Berklee's Events at SXSW Multiply

Austin's SXSW Conferences and Festivals seems to expand exponentially, with a dizzying number of bands, venues, and events added every year.  Likewise, Berklee's presence there has also grown quickly, from one party showcasing alumni and student bands in 2006 to three events over as many days at the festival. This year, 12 acts containing 30 alumni and students performed at Berklee's events in genres including rock, pop, folk, country, Americana, and hip-hop.

Berklee, Berkleemusic.com, and Heavy Rotation Records returned to Friends Bar for their fifth annual official SXSW party showcasing up-and-coming artists. The lineup featured Audible Mainframe, Ann Driscoll, LoveLikeFire, Nini & Ben, Stefan Wm, Jordan Tarrant, the Young Republic, and Shayna Zaid and the Catch. The event has become a popular gathering, attracting hundreds of alumni, students, SXSW conference-goers, and music fans perusing the multitude of offerings on Austin's famed Sixth Street. 

An enthusiastic crowd also came out for Berklee's first unofficial SXSW show at Lucky Lounge, an intimate venue on nearby Fifth Street. A House A Home, Melissa Ferrick, Merry Go Round, and Amber Rubarth were on hand to perform, while Nini & Ben, Driscoll, and Tarrant did double duty, playing at both shows.

Make that triple duty for Nini & Ben, who also performed a semi-acoustic set at Berklee's third event of the week, a cookout hosted by trustee David Clem and his wife Kathy—attended by Berklee president Roger Brown, alumni, parents, students, faculty, and staff—at the Clems' ranch 35 miles outside of Austin. After guests devoured fabulous home-cooked barbeque, student violinist Ada Pasternak gave an impromptu performance that included a Béla Fleck tune.  

Click the photo to browse through a gallery of the events; read more about SXSW and watch videos at Berklee Blogs.