South By … so what? South End throws its own festival

“There aren’t too many venues in the South End anymore,” says Rico Rakutt, former tour manager for The Glasspack and co-founder of South By South End, a mostly harder-edged, mostly local, all-ages festival taking place Saturday.

To host this daylong beast, Bulldog Café won out for Rakutt and co-founder Mike Foley of the hard-rock group Screwface. The two are aping the renowned Austin, Texas, festival, but in name only. Saturday’s fest starts at 3 p.m., with alternating sets from more than a dozen acts on two stages, plus booths for 10 local artists.

The South End is known for its rough yet neighborly blue-collar attitude, and its bands tend to adhere to this ethic. As with any festival, both organizers hope this isn’t a one-shot deal, says Rakutt, who wants to keep a “dirty, South End feel” to SXSE. “We’re trying to get people to come out and see what the South End’s about.”

Radio has been in on the act, too: 93.1 The Fox has been airing music by a festival act in the weeks leading up to the show, and the first 100 people will receive a free CD sampler.

Rakutt says there is a possibility that the famous — or is it infamous? — “Southend Jinx” video will be screened at SXSE, but that has not yet been confirmed.

The film was shot over several months and features clips from different shows at clubs like Headliners Music Hall, and “Jackass”-inspired shenanigans around town. Cheapshot Productions will be on hand Saturday to shoot footage for a sequel. A trailer is available on YouTube at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wq3RqbZidk.
Some of the acts scheduled to appear include: Thomas Medicine, JD, Screwface, Look What I Did, The Love, Suspected Terrorists, Krymsin, Porno Fish Tank, The Vibrolas, 16 Bones, Rifle, Stakill, Red Eye Lies and more.

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South by South End
Saturday, March 8
Bulldog Café
10619 W. Manslick Road
380-0600; $5; 3 p.m.
All ages