The modern music conference is a convergence of business and pleasure in an industry where the two tend to be synonymous. Your biggest risk is abusing your body to the point where pulling off the business part becomes impossible but somehow we prevail; such is the risk we took at North By Northeast, June 8 to 10, in Toronto.
Now in year 12, Canada's premier event for independent music has a track record for showcasing talent like Sam Roberts, Billy Talent, k-os, and Sum 41 over the years. Even up against Stanley Cup finals and World Cup soccer action, this three-day bonanza of music, panels, and parties created a healthy buzz on Queen St.
NXNE draws a melange of industry types (older, jaded) and media (younger, more jaded), with most attendees falling into the artist/manager category (best-coiffed.)
All three converged at conference headquarters to register and scoop the illustrious goodie bag of industry mags and CDs no one will listen to. Hot item this year: mints from Coalition Entertainment in a super-cool super-skinny puck-type dispenser.
NXNE HQ was ground zero for artists in search of a chance to network with industry dealmakers and attend conference panels where wisdom is dispensed as freely as complimentary mints.
This kind of informal education at the hands of experienced and talented speakers gives the independent artist going it alone a good crack at it without a label.
The most animated, inspiring panels I hit focused on the landscape of today's music industry that features a strong DIY ethic and lusty embrace of the Internet. It's about making lemonade out of those lemons.
Under it all, refreshingly, was frank talk about the quality of the music. All of the business savvy, hard work, and good luck in the world won't help if the songs aren't there. Simply put: the songs can't suck.
If the songs suck even remotely it's time to go back to square one and get the songs down. Then you can take a stab at world domination.
I hit a couple of shows with artists who were a great example of the power of strong songs. Toronto's Melissa McLelland sounds like a slightly bluesier, slightly dirtier Sarah Harmer. Like Harmer, McLelland is a talented writer with the pipes to deliver on stage. The songs demand total attention from the audience. And they pay off.
Sadly, without a plane ticket our opportunities to showcase and share out here are a little limited.
The West Coast alternative to NXNE, New Music West has floundered recently. The Island Music Awards go this week down in Victoria, but how about an indie rock conference, mid Island style? Maybe when they finally get that multiplex off the ground...
- With over a decade in the trenches of the music industry, we're reasonably sure Alexandria knows what she's talking about: [email protected].