Snow Patrol are one of seven Northern Irish acts set to take a major music festival in the US by storm this week.
SXSW (South by South West), held in Austin, Texas, is an annual prestigious event in the music calendar which gives bands and artists the chance to showcase their abilities.
Indie band Snow Patrol will be performing a headlining gig at the festival, as part of their seven-date tour of the US.
Also jetting out for SXSW are the hotly-tipped Oppenheimer, Downpatrick rockers The Answer, who recently picked up Best New Band title in the Classic Rock magazine awards, and Coleraine's Amazing Pilots, who will be making their third appearance at the event.
Ivor Novello award-winning singer/songwriter Iain Archer, who used to play with Snow Patrol, will be taking part as well as singer Duke Special and Bangor-born artist Foy Vance, who is managed by the same team that launched Joss Stone.
Rocky O'Reilly of pop-synth duo Oppenheimer is looking forward to performing at the festival and meeting other bands.
He said: "Myself and Shaun are both very excited about SXSW. The first copies of our finished album will be there, so that's another reason to be excited."
Flying out today to give his support to the Northern Irish artists will be Ross Graham, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Music Commission.
The organisation is being supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland in this venture and will travel to the US as part of their overseas marketing initiative.
SXSW runs from tomorrow until March 19, with Snow Patrol's headlining concert taking place on St Patrick's Day.
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