Why travel to Austin, Texas?

That was a tough question for Hawaii musician Makana, who said he was concerned about the cost and amorphous benefits of participating in next month’s South by Southwest conference and festival, which has gained international prominence as a showcase and networking mecca for music, film and interactive media interests.

With more than 2,000 acts performing at the annual event, even seasoned veterans like Makana can find it difficult to be heard.

“Everyone’s trying to brand themselves, but I’m an artist,” said the multitalented musician, who is known for his virtuosity on slack-key guitar. “Do I say I’m a slack-key master? I toured with Joe Walsh and Jason Mraz. I’ve just performed with the Hawai‘i Symphony. Where do I fit?”

Ultimately, he decided the challenge of preparing a must-see set, the opportunity to assess what works and what doesn’t, and the potential to book additional nationwide gigs make the trip worth the gamble.

Makana is one of two high-profile Hawaii musicians and about 25 other islanders headed to South by Southwest to represent homegrown interests. “South by” or SXSW, as it’s alternately known, is famed for its electric fusion of cutting-edge technology and creativity, offering nine days of high-energy presentations, film and music festivals, a video game expo and networking.

About 80,000 registered attendees, presenters and journalists gathered for the event last year, with huge crowds packing the musical showcases. This year’s version begins March 9.

Makana’s performance in Austin follows his Feb. 16 concert with the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra and arrives in the middle of other projects he’s working on, including a musical set in contemporary Hawaii and New York.

“Records are dead,” he said, flatly. “The only way to get people to listen to a cohesive piece of work is to tie it in to a narrative.” His work tells the story of a couple unraveling their “happily ever after.”

Also appearing at SXSW will be Lukas Nelson, son of country music icon Willie Nelson. The younger Nelson is a country-rock/Americana musician who grew up on Maui and still calls it home. He released his first studio album in 2010, and his most recent effort, with band Promise of the Real, came in 2017.

Makana is no stranger to Austin, having recorded his 2006 rock album “Different Game” there. He will perform at SXSW as a solo act, cutting some of the expense that would be involved in bringing an entire band.

“I’m going there more as a student than anything else,” he said. “I can observe trends, so I can make wise decisions about my next move.”

“CREATIVE CONTENT,” such as music, film and code, can be a valuable export for Hawaii, according to SXSW liaison Phil Tripp, who works to connect conference-goers from Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand with the event.

The Australian government agrees; it helps fund artists’ visits to SXSW, believing the intellectual property generated by its musicians, filmmakers and startup entrepreneurs is the “next big thing,” Tripp said.

Australia is sending about 800 registrants, he said, and 50 bands.

“This isn’t a festival like Coachella, Bonnaroo or the others; this is a creative-content festival,” he said. “We have comedy — that is creative content. We have food and film. It’s skewed to interactive content, and technology creators go to evangelize.

“People go to get a deal and to network,” Tripp said. “It’s also a great place to learn a lot.”

For the tech-savvy and those looking to unravel the phenomenon of interactive technology, Tripp argues SXSW provides a road map for success.

“Tomorrow happens here,” he said. “We want to find the next new thing.”

SXSW’S SCOPE is vast. “Convergence” sessions for the three main festival tracks — music, film and interactive — encompass entrepreneurship, education, media, technology and government.

Hawaii participants have been invited to meet American tennis star Andre Agassi, who’s joined forces with “ed tech” company Square Panda to promote “Readvolution,” a free game for kids that can assess and predict learning disabilities. Square Panda, Stanford University and the University of California at San Francisco are developing the app.

Dan Rather, himself the center of a journalism scandal connected to reporting on former President George W. Bush’s military service, presents a “Report on Trust: Government, Tech & Media” at a March 9 session.

Cities and urban issues are a core part of SXSW programming, with speakers including London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who’s known for sparring with President Donald Trump on Twitter.

Honolulu’s Tarik Sultan is an invited speaker for a “Startup Cities” presentation. He’s co-founder of XLR8UH, the University of Hawaii’s center for investing in UH-affiliated innovations, and founding partner at Honolulu boutique investment firm Sultan Ventures.

Sultan will discuss conditions in Honolulu — one of 10 cities being recognized for effective investments in technology — on March 11. He said he plans to address the city’s strengths, and also “what we’re not good at,” as a way of illustrating more- and less-profitable island strategies.

In general, Sultan is optimistic about Honolulu’s high-tech future. “If you look at our metrics and stats, the economy is doing well and the outlook is good,” he said.

With a speaker’s access to SXSW’s full range of sessions and nightlife, “I plan to take full advantage of the opportunities.”