Scottish bands are making a real impact on the music scene. No longer thought of solely for bagpipes and The Proclaimers (who’s music is now in a musical), a number of bands from north of the border have been exploding into the top ten in UK music charts over the past year.
The Fratellis have undoubtedly made an impact, and after winning ‘Best Breakthrough Act’ at the Brit Awards in February, you can guarantee they’ll be around for a while. Singer/songwriter Paulo Nutini has also taken the country by storm with his first album ‘These Streets’ being followed up with a tour which has quickly sold out in a number of venues in the UK.
Both the Fratellis and Paulo Nutini have something in common. They were both at last year’s South by Southwest Festival (SXSW) in Texas and they were both in attendance again this year. A total of 18 bands and musicians from Scotland took part in the festival this year, fourteen of which received funding from the Scottish Arts Council to go.
SXSW is a three part festival held annually in Austin, Texas. The three components of the festival are the SXSW Interactive Festival, the SXSW Film Conference and Festival and the SXSW Music and Media Conference. The Music and Media Conference was held over the 14-18 March this year.
The reason bands fight to attend the festival showcase in Texas is clear: It’s big. Last year nearly fifteen hundred bands were showcased in sixty-four venues to nearly eleven thousand participants. This is the place where deals happen, bands and talent are spotted, and contracts are drawn up.
The Scottish bands who were attending all no doubt had their fingers and toes crossed, waiting for great things to happen. The list of attendees reads like a who’s who of Scotland’s up and coming music scene:
Networking is one of the most important factors in any business and for any career nowadays, and SXSW is clearly one of the best environments to be in for music networking. The fact that the Scottish Arts Council have provided funding for such a large number of the bands shows that they are serious about promoting the country’s talent and realise the benefits, contacts and possibilities that can be gained from such experiences. Not only that but they have realised what an impact it has.
The Fratellis and Paulo Nutini are only two of the successes. Last year Corinne Bailey Rae and the Guillemots were in attendance and it has paid off for them too. Both have released numerous records abroad and have increased in popularity in the US – a thing Robbie Williams could never quite manage. This is what the other bands are looking to replicate this year.
If the Arts Council, and indeed the country, continues to invest more money, time and interest into our young musicians we are going to see a return. Some of the most interesting, fresh and original music has come from Scotland over recent years and there are some legends in the making. Events like SXSW are the key to success for most of these artists. It puts them in contact with the people they need. They can take control of their own careers by attending workshops and information sessions from industry professionals, finding a US distributor or negotiating a tour of Asia.
What is perhaps more exciting in some ways is the affect it has had ‘at home’ in Scotland for the bands. In the run up to the festival there were two showcases held named the “Road to SXSW” in conjunction with BBC Radio Scotland. These were held in order to publicise the event and the bands before they left the country. There is increasing media interest over the SXSW conference and with large radio coverage on home soil and away, we are becoming more involved, excited and interested in what’s going on at this industry event.
But with all this hype, what will happen when they return home? There is no real way of knowing what will be in store for these musicians. Talent and financial aid alone is not enough. Without a doubt they will all have created some opportunities and played some inspiring gigs whilst in the US, but it is important that we don’t suddenly just forget about them because ‘we’ve done our bit’. What will really help our musicians and Scotland’s reputation as a leader in new music is continual and ongoing support.
An interview with The Fratellis recorded on the Levi’s® OnesToWatch Tour at Birmingham University on 19th October 2006.
Download poscasts and panel talks from the SXSW website.
