Hi, we’re IHEARTCOMIX and we’re putting on Austin Party Weekend this year … and every year until the apocalypse… because we invented it. Yep; APW is our child.
Since 2012, we’ve throwing down at SXSW, creating a one-of-kind music experience that brings together the best indie labels and artists together for a multi-day showcase of up-and-coming talent. We do this with zero help from brands, meaning at Austin Party Weekend, we can showcase the true spirit of undiscovered artists without having to push products on you or succumbing to background noise from brands looking to treat showcases as marketing opportunities. Not a single shoe was sold, not a single Chalupa was microwaved, and not a single Monster energy drink was harmed in the making of APW.
This year’s APW is our biggest ever. Twice as big as our 2014 event, it’s got over 160 artists and 14 labels that are primed and ready to make this year’s party the best yet.
As a label and collective of musicians, writers, graphic designers, promoters, filmmakers and really useful nerds, we’ve used Austin Party Weekend and our other cornerstone events like Check Yo Ponytail, to launch the careers of some of today’s most talked-about artists. Justice, Skrillex, Grimes, Crystal Castles, Blood Orange, Metrononomy, Com Truise, Brodinski, Bloody Beetroots, Flosstradamus, Designer Drugs, Juiceboxxx, Matt & Kim and HEARTSREVOLUTION all came up through IHC. With a clever eye for artists on the cusp of their success, our record label, production team and marketing arm have allowed musicians and artists to showcase their talent within the contexts of a bleeding edge DIY scene.
For over 10 years, we’ve influenced culture in LA and beyond, acting as tastemakers and catalysts between artists and their fan base, often defiing the next wave of music and trends as they happen. Specializing in original content, events, production and marketing, we also maintain a presence in TV and film thanks to our partnerships with Sundance and Adult Swim. Our success in introducing new artists and interests has cemented the brand amongst the current generation of consumers as well as has lead them to a client base that includes such cultural icons as Pitchfork, TheFADER, Goldenvoice, Heineken, Scion, Asobi System, Mad Decent, Fool’s Gold Records and many more.
Started in 2004 by DJ/Illustrator Franki Chan as a way to co-name the parties he was throwing at the time with-then event partner, Steve Aoki, IHEARTCOMIX was born out of necessity and named after Franki’s true passion, comic books.
Our past events include Fucking Awesome, Block Party, Cinespace Tuedays, IHC Sundays, Still Fucking Awesome, OFF/CNTR, Boogie Monster, Turnt On and our flagship event series, Check Yo Ponytail, which has hosted artists in LA like Skrillex, Justice, Grimes, Crystal Castles, Blood Orange, Metronomy, Com Truise and even hosted The Rolling Stones at the Echo, which if you didn’t know, is a venue the size of like, your 400 sq. foot Silverlake apartment that you pay $4,000 a month for. No Rolling Stone should be playing in a venue that intimate, but they did and it was cool.
About a decade back, we decided to take the popularity of our events and our passion for working with artists on the cusp of their success, combine then, and translate the product into a record label called IHEARTCOMIX Records. The original label lasted until 2009 and included debut releases from Matt & Kim, HEARTSREVOLUTION, Flosstradamus, Brodinski, The Toxic Avenger, LA Riots, Acid Girls, Designer Drugs, Totally Michael, Bloody Beetroots and Juiceboxxx.
In 2014, the IHC record label reemerged as a partnership with Manimal Label Group, called IHC 1NFINITY, a digital singles and music video label. With the goal to create our own ‘Marvel Cinematic Universe,’ we tying in the musical, graphic and video styles from all artists it outputs. Current 1FINITY artists include Chela and Pictureplane; future ones include Gavin Turek and Spazzkid.
So, that’s us in a nutshell.
Check out the lineup for our APW showcase below, then scroll down to hear our favorite tracks from the artists we’ll be featuring. Scroll down even further and you’ll find the full lineup for APW. We’ve got what you need.
