EMC adds panel on lockouts to 2015 conference

PRESS RELEASE:

Asia Pacific’s leading Electronic Music Conference (EMC) announced today over 50 new speakers and new sessions to be added to the 2015 program, including a discussion panel that will focus on how Australia’s music scene can coexist with ongoing lockout laws both in Sydney and other cities.

‘Lockouts And The Future Of Australian Nightlife Culture’ will feature an in-depth discussion about the impact of lockout laws around Australia. Almost two years since the introduction of Sydney’s lockout laws, Canberra is poised to introduce similar curfew laws and just this week Queensland announced a 2am last drink policy, while Melbourne thrives as the lock-out free capital of Australian nightlife. There’s never been a more important time to discuss the effect the lockouts have on Australian nightlife and whether the benefits are worth the cost.

Featuring a panel of industry heads and venue owners from around the country, including Simon Digby (Roar Projects/ Melbourne Licensee’s Forum Steering Committee), Nick Braban (Our Nightlife Queensland), Dean Ormston (APRA/ AMCOS), John Wardle (Live Music Office), and Tyson Koh, (Keep Sydney Open) , this panel discussion promises to deliver considered insight into how the live music scene can adjust, look forward and flourish in an environment of restrictions and controls.

Joining already announced keynote speakers Carl Cox, Gilles Peterson and Ta-ku, will be a panel of the producers behind Australia’s greatest dance tracks of all time including Itch-e and Scratch-e, The Presets, Hermitude and HMC, as they discuss their most legendary records.

Other key highlight sessions from today’s announcement include:

The DNA of a Hit

Earlier this year, inthemix embarked on possibly its most important longform feature to date: the top 100 Australian Dance Tracks of All Time. Following months of industry contributions, and the painstaking process of honouring our country’s dance music legacy with the deepest respect, the top 10 included records as far back as two decades ago, through to as recent as last year. EMC are equally honoured to gather the top producers of these legendary records for a once in a lifetime conversation between Australia’s dance music heroes about those records, and our country’s electronic dance music culture, now and then.

Speakers:

Itch-e & Scratch-e

The Presets

Hermitude

HMC

Moderated by Jim Poe

Disrupting the bubble: Is Australia’s new festival scene sustainable?

In the past few years, the Australian music scene has seen many of its mega-festivals disappear – but it’s not all doom and gloom, as countless niche or “boutique” festivals have popped up to accommodate the punters and touring artists. We’ve gathered together a cracker team of festival curators and specialists to discuss the sustainability of Australia’s new festival landscape, the economics of limited dates and audience funds, and commercial partnerships. How many smaller festivals can the local market maintain? What do the next few years look like for big touring festivals? And what role does triple j play in influencing festival line-ups these days?

Speakers:

Richard Moffat (Falls Festival, Groovin The Moo)

Adam Lewis (Secret Garden Festival)

Simon Beckingham (Finely Tuned/Lost Paradise)

Saran Bajaj (Horizons Touring/Origin)

Alice Kimberley (Vice Australia)

+ more to be announced

Moderated by Ben Suthers (Inertia)

The New Frontier: Why Brazil is one of electronic music’s most lucrative markets

South American giant Brazil has one of the fastest growing markets for electronic music in the world: it’s home to the world’s most popular club (Green Valley), hosts local editions of dance and electronic mega-festivals like Ultra, Sonar, Tomorrowland and EDC, and has a huge homegrown scene of producers (like Gui Boratto, FTampa and drum’n’bass lord Marky, to name just a few established stars). For Australian artists, Brazil is a very lucrative market in which to make their name, so we’ve gathered together four of the country’s key talent buyers, festival programmers and tastemakers to reveal the secrets of South America’s biggest dance music market.

Speakers:

Denise Klein (Plus Talent/SFX Brazil)

Douglas Brandalise (DJCOM Brazil)

Marcos Boffa (Sonar Festival Sao Paulo)

Michel Palazzo (Suicide Lemon Brazil)

From Club Sideroom To The Boardroom: How Lucky Entertainment Blew Up

The crew behind Lucky Entertainment have their fingers in all sorts of different pies. Best known for spearheading the growth of Melbourne Bounce from a cult regional scene into a global phenomenon, and guiding the careers of stars like Will Sparks, Tigerlily and Joel Fletcher, the brand has grown from one-man living room operation into its own mini-empire. From running Melbourne mega-club Billboard to throwing one-day festivals and parties around the country, handling agent duties for nearly 50 major local artists and running two labels (Lucky Recordings and Will Sparks’ Bourne Recordings), Lucky Entertainment are one busy team. We’ve brought together the key figures behind Lucky to reveal their strategies for raising their artists’ profiles internationally, how they’re diversifying beyond the world of Bounce, and how they make it all work.

Speakers:

Luke Udorovic (Lucky Entertainment)

Keiran Dole (Lucky Entertainment)

Luke Spags (Lucky Entertainment)

Marc Scarborough (Lucky Entertainment)

Dean Paps (Lucky Entertainment)

Lauren Mikkor (Lucky Entertainment)

Sound Connections presented by Safe & Sound

Sound Connections is a unique networking event that unites up & coming artists with established mentors, giving aspiring producers the opportunity to rub shoulders with leading established artists and connect with the industry experts they look up to. This unique closing session of the JMC Masterclass Theatre runs for approximately one hour and gives lucky participants the opportunity to sit face-to-face with their favourite superstar artists for 5mins at a time, moving from table-to-table to ask all their burning music production questions.

Registrations for EMC delegates available here.

Host:

Sebastien Fava-Verde (Safe & Sound)

Mentors:

Hermitude

Yolanda Be Cool

Tom Piper

Kid Kenobi

Royalston

Tom Piper

Slumberjack

To ensure EMC is accessible to aspiring as well as established industry professionals and artists, this year EMC is offering tiered delegate pass options with EMC Pro and EMC Academy passes.

● EMC Pro gives delegates full access to all EMC keynotes, masterclasses, panels, networking events and parties.

● EMC Academy passes have been created for aspiring artists, managers, promoters and others wanting to access the JMC Masterclass Theatre program only. In addition to artist-led masterclass production sessions, this year’s JMC Masterclass Theatre program will also include tailored interviews and panel discussions focusing on the needs and interests of emerging artists and industry members.

In addition to two days of panels, workshops and invaluable networking opportunities, EMC delegates will get free entry to showcase event EMCPlay. The final line-up includes sets by Elk Road, Feki, Nicole Millar, Indian Summer, L D R U, Running Touch, Ivan Ooze, Set Mo and more. EMCPlay takes place on Wednesday December 2 across three Sydney CBD venues including The Basement, Taylor’s Rooftop and Crystal Bar with final release passes on sale now for $35 via Eventbrite.

EMC is supported by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW, a key strategic partner of the event with the aim of helping to grow the event, and attracting interstate and international visitors and creative professionals to NSW.

EMC is a central part of ARIA Week and is supported by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW, a Strategic Partner of both events. EMC is also supported by the City of Sydney, the Australia Council for the Arts and Sounds Australia.

This is the last chance to buy second release passes to EMC before full price goes on sale November 17. Prices start from $249 (+ booking fee) for EMC Academy passes and $420 (+ booking fee) for EMC Pro passes. Tickets available here via Eventbrite.

View the EMC program here.

EMC new speaker additions:

Adam Lewis (Secret Garden Festival)

Alastair Green (Maker Agency)

Alice Kimberley (Vice Australia)

Amba Shepherd (Artist)

Angus O’Loughlin (Shazam Top 20/2Day FM)

Ben Suthers (Inertia)

Carl West (Neon Records/Of Leisure)

Dean Ormston (APRA/AMCOS)

Dean Paps (Lucky Entertainment)

Deepchild (Artist)

Denise Klein (Plus Talent/SFX Brazil)

DJ Butcher (Artist)

Douglas Brandalise (DJCOM Brazil)

GANZ (Artist)

Gareth Davies (Kontor Records, Germany)

Hermitude (Artist)

HMC (Artist)

Itch-e & Scratch-e (Artist)

Jim Poe (Writer, DJ)

Joe Conneelly (Vibes on a Summer’s Day)

John Wardle (Live Music Office)

Keiran Dole (Lucky Entertainment)

Kelly Burge (Eventbrite)

Lauren Mikkor (Lucky Entertainment)

Luke Spags (Lucky Entertainment)

Luke Udorovic (Lucky Entertainment)

Marc Scarborough (Lucky Entertainment)

Marcos Boffa (Sonar Festival/Audio Club Sao Paulo)

Matthew Smith (Colourblind)

Michel Palazzo (Suicide Lemon Brazil)

Millie Millgate (Sounds Australia)

Nick Braban (Our Nightlife Queensland)

Nick Greco (Beyond the Valley/Anyway Club)

Nick Groff (Interscope Records, USA)

Paddy Scace (TMWRK, USA)

Rachael Neumann (Eventbrite Australia)

Raye Antonelli (Rada7)

Richard Moffat (Falls Festival/Groovin The Moo)

Saran Bajaj (Horizons Touring/Origin)

Simon Beckingham (Finely Tuned/Lost Paradise)

Simon Digby (Roar Projects/Melbourne Licencee’s Forum Steering Committee)

Stephen Digby (Digby Law)

Stephen Wade (Select Music)

The Potbelleez (Artist)

The Presets (Artist)

Toby & Pete (Toby & Pete)

Tyson Koh (Keep Sydney Open)

Vi Hermens (Motorik)

Wax Motif (Artist)

Will Sparks (Artist)

Joining over 90 already announced speakers including artists and key industry figures from Australia and numerous markets internationally, with more announced in the coming weeks.

View the full speaker list here and the full program here.

Full list of EMC Speakers:

Adam Lewis

Ali Tomoana

Alice Kimberely

Amba Shepherd

Andrew Levins

Angus O’Loughlin

Anna Fitzgerald

Anthony Garvin

Arlo Enemark

Ayudita Hariadi

Ben Dennis

Ben Suthers

Benson

Blake Coppelson

Blink

Brett Fischer

Carl Cox

Carl West

Chris Arnott

cln

Damian Cunningham

Dave Stuart

Dave Winnel

Dean Paps

Deepchild

Denise Klein

Denise Melanson

DJ Butcher

DJ I-Dee

Dom Furber

Douglas Brandalise

Elk Road

Erin Flanagan

Eva Guss

Frank Rodi

Ganz

Gareth Davies

Gilles Peterson

Go Freek

Hermitude

HMC

Itch-e & Scratch-e

J-Trick

James Roberts

Jeff Drake

Jess Beston

Jessica Krishnaswamy

Jim Poe

Joe Conneelly

Karen Hamilton

Katie Cunningham

Katt Niall

Keiran Dole

Kelly Burge

Kid Kenobi

Kids at Midnight

Kilter

Kimberly Yao

Klaus Heavyweight Hill

KLP

Laura Treacy

Lauren Mikkor

LDRU

Liz Ferguson

Liz Miller

Lo’99

Luke ’Spags’ Giannoukas

Luke Udorovic

Made in Paris

Marc Scarborough

Marcos Boffa

Martin Novosel

Mashd N Kutcher

Matt Stafford

Matthew Smith

Michel Palazzo

Michelle Owen

Michelle Xen

Mickey Kojak

Mike Monday

Millie Millgate

Monique Rothstein

Nick Braban

Nick Greco

Nick Groff

Nina Las Vegas

Nui Te Koha

Oski

Paces

Paddy Scace

Paul Cunningham

Pia Del Mastro

Rachael Neumann

Raye Antonelli

Rebecca Florence

Reggie Ba-Pe

Richard Moffat

Rob Scott

Rob Woo

Royalston

Sam Korotkov

Saran Bajaj

Sebastien Fava-Verde

Set Mo

Simon Beckingham

Simon Digby

Slumberjack

Spenda C

Stephane 1993

Stephane Elmosnino

Stephen Digby

Stephen Wade

Ta-ku

Terace

The Meeting Tree

The Potbelleez

The Presets

Tigerlily

Timmy Trumpet

Tkay Maidza

Toby & Pete

Tom Piper

Toneshifterz

Torren Foote

Trent Grimes

Trinity

Tyson Koh

Uberjak’d

Vanessa Picken

Vi Hermens

Wax Motif

Will Sparks

Wordlife

Yolanda Be Cool

Zaran Vachha