Milwaukee Backline and Austin KUTX’s “The Break” musicians join forces for SXSW showcase | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
88Nine RadioMilwaukee
March 7, 2019
A March 12 showcase at Austin’s Barracuda club during South by Southwest will feature up-and-coming artists selected by Milwaukee’s Backline, an initiative of 88Nine Radio Milwaukee (WYMS-FM) and gener8tor, and the “The Breaks” hip-hop show on Austin’s KUTX-FM.
The showcase will feature Milwaukee Backline artists Crystal Knives, Lex Allen and Zed Kenzo, plus a special Milwaukee guest; and Austin’s Deezie Brown, Torre Black, The Teeta and Jake Lloyd, and a special Austin guest who will headline the show.
The show will run from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. March 12 at Barracuda, 611 E. 7th St., Austin. The show is free, but space is limited and advance registration at backlinesxsw.eventbrite.com is required.
“Backline’s main goals have been to help Milwaukee musicians achieve greater success and ultimately establish Milwaukee’s reputation as a vibrant music city,” Backline Program Director Mag Rodriguez said. “We look up to cities like Austin. From everything Austin does for their local musicians, to proving how music cities accelerate local economies, the city is truly inspiring.”
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The announced Milwaukee artists playing at the showcase completed the first musician accelerator last year with Backline. Backline’s free 12-week accelerator sessions include creation of new music, mentorship and connections from local and national experts and $20,000 grants used in consultation with Backline to further the musicians’ careers. More information on Backline and the accelerators is at backlinemke.org.
The Austin artists were selected by The Breaks, an influential hip-hop show on Austin’s KUTX featuring Confucius Jones and Fresh. More information on The Breaks is available at kutx.org/the-breaks.