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Spring break for some means trips down south to neighboring Mexico for a week of uninhibited fun. But for members of the media, down south for spring break means South By Southwest (SXSW).

For 25 years, Austin has been home to an annual conference bringing together music, film and—since 1994—technology innovators for a week-long extravaganza of panel discussions, concerts and nighttime merriment.

This year, one of the major themes in across platforms seems to be entrepreneurship.  Whether you’re the founder of a fledgling tech venture or the CEO of a one that has survived its tested years, the March 12, Startup America: Reducing Barriers is a great opportunity to learn and share.

Besides panels, there are hundreds of other opportunities for people to meet and mingle. The official SXSW event lists hundreds of happenings for the conference.  

Not an entrepreneur or a tech innovator? Well that’s okay. Here what’s happening in the music scene.

More than 2,000 bands and artists will flood Austin from Wednesday-Sunday, most playing multiple showcases and parties.

In the gloriously overwhelming 5-days, registered fans and media can attend panels and speeches by day, with opportunities to hear music industry professionals discuss topics like the importance of the indie record label, what hip-hip has taught the American public and how to market music in an oversaturated e-society, among hundreds of other topics.

If sit-down chats aren’t your thing, there is a constant barrage of parties and showcases to attend during the days, (many of which do not require attendees to be registered for the official festival) scattered throughout the city and hosted by various record labels, companies, magazines, etc, playing host and creating space for bands to play, DJ’s to spin and food and drinks to be consumed.

When the sun goes down, most of the official SXSW music showcases begin. In over 80 venues throughout the city (the #1 city in America in regards to music venues per capita, by the way), countless genres of music will pour from speakers for the enjoyment of badge-holding music lovers in various forms: fans, journalists, bloggers, record label representatives and more.

If you can’t make it to Texas for SXSW, (or even if you can) be sure to check back with Neon Tommy throughout the week to read both Interactive and Music reviews coming straight out of Austin.

Reach reporter Jacob Chung here.

To reach Emily Wilson, click here.