Peter Wolf Crier, Astronautalis, Pink Mink to play Are You Local? showcase March 2 at First Ave

Peter Wolf Crier will return to Austin's SXSW fest, but it won't be playing Emo's (now tragically closed). / Tony Nelson for Star Tribune

Don't want to pay the inflated hotel prices, deal in the sea of skinny jeans or wait in line for an hour to see a half-hour set, as is the norm at the South by Southwest Music Conference these days? You don't have to leave town to take in a good handful of the local bands set to make a splash at next month's 26th annual mega-fest in Austin, Texas, thanks to the Vita.mn Are You Local? showcase.

The annual SXSW send-off party will return to First Avenue on March 2. This year's lineup features Peter Wolf Crier, Astronautalis, the Blind Shake, Pink Mink and Fort Wilson Riot. The three finalists in Vita.mn's new-band contest of the same name will also perform next door in the Entry, competing for a SXSW party slot. Take a look at the entrants here. As always, a disclaimer that Vita.mn is a Star Tribune publication (I'm personally hoping there's another City Pages SXSW bash, too).