tour dates to support their latest effort, and also added a few bands to help them out on the road. Indie-rockers Modest Mouse and The National will join R.E.M. starting on May 23rd at Vancouver's Deer Lake Park. The tour will make notable stops at many of North America's best (Red Rocks, Hollywood Bowl, Greek Theatre) and worst (United Center) venues.

Tour Dates after the jump.

A few weeks ago I posted the initial artist list for this year's SxSW Music Conference and Festival. I promised that the list would grow rapidly, and it has. With the official line-up due out in February, a growing list has emerged with over 300 bands booked for the numerous showcases, conferences and parties throughout the streets of Austin. Many acts are still to be announced over the next few weeks, but this gives us a pretty good idea who will be on the bill.

List of Bands for SxSW 2008:

ATO Records announced today that My Morning Jacket (who I featured in my contribution to this week's spotlight songs) will be playing the Verizon Wireless Theater in Houston on March 10 with another of my favorite bands, Yo La Tengo. I've been hankering for another MMJ show after catching their set at ACL last year, and I've been a big fan of Yo La Tengo's genre-bending music ever since they wowed me at a Warehouse Live gig I hadn't even planned to attend (TV on the Radio were playing the same night; Eggs and I flipped a coin and wound up at Yo La Tengo). So, thank you, ATO Records, for the wonderful birthday gift. It runs a very close second to the feline bundle of joy that Eggs is giving me.

(...Did I really just thank Dave Matthews? Dammit.)

More My Morning Jacket news

The initial list of bands for this years South By South West music conference and festival was released yesterday. The Austin, Texas festival is filled with music reps, producers, publishers, etc. trying to discover the next big thing. Several hundred bands play on over 60 different stages throughout the city which pretty much creates general madness throughout the streets.

This years initial list features many up-and-coming acts as well as some of the bigger names that bring more and more people to this conference and festival every year. R.E.M., My Morning Jacket and Daniel Lanois lead the list of artists, with bands like Vampire Weekend, Jens Lekman and Tech N9ne filling it out.

2008 SxSW initial artists

Keeping a New Years resolution is pretty much impossible for me. I am sure many people are in the same boat. I have quit smoking three times. I have gone on four unsuccessful diets. It just does not work for me. This year I have decided to make one that would stick. My New Years resolution is to see as many great live acts as I can in 2008. I have not had any trouble going to great live shows in the past so I thought that this would be the perfect resolution for me (I am quitting smoking for a fourth time on the 7th of January. The reason for quitting on the 7th is to make sure it's not actually a resolution).

The beginning of this year is shaping up to be a pretty exciting one musically. Bands are starting to book their spring dates, and Houston, Austin and beyond are starting to fill in their calendars. Here's a list of shows that we here at Breakfast On Tour are really starting to get amped about.

Continue reading to see where we are going to be