29 Australian bands will jet out to Austin, Texas, in March 2010 to eat ribs and snare some overseas interest at the annual South by Southwest festival. Many of our homegrown reps will ply their trade at the famed Aussie BBQ, as well as various showcases around town.

Many of 2009’s hardest-gigging young bands have taken up the SxSW invitation, notably Children Collide, Philadelphia Grand Jury, Sherlock’s Daughter and Washington.

More established names like Paul Dempsey and Karnivool are also making the pilgrimage, while The Temper Trap will return to capitalise on the buzz they started this year. Our cross-Tasman neighbours will also make a strong showing, headed by The Brunettes and Die! Die! Die!.

Here’s the Australian guest-list so far, with a dozen more still to be invited.

Art vs Science
Beaches
Bliss & Eso
The Blow Waves
Shannon Bourne
The Chevelles
Children Collide
City Riots
Dappled Cities
Dash and Will
Dead Letter Circus
Paul Dempsey
Nathan Gaunt
Darren Hanlon
Karnivool
The Middle East
Oh Mercy
Pets With Pets
Philadelphia Grand Jury
Sherlock’s Daughter
Summer Cats
The Temper Trap
Via Tania
Washington
Whitley
Vasco Era
Hungry Kids From Hungry
Thirsty Merc
Love Diagrams

New Zealand

Bang Bang Eche
The Brunettes
David Dallas
Die! Die! Die!
Kidz in Space
Kingston
Mr Sicc
Steriogram
Miho Wada
Young Sid
Surf City