Upturned faces, beer in cups, plenty of milling around at the back and the distant smell of BBQ.

That, or a version of it, is what hundreds of new artists can expect to find when they look out from one of South By Souhtwest’s many (many) stages this week. From big outdoor structures to tiny bars, street corners and front porches, nowhere is off limits for a gig at the Austin festival, now in its 22nd year. But what can ...