North by Northeast

It's tough to not envy our Austin peers these days, as the sonic ear candy that is South by Southwest looms in mid-March. Without the ability to hop on a plane and hightail it to Texas, many have been left to look at initial lineup announcements and imagine wandering Sixth Street with happy grins on their faces.

A new tool on the official festival site could add to the bitterness, but it can also soothe those out-of-Austin minds. Site users can create their own SXSW scorecards to keep track of what they can or would like to see see during the music bonanza. Those ready to take their SXSW strategizing to the next level can then hop over to our friends to the south, Austinist, who have upped the ante with their Interactive Guide to SXSW Music, which includes Google Maps of what's going on and where it's happening each day of the festival.

Visiting Bostonist took a look to see who from the Boston area would be in town for the shows, but quickly got sidetracked, instead organizing an Ideal Scorecard.

Knowing that one would face the task of trying to see a fraction of the 47 sets added to a four-day Scorecard (that's without even researching unknown acts) helps – knowing that one's head might explode in sonic overload makes it a little easier to swallow not being in a music lover's Wonka Factory.

The site, which also features mp3s of many of the appearing artists, can serve as a good tool for previewing acts that will be rolling into Boston after SXSW wraps up. For example, note singer-songwriter Rocky Votolato, slated to appear at Great Scott on March 31.

As for those Boston-area bands? Among those representing the hometown crowds out in Bush Country: Aberdeen City, Apollo Sunshine, Black Helicopter, Bon Savants, Jake Brennan, Stephen Brodsky's Octave Museum, Kris Delmhorst, The Downbeat 5, Eli Paperboy Reed & the True Loves, Melissa Ferrick, Eric Hofbauer, Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers (Northampton, but still), k-the-i???, Much and the Mires, Roadsaw, Chris Smither, The Sterns, Sunburned Hand of the Man and Tulsa.

Interesting side note: among those slated to perform is the Chicago-based rock quintet Brighton, MA.

Post contributed by Victoria Welch. Photo of the Austin skyline from the scene of the 2006 Austin City Limits Music Festival -- the last, fine, only time Victoria Welch has experienced the famous music scene.