It's mid-March, which in the music business can only mean one thing: SXSW. It's advertised as Austin's annual ode to cutting-edge digital, film and music endeavors-but those who've been there know it can resemble a death march with beer and barbecue.

It's not easy to navigate four days of cutting-edge bands, overflowing bars and UT kids and L.A. hipsters gaping at each other on Sixth Street, but we're here to help. On the following pages, we present our exhaustive alphabetically arranged guide to the best and brightest at SXSW. Happy trails.

Bajofondo
Auditorium Shores Riverside Drive and South First Street
Thursday, March 18, 6:45 p.m.  

Bajofondo is the sexy Argentine tango-electronica collective headed by Academy Award-winning composer ("Babel," "Brokeback Mountain") and Latin rock production legend Gustavo Santaolalla. The band has been touring material from its latest album, "Mar Dulce," mostly in Europe and Asia for the last two years. Bajofondo will play a full set at SXSW with seven highly animated musicians, including a player of the bandoneon (an accordion-like instrument used in tango), as well as a DJ. The dance-friendly SXSW set is part of an effort by the band to hit more U.S. markets this year; on tap in May is a collaboration with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. If you need a memory jog, check out the Acura ZDX commercial set to the single from "Mar Dulce," the sultry "Pa' Bailar."

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