South by Southwest fest enjoys big names

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AUSTIN, Texas, March 22 (UPI) -- The established and famous elbowed over the up and coming at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas, this year, organizers say.

SXSW Director Roland Swenson said despite the presence of more established acts, such as Metallica, at this year's festival, registrants for the music section were outnumbered by interactive and film section entrants, the Austin American-Statesman reported Sunday.

The 23-year-old festival features interactive, film and music sections, drawing nearly $103 million in revenue to Austin annually. The three-part festival began March 13 and runs through Sunday.

But with Metallica, Jane's Addiction and rapper Kanye West among the headliners, this year's event appeared to be an even bigger draw for fans.

"This festival has gotten so huge, so over the top," Jam Productions official Nick Miller told the American-Statesman. "The logistics of just getting around have gotten a lot harder. But it's still a great place to get a lot of work done."