If it is March (and it will be soon enough) we will be in Austin, TX for one of the country's largest music festivals - South By Southwest.  Each year PLAYBACK:stl has the distinct pleasure of spending five days in one of the coolest music cities in the country. While there we see hundreds of bands and meet hundreds of industry professionals. Many labels set up camp there to showcase their bands and look for other talent to sign. Our February issue will focus on this awesome festival with a cover story featuring TX-born talent Blue October. Also in the issue will be interview with dozens of artists including Elbow, The Cribs, Mellowdrone, Bluebottle Kiss, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Youth Group, Nine Black Alps, Mates of State, The Boy Least Likely, The Lashes, Magnolia Summer, Be Your Own Pet, Ladytron, Art Brut, Mellowdrone, and Andy Dick.

GET IN THE BAG. This year PLAYBACK:stl is setting up camp at SXSW's ground zero - the tradeshow in the Austin Convention Center. The tradeshow is open to badge holders (these include industry people, performers, and the media - last year they numbered 10,000) and lasts three days. At our booth this year we will be promoting the magazine (of course), doing whatever we can to attract attention to PLAYBACK:stl and the great music it is promoting, and getting the word out about YOU. This year we are handing out canvas bags that will feature the lovely PLAYBACK:stl logo on the side. Inside those bags will be information about the magazine and our various activities over 2006. There will also be plenty of room left over for your CD or promo material (due to space constraints we ask that you pick one or the other). Those who make their reservation before 2/13/06 will be featured in an ad (2x2) in the March issue of the magazine (there you can have your name, picture, and contact information). Currently we are looking at production of 750 to 1000 bags - you are invited to provide up to 500 discs or promotional packets for insertion*.  

Get in the bag for a low cost of $200. This price includes an insertion of 500 discs or promotional information in our PLAYBACK:stl bag which will be distributed at the South By Southwest Tradeshow (March 16 -18) at the Austin Convention Center. You will not get better exposure for your music or business than with this audience. For those wishing to just distribute their disc or promotional material without the ad in the March issue, the cost is $150 and the deadline is 3/10/06.

Contact PLAYBACK:stl at 314-630-6404 for more information or email jim@playbackstl.com. 

Due to a new printing schedule, the
DEADLINE FOR the March issue is 2/12/06.

* Discs need to be shipped to Austin at artist's expense.

Founded in 2002, PLAYBACK:stl is distributed the first of each month to over 450 locations in the Midwest and cities across the U.S., including Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Denver, Boston, Cleveland, Austin, and more. It regularly features interviews with today’s most talented musicians, filmmakers, authors, artists, and actors. The magazine’s print run is 20,000 copies, while its popular Web site, www.playbackstl.com, receives over one million hits per month and has just been redesigned.