Merlin, PIAS, A2IM, Sounds Australia, Spotify, among major names at Indie Con
The second Indie Con, to be held July 26 and 27 in Adelaide, has brought together some major international and Australian executives to discuss the challenges, solutions and opportunities for the indie sector.
The conference also offers advancement in professional and business development skills, one-on-one networking potential with key industry stakeholders and insights into the latest innovations and technological advancements in products, services and strategies.
Some of them like Charles Caldas, Dave Faulkner of the Hoodoo Gurus and artist manager Michael McMartin were pioneers of the Australian indie sector.
Caldas, now Europe-based CEO of digital rights association Merlin, was CEO of Shock Records which grew into an empire with inroads to the Asian and European markets and shone the light to other indies what could be possible.
Faulkner and McMartin showed how to set up a band to control their art and be financially viable.
Dom Alessio will speak about future directions for Sounds Australia.
Molly Neuman, an instigator of the Riot Grrrl movement (via the band Bratmobile and Girl Germs e-zine), currently heads up global business development at Songtrust after stints at eMusic, Kickstarter, Lookout and A2IM.
Justin West of Secret City Records will speak on how to take control over your global rights as a small indie label.
Vincent Fenice, head of international marketing at PIAS will look at what was it about the Aussie sector which led to PIAS buying Inertia.
A2IM CEO Richard James Burgess and Kill Rock Starts/The Future of What’s Portia Sabin are back by popular demand.
Further highlights include WIN director of legal and commercial affairs Charlie Phillips, OpenPlay co-founder Edward Ginis, and from Entertainment Intelligence Greg Delaney and Erik Gilbert.
Conference programmer Stu Watters comments, “We’re really excited to deliver a program that ups the ante on the Australian independent label sector.
“We have one of the strongest most vibrant indie sectors in the world and gatherings like Indie-Con are designed to help make our sector and the industry more broadly a better place to do business, putting our artists at the centre of the conversation.”
Indie-Con is part of a series of events including the AIR awards, Umbrella: Winter City Sounds and Scouted.
Full list of 2018 speakers:
Molly Neuman (Songtrust)
Charles Caldas (Merlin)
Charlie Phillips (WIN)
Edward Ginis (OpenPlay)
Erik Gilbert (Entertainment Intelligence)
Greg Delaney (Entertainment Intelligence)
Justin West (Secret City Records)
Portia Sabin (Kill Rock Stars)
Richard Burgess (A2IM)
Vincent Fenice (PIAS)
Adalita (artist)
Alicia Sbrugnera (Spotify)
Amanda Vitartas (Hysterical Records).
Andy Mak (Writer/Producer)
Anthony Zaccaria (Bolster)
Ben O’Connor (Chapter Music)
Blake Rayner (The Orchard)
Bonnie Dalton (Custom Made)
Chris Bosma (Poolside Records/The Smith Street Band)
Chris O’Neill (APRA AMCOS)
Damian Rinaldi (Sonic Lawyers)
Dave Faulkner (Hoodoo Gurus)
Dean Ormston (APRAAMCOS)
Deb Suckling (Sugar Rush Records)
Dom Alessio (Sounds Australia)
Ellen Kirk (Barely Dressed Records)
Emma Bosworth (Green Music Australia)
Eoin McCarthy (Hydric Media)
Gerry McKenna (Whitesky)
Glenn Dickie (Sounds Australia)
Grace Kindellan (Hysterical Records)
Greg Carey (Grow Yourself Up)
Guy Blackman (Chapter Music)
Harvey Saward (Remote Control Records).
Henry Compton (The Orchard)
Jane Slingo (Young Strangers)
Jay Mogis (QUT)
Lars Brandle (The Industry Observer)
Leanne de Souza (AAM)
Linda Bosidis (Mushroom Publishing)
Lisa Bishop (Music SA)
Lynne Small (PPCA)
Mardi Caught (Annex)
Matt Tanner (Native Tongue Publishing)
Matthew Lymbury (Nightlife Music)
Matthew Rogers (Unified Music Group)
Merida Sussex (Stolen Recordings)
Michael McMartin (Melody Management)
Millie Millgate (Sounds Australia)
Paddy McHugh (artist)
Paige X. Cho (Bolster)
Phil Brown (Nightlife Music)
Rachel Kelly (Downtown Publishing)
Steve Cross (Remote Control Records)
Susan Cotchin (IRR Music)
Tom Mee (Spotify) + more to be announced.