Take a seat, play some tunes – Couch by Couchwest is now accepting submissions

A few years ago, Local Greg Van Dyke was casually talking with friends about South by Southwest (SXSW).

The group all had kids and jobs and couldn’t afford to attend. Jokingly, they asked themselves: What do people do that can’t go to SXSW?

Their answer was Couch by Couchwest, a music video series that compiles nationwide artists’ submissions and posts them on the site’s home page and YouTube.

Though the series runs around the same time as SXSW, these aren’t performances from the Austin, Texas music festival. These are homemade recordings exclusive to the site that musicians tape and send in to get exposure. A full list of instructions is posted at Couch by Couchwest’s website for those who want to participate.

Van Dyke is one of four contributors who run the site. He says Couch by Couchwest was started in 2011 as a joke.

“Really, it started it on a whim,” he says. “We had this crummy little Tumblr page, set up a Gmail account and got something like 60 videos.”

In 2012, the video count went up to 250 submissions. In 2013, there were around 350 submissions. The genres vary, he says.

“You get a lot of people normally nobody would see or hear,” he says. “There are a lot of musicians who play at their house for family and friends. They submit their stuff. They get their time in the sun.”

At the same time, the website has garnered touring bands you might recognize, including Wooden Wand, Austin Lucas, American Aquarium and Neko Case.

SXSW has gotten so big that Van Dyke says it might soon implode. For the budding musician, the festival is “losing its luster,” he says. Couch by Couchwest is an avenue for a musician who may not be able to go to the annual music festival. Also, those who can’t visit Austin can enjoy these performances while lounging at home. Another bonus for the musician: the website gets no money from it.

“This is their time to shine,” he says. “It doesn’t have to be perfect. If the song is good, the music will stand out from the quality of the video. It shouldn’t be anxiety-ridden.”

Couch by Couchwest is showcasing videos through March 15. Van Dyke also runs a music blog called Captains Dead.