There is a real alternative to Austin’s South By Southwest music festival–check out South By Due East, Houston’s “alternative answer to the mainstream industry dominated SXSW Festival.”

It bills itself as “a different kind of showcase for a different kind of city.” Judging from the lineup, they’re on the mark with that description.

The live music festival, which starts today, is at earthwire studios (2402 Waugh Drive @ Fairview), and features four days (March 13-16) of bands, DJs, musicians, artists, and poets.

The lineup includes:

Thursday
Irene
Giancarlo’s Big Stick
The Phoebe Effect
de Sangre
Hollister Fracus

Friday
Rebecca Torellas
The Mirrors
K’Mante
Conscious CoCreation
The Red Wave
SoundPatrol

Saturday
Gloria Edwards
Guy Schwartz & The New Jack Hippies
Kool B and the EarthWire Poets w/ The New Jack Hippies
Opie Hendrix & The Texas Tallboys
Chango Jackson
Naked Content

Sunday
The Soul Odyssey Collective
New Damage
Poets 4 Peace (sundown)
Dubtex SoundSystem
Joe B & Soul Free
Los Skarnales

Beware of the inevitable patrol cars…

Be sure to listen to the broadcast on the website.