South by Southwest 2012 Is Latino Heavy

Written by Fanelly Milán

The 26th edition of South by Southwest (SXSW) will take place this year from March 9 to 18 in the Austin Convention Center and its surrounding neighborhood. Interactive panels and media presentations by industry leaders discussing new technology will run from March 9-13. Exclusive independent movie screenings will be featured from the 9–17 and a very eclectic and international musical showcase will claim Austin as its grand stage from March 13–18.

New to this year’s program is its first official Latino event: the Revolucionario Awards, which will take place on March 12. Billed as The Social Revolución, the official SXSWi Latino awards ceremony recognizes Latino achievement in social media and celebrates it with live music and digital activations. Just announced, Calle 13 was recognized as Lideres de Revolucion and Lalo Alcaraz of Pocho.com will receive the New Americano recognition. The New Americano Award category recognizes individuals that are redefining what it means to be Latino. The ceremony will also recognize Innovator’s and Mobilizer’s of the Latino community.

Following the reception will be an after party featuring Sony Music Latin artist Beatriz Luengo, Cosmica Artists’ David Garza, Mexicali's Juan Cirerol, and the cumbia rhythms of Charanga Cakewalk.  
Mr. Pauer was also chosen as the official music selector to the Latin showcase in which Telefunka, Jot Dog and Los Rabanes, just to name a few, will perform.

SXSW began in 1987 as an annual regional music conference organized to bring attention to the isolated town of Austin Texas and its music scene. The interactive/film component was added later as a means to give space to the Internet revolution era and its many new developing technologies. Flash forward to 2012, SXSW has become a ten-day music, interactive, film festival with more than 2,000 international acts presented in 90 venues celebrating simply what being a musician and music lover is all about.

Among the international talent showcasing at this year’s event are the Latin American acts of:

Lila Downs (Oaxaca MX)

La Vida Bohéme (Caracas, VE)

Antoine Reverb (Guadalajara MX)

Juan Cirerol (Mexicali MX)

Candy (Mexico City MX)

The Copper Gamins (Zinacantepec MX)

Dirty Karma (Mexico City MX)

Andrea Balency Trio (Mexico City MX)

3 Dudes & a Mullet (Mexico City MX)

Turbina (Mexico City MX)

Joe Volume (San Jeronimo Lidice MX)

Xoel López (ROGe (Rio De Janeiro BR)

Rosie and Me (Curitiba BR)

Copacabana Club (Curitiba BR)

Gabriel Santiago Quintet (Rio de Janeiro BR)

Some Community (Sao Paulo BR)

Sudakaya (Quito EC)

V for Volume (Bogota CO)

Duran (Bogotá CO)

Ancestros (Cali CO)

La-33 (Bogota CO)

Mr. Bleat (Medellin CO)

Monsieur Perine (Bogota CO)

Quantic (Cali CO)

Planes (Bogotá CO)

Kali Mutsa (Santiago CHI)

Astro (Santiago CHILE)

Los Rakas (PA)

Zuzuka Poderosa (BR/NYC)

Patafunk (Caracas VE)

Bam Bam (Monterrey MX)