The annual South By Southwest Music Festival in Austin is just around the corner and those of us not going are getting more and more jealous with every additional performance announcement.
The latest news brings ex-White Stripes frontman and Third Man Records empresario Jack White to the weeklong event, along with his opposite on the color spectrum, Tenacious D’s Jack Black. They join a slew of previously announced artists, ranging from Insane Clown Posse to The Magnetic Fields, with Bruce Springsteen acting as this year’s keynote speaker. Even Jay-Z has joined the event.
White’s Third Man Records has previously made news at SXSW with a mobile record store, surprise performances and even novelty oversized vinyl.
This year, the label’s Texas Showdown will take place at The Stage on 6th on Friday, March 16, and will feature performances by White, Karen Elson, John Reilly & Friends (Featuring Becky Stark & Tom Brousseau), The Black Belles and more.
White is stumping his upcoming debut solo album, “Blunderbuss,” which drops April 24.
Meanwhile, Black, also in town to promote his latest film “Bernie,” will join his pal Kyle Gass for a Tenacious D performance on March 15 at the Haven.
The duo will then hit the road for a string of West Coast tour dates:
3/15 – Austin – SXSW at Haven
5/23 – Santa Barbara – Santa Barbara Bowl
5/24 – Oakland – Fox Theater
5/26 – Bend, OR – Les Schwab Amphitheater
5/27 – Vancouver, BC – PNE Amphitheater
5/28 – George, Washington – Sasquatch Music Festival
The music portion of SXSW runs March 13 – 18.