Cash, studio time, and television.
A showcase for unsigned bands, musicians and artists of every genre. Twelve finalists, chosen by industry professionals.
An unsigned band in this city can get a gig fairly easily. Getting a record, a broadcast slot and a cheque in the same month is close to impossible. Austin Icons puts all three on one table.
How it runs
Submissions come in as audio or video. Twelve finalists are selected from them by a panel of industry professionals — people who book, release and produce records rather than a public vote.
The finals are played live, in front of an audience, several bands a night across a run of dates, with the winner chosen at the end.
Vallejo plays after the result, which is a decent reason to come whether or not you entered.
It is open to every genre. The studio’s own range runs from metal to cumbia to outlaw country, and the showcase is judged the same way — on whether it is good, not on whether it fits a format.
Why the studio runs it
Because the three things a young band needs most are the three things hardest to get at once. Studio time turns songs into a record. A broadcast slot puts it in front of people who were not at the show. Cash pays for the van. Handing over one of the three is a gesture; handing over all three changes a year.
It sits alongside the television show, the radio stream and the foundation — four different mechanisms pointed at the same problem.
How to enter
Send audio or video to 512studiosaustin@gmail.com, or call (512) 522-0359. Live performance footage is genuinely useful — the judges are trying to work out what you do in a room, and a phone video from a real gig answers that better than a produced single.
Common questions
Who can enter?
Unsigned bands, musicians and artists of any genre. That is the only filter.
What does the winner get?
A $1,000 cash prize, studio time, and exposure on television.
How are finalists chosen?
Twelve are selected from the audio and video submissions by a panel of industry professionals, rather than by public vote.
Does it cost anything to enter?
Send your music and ask when you write — and if anyone ever asks you for an entry fee to play in Austin, be suspicious of it generally.
When does it run?
It runs in rounds rather than continuously. Email to ask about the current window, or join the mailing list, which is where deadlines go out.