IHEARTCOMIX's Austin Party Weekend will go down from Mar. 18 through the 21 this year, featuring sets from 15 different labels. Through partnerships with Biz 3, Embrace, He^rd and Jukely, IHEARTCOMIX brings together acts from Mad Decent, OWSLA, Stones Throw, Neon Gold, Dim Mak, PC Music, Monstercat, IAMSOUND/Fiction, Fool's Gold, Check Yo Ponytail, Ham On Everything, Secret Songs, Nina Las Vegas Presents and more for four days of insanity.
You can RSVP for the event here (One RSVP will get you the opportunity to access all shows, but SXSW Rules Apply to Night Time events) but if you're unable to attend, Fradio will be streaming a radio show live from the event. Skee TV and PHHHOTO will also be sponsoring the event, which will be held between two different venus: the Empire Control Room & Garage and The Main (Formerly Emo's).
Check out the full lineup above, and some background on the event below from everyone involved:
"I came up with the idea of Austin Party Weekend during SXSW as a way for several Independent Labels to come together and create an overall event that is greater than any one of us could do ourselves for the benefit of all of us. Every label involved is independent (and generally weird) and every sponsor involved is independent or a start-up. In a SXSW culture full of extreme corporate sponsorship where the branding matters more than the artist or event, the goal was to make something that combatted that head on and captured the original spirit of what the conference is all about. SXSW should be about discovering new music, tech & media and making relationships.
I believe strongly that by working together both with partners IHEARTCOMIX have long standing relationships (Mad Decent, Fool’s Gold) or those brand new (PC Music, Ham On Everything), APW maintains that spirit. We’ve created our own festival within the festival that stands up for those original ideals. We are stronger together, and in turn, get more out of the experience, together. Friendly collaboration and putting a spotlight on what is new and exciting in the world (be that Artist, Label or Scene), it’s what it should be about." FRANKI CHAN (IHEARTCOMIX, APW)
"After years of putting on our own Dim Mak official & unofficial showcases, we’re stoked to be part of our first Austin Party Weekend as we close in on our label’s 20th anniversary. We’re honored to have our showcase alongside labels we have major respect for and homies we’ve come up with over the last two decades.” - Steve Aoki (Dim Mak)
"The Austin Party Weekend shows always become a destination. This year we weren't even planning to get down with anything else besides our existing Fool's Gold showcase on Friday separate from APW, but there's something about the "can do" spirit of everything Franki Chan is involved with that managed to pull us back there. The "Super Party" is very Muppet Show in a way, all the labels end up chipping in to make it happen, and a fun party becomes its own reward." - Nick Catchdubs (Fool's Gold)
"I've been doing SXSW showcases for 15 years and this year's marks the first year we have partnered up and that is because I trust Franki implicitly- he's a curator and cares about nuance the same way we do. We are ecstatic to be sharing the weekend with all our friends and partners. Viva collaborative vibes!" - Kathryn Frazier (owner Biz 3)
"We've been doing a party in Austin with Franki Chan and iHeartcomix since the very beginning of our label in 2007, stopping off in cultural centers, parking garages, old salvation armies and other crazy spots along the way. While we've since graduated to official showcases, Franki works hard to help us keep the original vibe alive - 100% Mad Decent with surprise guests, great locations, weirdos welcome and as much fun as we can possibly have!" - Jasper Goggins (Mad Decent)
"We are very excited to be a part of Austin Party Weekend 2015 -- Franki has an amazing capacity for bringing different groups of creative people together to create rowdy yet culturally significant events with fantastic SEO. We are in great company at APW this year and have tons of love and respect for the other labels and collectives involved." - Haley Potiker (Stones Throw Records)
"Franki Chan is the LA warrior. He books all the cool stuff first, and has always supported us and our artists as an LA-based label" - Blaise DeAngelo (OWSLA Records)
“I’m super excited to be involved with APW. Over the last five years I’ve been promoting and presenting NLV Presents parties all over Australia - introducing audiences to the best new talent, both from Australia and from overseas. I’m totally passionate about smart, forward-thinking dance music and the artists who create it. My radio show (Mix Up Exclusives on triple j) has enabled me to connect with so many talented individuals, labels and crews from all around the world. I’m so happy to be able to feature a few of these guys at my SXSW showcase for APW!” - Nina Las Vegas (triple j Radio)
“APW does SXSW better than anyone and Empire Autos is the best venue in town, so we're thrilled to be a part of the lineup every year. In a week where there's a makeshift stage crammed in the corner of every spot in town, Empire goes above and beyond with an incredible stage, sound system and audio/visual set up that puts them in a league of their own during SX. And the curation is second to none - it's an honor to be presenting alongside some of the dopest and most forward-thinking labels in music right now, and they seem to raise the bar higher with each passing year.” - Sarah Kesselman (Neon Gold)
"We (Ham On Everything) can not thank Franki Chan & APW enough. This is truly a dream come true. We are just an underground LA warehouse party so to have the opportunity to be a part of a SXSW mainstay like Austin Party Week is unbelievable. To be able to be grouped with such amazing labels/parties such as Fools Gold, Mad Decent, Stones Throw, Check Yo', etc is such a honor. Holy shit" - Adam Ham (Ham On Everything)
