Rolling Stone Announces 'Rock Room' Day Parties in Austin

With the SXSW music festival just days away, Rolling Stone is getting ready to kick off coverage of the annual event, as well as offer fans on the ground two back-to-back day parties filled with the Austin traditions of free live music, drinks and barbecue.

The Rolling Stone "Rock Room" will take over La Zona Rosa (612 W. 4th St.) in downtown Austin during daylight hours on Friday and Saturday, March 16th and 17th. British sensations Keane will anchor Friday, following a full schedule of live music that kicks off at noon. Scottish rockers We Were Promised Jetpacks, indie darlings Tennis, indie-pop trio Hospitality, rock & roller Nick Waterhouse and soul-rockers the Heavy all join the bill, with free snacks and drinks to keep the party going.

Saturday's party will be headlined by Tom Morello, occupying South By with acoustic protest songs as his alter-ego the Nightwatchman. The lineup also features Austin native Gary Clark Jr., garage rockers Heartless Bastards, post-hardcore icons Hot Water Music and singer-songwriter Devin and the Dimestore Novelist – winner of the Rolling Stone and Sprint "Street to Stage" contest. Bloody Marys will be served, barbecue will be dished.

The complete schedule for the Rolling Stone Rock Room at SXSW is below. Follow @RollingStone for a chance for guaranteed entry into the event. You must be at least 21 years old to attend.

March 16th
12 – 5 p.m.
Keane
We Were Promised Jetpacks
Tennis
Hospitality
Nick Waterhouse
The Heavy
DJ $mall ¢hange

March 17th
11:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman
Gary Clark Jr.
Devin
Hot Water Music
Heartless Bastards
DJ $mall ¢hange
The Dimestore Novelist

See highlights from last year's Rolling Stone Rock Room in Austin: