First Artists for 2006 South by Southwest Confirmed

The lineup of performers for next year's South by Southwest Festival is starting to take shape, as the first set of artists scheduled to perform have now been confirmed. Just over three dozen artists have already inked "Austin, SXSW XX" on the March 10-19th slots of their 2006 Coldplay calendars. If possible, it's best to stay for the entire time. Sure, say, the Go! Team probably could show up on the 14th, and wake at dawn fresh as a daisy for the golf tournament the next day. Not as fun (or as "Go!"), if you ask me.

Set to perform at SXSW XX: Annie, Arctic Monkeys, Be Your Own Pet, Belle & Sebastian, Blockhead, the Boy Least Likely To, Calexico, Neko Case, Cat Power, the Cribs, Dashboard Confessional, Destroyer, Dirty Vegas, the Duke Spirit, the Earlies, Echo & the Bunnymen, Elbow, Erase Errata, Flogging Molly, Giant Sand, the Go! Team, Hellacopters, Lady Sovereign, the Magic Numbers, Magnolia Electric Company, Mates Of State, Secret Machines, Most Serene Republic, Mystery Jets, Nickel Creek, Beth Orton, Marty Stuart, Robert Pollard, Susan Tedeschi, Tarantula A.D., Tom Verlaine, and Towers Of London.

Doing the speech thing at the festival: Billy Bragg, Judy Collins, and Kris Kristofferson. There will also be a keynote conversation with Neil Young. Artist interviews with k.d. lang, Sam Moore, the Pretenders, and Henry Rollins have been announced as well.

Annie - The Greatest Hit (from Anniemal)

The Cribs - Modern Way (from the "Mirror Kisses" single)

Flogging Molly - Swagger (from Drunken Lullabies)

The Magic Numbers - Long Legs (from The Magic Numbers)

Mystery Jets - Alas Agnes (a single)