Tomorrow the music portion of the huge, annual South By Southwest festival in Austin, Tex., kicks off and, as we told you before, Cincinnati music is very well represented this year. Local promotional/licensing organization The All Night Party presents its first ever showcase at SXSW tomorrow at Soho Lounge, featuring performances by Cincy area bands Wussy, The Lions Rampant, The Seedy Seeds and The Sundresses, along with pals Oh My Me (from Lexington) and The Whiskey Daredevils (Cleveland). The Counter Rhythm Group — which has also been assisting local artists with creative promotional opportunities — is helping out with the showcase (and corresponding Midwest by Southwest tour) and, kind folks that they are, the company is offering a free compilation download featuring several of the artists with whom they are working. Click here, hit "Free Download" and enter your email address to get an instant link to the digital files, which include excellent tracks from some of the area's finest, including State Song, Shiny and the Spoon, Ampline, Mad Anthony, The Pinstripes, Alone at 3AM and The Tillers, plus SXSWers R. Ring (one of their first publicly available tracks), Wussy, Ohio Knife and The Sundresses. Pass the link around to show off your city's stellar music scene to all of your out-of-town pals (especially any living in Austin, so they can get out and show some support). And keep checking this blog for reports from the ground in Austin throughout the SXSW festival to see how our locals are faring.

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