SXSW offers opportunity to find work

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Everyone comes to South By Southwest for a different reason. There are free events to private parties, like Spin magazine’s at Stubb’s on Red River In Downtown Austin. There is a little bit of everything.

L.A. band Phantom Communique handed out free CDs on the street.

"We’re here for the same reason everyone else is here, to get our music out there,” said band member Brandon Thomas. “The whole country came here so we figured we should come here too."

Yet, because of the recession, Thomas said everyone is hurting, and opportunities like SXSW give them a shot.

“The little guys are hurting just as bad as everyone else if not worse,” said Thomas. “We’re all hand to mouth right now. So it’s day to day. And, just to put gas in our van so we can go play music for people is a struggle.”

Others are just looking to get their foot in the door. Eric Lemm from Madison, Wisc. came looking for a job. He and a buddy drove the 1,200 miles in a van. It has been their living quarters for two weeks now.

"Looking for a music internship, anything free involved with music so I can learn about and get into the engineering and mixing side," said Eric Lemm.