SXSW International Bands

View the International Bands Supplement cover (Illustration By Michael Sieben)

How far does the Chronicle's SXSW International Bands supplement range in its coverage? Plutonia, Pluto! We assume that's the capital of the ninth ice ball from the sun, and that 2006 brings the orb close enough in its 249-year orbit to drop the timeless glitter-glam space rock band Zolar X on Planet ATX. One of approximately 350 acts to whom a U.S. visa, and not a wristband or badge, will determine the efficacy of their March through the Live Music Capital of the Universe, Zolar X (www.geocities.com/zolarx1) may be the farthest out of SXSW registrants, but only by several light years. Africa, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Italy, Russia, Turkey, Yugoslavia – musicians from all corners of our own glacial biosphere are en route to the Lone Star State's Capital City. As with last year's supplemental debut, SXSW's largest international contingents remain headquartered in the British Isles, Canada, Australia, and Japan, and again we did our globe-trotting armed only with URLs from the SXSW Web site (www.sxsw.com). Not all showcasers are handicapped herein – not by a long shot – but take a look through our telescope. You might just glimpse something out of this world.