With the music component of South by Southwest 2010 set to begin on Wednesday--following the newer interactive and film festivals which now precede it--the annual migration of local artists to the (hopefully) warmer and sunnier environs of Austin, Texas, is underway.

I'll be blogging from the festival regularly, aided and abetted by Sun-Times contributor Anders Lindall. Meanwhile, here is a look at some of the local musicians who'll be among the thousands of artists from around the world showcasing at the hundreds of official gigs (which sometimes seem to be augmented by twice as many unofficial shows).

These showcases are attended by myriad journalists, industry insiders and just plain music fans. And after Texans, one of the biggest groups represented at the festival is Chicagoans enjoying the music business answer to Spring Break--it's sometimes as hard to avoid running into familiar faces as it is on Saturday night in Wicker Park.

WEDNESDAY

The Forecast (from Peoria), 1 a.m., Amsterdam Café, 121 W. 8th

Califone, 12 a.m., Club de Ville, 900 Red River

Moneypenny, 12:15 a.m., Dirty Dog Bar, 505 E. 6th St.

Hannibal Buress (comedian), 10 p.m., Esther's Follies, 525 E. 6th St.

Plastic Crimewave Sound, 9 p.m, Rusty Spurs, 405 E. 7th St.

Stephanie Nilles, 8 p.m., Stephen F's Bar, 701 Congress Ave.

THURSDAY

Mittens on Strings, 8 p.m., The Ale House, 310 E. 6th St.

The Cool Kids, 6 p.m., Auditorium Shores Stage, Riverside Dr & S 1st St

Yourself and the Air, 11 p.m., BD Riley's, 204 E. 6th St.

Hollywood Holt, 10:50 p.m., Beauty Bar Backyard, 617 E. 7th St.

Maps & Atlases, 1:15 a.m., Emo's Jr, 603 Red River St.

Common Loon (from Champaign), 7:30 p.m., Maggie Mae's Gibson, 512 Trinity St.

Moneypenny, 12:45 a.m., The Phoenix, 409 Colorado St.

Joe Pug, 12 a.m., St. David's Bethell Hall, 301 E. 8th St.

Anni Rossi, 12 a.m., St. David's Historic Sanctuary, 301 E. 8th St.

Love of Everything, 9 p.m., The Velveeta Room, 521 E. 6th St.

Joan of Arc, 1 a.m., The Velveeta Room, 521 E. 6th St.

Light Pollution (Western Springs), 12 a.m., Wave, 408 E. 6th

Skybox, 8 p.m., Wave Rooftop, 408 E. 6th

FRIDAY

Cheap Trick (Rockford), 8 p.m., Auditorium Shores Stage

Rebel Diaz, 10:20 p.m., Club 115, 115 San Jacinto St.

Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy goes solo), 11 p.m., Dirty Dog Bar, 505 E. 6th St.

Flosstradamus, 12 a.m., Emo's Jr, 603 Red River St.

The Fold, 12 a.m., Friends, 208 E. 6th St.

Cast Spells, 9 p.m., Habana Calle 6, 709 E. 6th St.

Yakuza, 11:35 p.m.,Headhunters, 720 Red River St.

The Atlas Moth, 1:20 a.m., Headhunters, 720 Red River St.

Smith Westerns, 11 p.m., Latitude 30, 512 San Jacinto St.

Kid Sister & Flosstradamus, 10:40 p.m., Malverde, 400B W. 2nd St.

The Cool Kids, 11:30 p.m., Mohawk Patio, 912 Red River St.

Kidz in the Hall, 10:45 p.m., Scoot Inn, 1308 E. 4th St.

Hey Champ, 8 p.m., Spill, 212 E. 6th St.

Flosstradamus, 7:30 p.m., Stubb's, 801 Red River St.

Psalm One, 11:55 p.m., Victory Grill, 1104 E. 11th St.

SATURDAY

Joan of Arc, 12 a.m., Galaxy Room, 508 E. 6th St.

The Hood Internet, 11 p.m., Karma Lounge, 119 W. 8th St.

Waco Brothers, 11 p.m., Red Eyed Fly, 715 Red River St.

Willy Joy, 8 p.m., Speakeasy Kabaret, 412 Congress Ave.

Kelsey Wild (Byron), 9 p.m., Stephen F's Bar, 701 Congress Ave.

SUNDAY

Led Zeppelin 2, 12 a.m., Emo's Main Room, 603 Red River St.