The ever successful Sound City Festival held annually in Liverpool is continuing to grow and evolve even more this year with a third conference/festival set to take place in New York in March. The American edition of the festival will be held on 17th March at Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Having already been held in the city twice before it surely proves how popular and successful it has been over there much like it has over here.
The daytime programme will see talks and conferences, much like the Liverpool version, featuring the likes of ‘Grime: Ten Years Later’ looking at the ever changing environment of grime music and it’s influences and ‘What Brands Want’ which will give artists an insight into what the industry looks for in artists to represent and how to run a campaign with them. All the talks will see guest speakers such as English rapper and grime artist Skepta and journalist Hattie Collins speaking at the Grime panel and industry representatives from the music world taking part in a round table discussion.
The festival is taking place around the same time as the famous SXSW festival it will be a good time for artists old and new, undiscovered or not to network not only with each other but with industry reps. David Pichilingi, CEO of Sound City, had this to say about this year’s NYC festival; “New York Sound City is an extremely exciting extension to the Sound City brand and this year it’s better than ever, we also have a great panel of speakers confirmed.”
The conferences in the daytime will be followed up by a live showcase at The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn. The line up is yet to be announced but keep an eye on the website as details of the full line up of performers and speakers will be announced very soon. One spot on the bill is saved for an up and coming artist from either the UK or the US and if you would like to apply to fill that very spot playing at The Knitting Factory then you can apply via Sound City’s website with a link to your music. Full details of the application process are also on the site but hurry as all applications have to be in by 31st January!!
And if you needed any more of a push to apply then let the CEO Dave persuade you; “It is an unparalleled opportunity to get in front of key players in music industry – you’d be performing to an audience that includes heads of labels, publishers, agents, promoter, managers and potential fans… Previous performers include The Enemy, Reverend and the Makers and Wet Nuns, the winning artist will definitely be in good company.”
To find out more about the festival or to apply to play then visit the Sound City website now!
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All this exciting American news comes in the same week that we find out the English counterpart has not been neglected with a hoard of line up announcements. Current chart topper Clean Bandit has been announced to play the festival held on the first weekend in May along with Kodaline, Gruff Rhys and Fuck Buttons.
For the 7th outing of this music and conference festival the line up seems to be going in the direction of bigger, better and more diverse than ever before. All acts will be playing at a wide range of venues across the city with Kodaline headlining in the Anglican Cathedral like Noah and The Whale and The Walkmen from years gone by.
Other acts to have been announced so far include the likes of Thumpers, Loom, Jungle, Wolf Alice, Circa Waves, Darlia, Courtney Barnett, Fair Ohs, Traams, We The Wild and more. The second wave of acts for this year’s line up will be announced in February but from the artists announced so far it seems not only will it be a good bill but also something for everyone.
The festival will take place on the weekend of 1st to 3rd of May and wristbands for all 3 days of the festival are onsale now on the website for the early bird price of a bargainous £44! Be sure to buy your tickets quick though as the early bird price only lasts until Monday 3rd February.
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