Picks to Click

As always, South by Southwest is a game of numbers: 1,000-plus bands playing over four days and five nights. To this, add seven straight Chronicle Music sections dedicated to SXSW 02; "Picks to Click," six local acts showcasing at this year's conference, comes first -- here, now. Next week, brings the 2001-02 Austin Music Awards preview, the week after, hundreds of "Picks & Sleepers" on SXSW attendees. Then there's three daily issues of the Chronicle during the conference, and finally, the mop-up the week after. Looking over our past "Picks to Click" on the following page, here's another number for you: a batting average of .730. That's a lot of "Clicks" over 52 "Picks." With six more sure things this year, bump that average up to .758. Great numbers.