AceShowbiz -

While Dixie Chicks are set to make a comeback tour this summer with Eagles and Keith Urban, their splinter group Court Yard Hounds, which consist of duo Martie Maguire and Emily Robison, are going to make their debut at the on-going South by Southwest Film and Music Festival. They will perform this coming Thursday, March 18 at the intimate club Antone's.

"It's turned into such a great springboard for music and so many influential people come and listen to music," Emily told Associated Press. "You're looking them in the eyeballs, and you're in the trenches, which we feel like we've returned to the trenches somewhat to launch this new band."

Texas actually is where the two musicians live and they are glad to perform in the state. "It feels really comfortable having the first one where I live, in a club where I go hear bands," Emily said. "So many times I've gone to hear bands and thought, 'Oh, I can't wait to be on that stage'."

Beside Court Yard Hounds, another band planning to make their SXSW debut is Broken Bells. The new group formed by Gnarls Barkley's Brian "Danger Mouse" Burton and The Shins' James Mercer will perform for two days; on March 17 at Stubbs BBQ and two days later at Lustre Pearl.

Other performers at the SXSW Festival which will run until March 21 include Spoon, Stone Temple Pilots, Estelle, Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump, Smokey Robinson and many more.