Twin Cities bands prep SXSW send-off
Ben Weaver
For Twin Citians still struggling through winter’s last gasp, South By Southwest represents a beacon of summer and all of the concerts and festivals that come with it. Maybe that’s why we get so excited about it. Minnesota is sending an unprecedented 35 bands to Austin this year—and that’s just for official SXSW showcases—and as usual, Vita.mn and 89.3 The Current’s Are You Local? contest doubles as a SXSW sendoff.
Jeremy Messersmith, Ben Weaver, and Phantom Tails play tonight at the Varsity before heading south, and the event, hosted by The CW Twin Cities’ Jonathan Rabb, will also offer attractions including Speed Blingo with Ellie and photography by Playatta.
The heart of the show, though, is granting one of the three contest finalists a spot at Vita.mn’s MN Music Showcase at SXSW on March 19. Check out the contenders below before the winner is crowned tonight.
