The FADER and Converse Team Up With SXSW to Announce "The FADER FORT Presented by Converse" at the 2012 SXSW Music and Media Conference

 

NEW YORK, Feb. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The FADER FORT, firmly established as the spot to see live music during the 2012 SXSW Music and Media Conference in Austin, Texas, announces a partnership with Converse Inc. as Presenting Sponsor for its 4-day showcase. In its 11th year in Austin, "The FADER FORT Presented by Converse" will also, for the first time ever, be an official SXSW showcase: presenting today's most innovative and emerging artists to both invited fans and festival badge-holders. Artists confirmed to perform include Santigold, Zola Jesus, and hip-hop collective Black Hippy featuring Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul. Additional sponsors and confirmed acts will be announced in the days leading up to the festival.

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"Our tenth year in Austin was our biggest year yet—bringing in a record number of attendees from across the world to discover dozens of new and emerging artists in one spot," said Andy Cohn, President and Publisher of The FADER, Inc. "In our 11th year in Austin, we couldn't be more excited to share the stage with Converse, a brand completely aligned with our mission of supporting and showcasing emerging artists and culture. To also be working with SXSW this year really ties everything together perfectly, and we're looking forward to another historic year at The FORT."

"Converse has had a long and rich history of championing artistic creativity and supporting the world of music," said Geoff Cottrill, Chief Marketing Officer of Converse. "We could not be more excited to partner with The FADER and SXSW to create a truly unique experience for music fans at one of the biggest music festivals of the year."

To celebrate the stellar lineup, performances at The FADER FORT Presented by Converse will be viewable to audiences worldwide via a live-stream that will continue for the entire four-day festival. Fuse, the national music television network of The Madison Square Garden Company, will be on-location to capture every moment in Austin, TX from 1-9pm each day, live streaming everything at www.fuse.tv/thefaderfort.  Music fans will also be able to catch exclusive interviews with their favorite artists taking place at The FADER FORT Presented by Converse both on Fuse's linear network and at www.fuse.tv/thefaderfort.

"The FADER has always created a cool environment where our attendees can see great artists," said Darin Klein, SXSW Director of Special Projects. "We're thrilled to be partnering with them on The FORT at SXSW 2012."

Joining The FADER FORT Presented by Converse activities for the first time, Nokia will be showcasing DJs and Music with three nights of teaser performances during SXSW Interactive at the Nokia Lab, along with a four-night exclusive Nokia VIP Lounge inside The FADER FORT during the Music portion of the festival. Housed in a first-of-its kind structure for SXSW, the 3-domed Nokia Lab located at 2nd and Brazos will give attendees a sneak peek into Nokia as it relocates its R&D lab from snowy northern Finland to warm central Texas. Attendees will also get to check out the new Nokia Lumia portfolio of Windows Phone devices, including the much-anticipated Lumia 900 from AT&T and the recently launched Lumia 710 and 800 devices.

As the ultimate go-to location in Austin for fans to discover new music, "The FADER FORT Presented by Converse" will provide a one-of-a-kind environment for music fans to take part in during the four-day festival. While at "The FADER FORT Presented by Converse", attendees will experience:

• Bushmills Irish Whiskey will be served. Guests at "The FADER FORT Presented by Converse" are all 21+ and encouraged to please drink responsibly.
• vitaminwater & smartwater serving cold beverages.
• Roberta's from Bushwick Brooklyn, will be serving up its famous wood-fired pizza made to order, using local Texas ingredients.
• Stumptown Coffee Roasters premium coffee blends crafted with the finest organic ingredients from around the world.
• Beats by Dr. Dre, the brainchild of legendary artist/producer Dr. Dre and Chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records Jimmy Iovine will host an interactive lounge with a one of a kind sound experience featuring their new Mixer headphone for all to enjoy. 
• SiriusXM is returning for the second year to The FADER FORT and will broadcast live all four days on SiriusXMU, North America's indie rock channel, on SiriusXM channel 35. For more information, visit www.siriusxm.com/siriusxmu.
• The Southwest Airlines VIP Lounge, brought to attendees courtesy of Southwest Airlines, the official airline sponsor of The FADER FORT.

For over a decade, The FADER FORT has established itself as a primary stomping ground for many then-unknowns such as M.I.A., Florence and the Machine, Odd Future, Feist, Cold War Kids, Kid Cudi, and The Black Keys. While the focus has always been emerging artists, The FADER FORT has also showcased a laundry list of artists that have performed including P. Diddy, Kanye West, Lou Reed, My Morning Jacket, Justin Vernon, Amy Winehouse, Moby, Nas, Damian Marley, N.E.R.D, among others.

For more information and to be the first to hear further news, check out www.thefader.com and follow us on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/TheFader.

About The FADER, Inc.

The FADER, Inc. consists of credible music and lifestyle-focused properties that speak to a combined audience of 2 million influential young adults monthly. Founded by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen, and led by President and Publisher Andy Cohn, The FADER, Inc. includes The FADER, TheFADER.com, FADER Films, FADER Label, 1200Squad.com, XLR8R, East Village Radio, Insound, Oh My Rockness, and The Cornerstone Mixtape.

About Converse

Converse Inc., based in N. Andover, Massachusetts, is a wholly owned subsidiary of NIKE, Inc. Established in 1908, the Converse brand has built a reputation as "America's Original Sports Company"™ and has been associated with a rich heritage of legendary shoes such as the Chuck Taylor® All Star® shoe, the Jack Purcell® shoe and the One Star® shoe.  Today, Converse offers a diverse portfolio including premium lifestyle men's and women's footwear and apparel.  Converse product is sold globally by retailers in over 160 countries and through 59 company-owned retail locations in the U.S.  For more information, visit Converse on the web at www.converse.com.

About SXSW Music

South By Southwest (SXSW) Music and Media Conference, taking place March 13 - 18, 2012, features a legendary festival showcasing more than 2,000 musical acts of all genres from around the globe on over ninety stages in downtown Austin. By day, the Austin Convention Center comes alive with conference registrants doing business in the Trade Show and partaking of a full agenda of informative, provocative panel discussions featuring hundreds of speakers of international stature. In its 26th year, SXSW remains an essential event on the music industry calendar. For more information, access our website at http://sxsw.com.  

About Fuse

Fuse, the national television network dedicated exclusively to music, brings viewers closer to their favorite artists and bands by featuring original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks – all rooted in the music experience.  Celebrating the hit makers of today, familiar favorites and edgy newcomers, Fuse accommodates the wide ranging tastes and attitudes of its 18-34 year-old audience with compelling music programming on-air, on-line, on-demand, in HD and via mobile technologies. Fuse is a part of MSG Media, which includes television networks MSG, MSG Plus, MSG HD and MSG Plus HD, as well as MSG Interactive, which oversees all company digital initiatives.  MSG Media is a division of The Madison Square Garden Company (NASDAQ:MSG), along with MSG Sports and MSG Entertainment. MSG Sports includes the New York Knicks (NBA); the New York Rangers (NHL); the New York Liberty (WNBA); the Connecticut Whale (American Hockey League); and MSG Entertainment includes concerts and events at Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden, the Theater at Madison Square Garden, the Wang Theatre in Boston, the Beacon Theatre, as well as the legendary Chicago Theatre, and which manages wholly-owned live entertainment properties including the Radio City Rockettes and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.  Additional information about Fuse can be found at www.fuse.tv.

About Nokia

Nokia is a global leader in mobile communications whose products have become an integral part of the lives of people around the world. Every day, more than 1.3 billion people use their Nokia to capture and share experiences, access information, find their way or simply to speak to one another. Nokia's technological and design innovations have made its brand one of the most recognized in the world. For more information, visit http://www.nokia.com/about-nokia

SOURCE The FADER, Inc.