Ask for some vacation time and book a ticket to Austin. On the heels of another successful showcase of music and film in Austin, organizers for the South by Southwest Music and Media Conference have announced the dates for the 2009 event. SXSW 2009 will take place from March 13 to March 22, kicking off with five days of film and finishing with the music showcase. Though there were rumblings about the “Sundancing” of SXSW this year as decidedly non-indie personalities Perez Hilton and Rachel Ray hosted exclusive parties, the showcase remains the best occasion to launch an act or showcase new material. South by Southwest has occurred annually in Austin since 1987. [SXSW]