After taking on CMJ, The Electric Zoo, Street Scene, All Points West, and the Winter Music Conference in 2009, it seems only natural to add South by Southwest to our growing itinerary for 2010.

Last year, the festival drew 12,000 participants and showcased nearly 2,000 musical acts on 88 stages. The 2009 line-up included AC Slater, Amanda Blank, Buraka Som Sistema, Deadmau5, The Golden Filter, Grizzly Bear, Ben Harper & Relentless7, Jack Beats, MSTRKRFT and The Twelves, among others.

Now in its 24th year, the annual SXSW Music Conference and Festival will be held in Austin from March 17-21. The initial line-up of 450+ artists is likely to quadruple by March, and already includes Treasure Fingers, Kidz in the Hall, HEARTSREVOLUTION, Team Facelift, Adam Tensta and The Postelles. Chauffeur is also rumored to make a rare appearance at the festival, but is yet to be confirmed.

Music badges cost $675 if you register by January 12, and will allow you to participate in all of the official SXSW music parties, panels, and courses. Click here for a full list of badge levels, rates and details about the programs that the badges include. While the price tag might seem a little steep, it includes five full days of music with nearly 2,000 acts (which, if you do the math, breaks down to less than five cents per artist).

Don’t forget, the Winter Music Conference kicks off the following week in Miami (March 23-27), so plan accordingly. But more on that later…

On Wednesday night, Fool’s Gold Records celebrated their two-year anniversary with a CMJ Showcase at 88 Palace. MeanRed put on quite the soirée, which featured live performances by The Suzan, Trackademicks, Vega and Donnis, and DJ sets by Treasure Fingers, Kingdom, and Sammy Bananas. Founders A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs were the hosts and MCs for the night, keeping the party going and giving away t-shirts, stickers, and other Fool’s Gold goodies.

We arrived in time to see Treasure Fingers dominate the decks with his electro set. Next up, Vega took the stage for their live performance. Fortunately for us, they blew a fuse during the first song, and we got to chat with the bassist about their future endeavors. The Austin-based band will move to New York in early 2010 to work with Chromeo on their upcoming album. When Vega finally resumed their set, it was clear that this is a match made in heaven. Their funk-infused baselines and electro-synth grooves will definitely flourish under Chromeo’s guidance.

Atlanta native Donnis, the newest member of the Fool’s Gold family, delivered a high-energy performance off songs off his summer mixtape, Diary of an ATL Brave. Pill joined him on stage for a few songs, adding a dynamic element to the set.

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After the jump, check out a few photos from the Fool’s Gold one-year anniversary party at Webster Hall last year.

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As we didn’t already have enough going on this weekend with All Points West, Antics is hosting the official after parties at the Red Bull Space in SoHo. If you’re missing the festival, this is your chance to catch DJ sets by some of the artists on the roster. On Friday night, Crystal Castles will be spinning with Maggie Horn, and Tokyo Police Club will be manning the decks with LA Riots on Saturday. RSVP for free entry and drinks.

Don’t forget, A-Trak will be at Webster Hall on Friday night with Treasure Fingers and Theophilus London. It’s $1 admission and $1 drinks until midnight, so make sure you RSVP.