BIGSOUND 2014 Unveils The Most Epic Speaker Lineup Yet

BIGSOUND has signalled its 2014 intentions by bringing a collection of the world’s most influential live music bookers to check out Australasia’s hottest rising acts. BIGSOUND 2014 will be the biggest gathering of the contemporary live music industry ever assembled in Australia while expanding to accommodate even more artists.

With applications for artists closing on May 9, the event has unveiled the first round of industry speakers which include representatives from festivals such as SXSW, The Great Escape, Bonnaroo, and Outside Lands; as well as representatives from some of the most influential music companies in the world such as booking powerhouse The Windish Agency, X-Ray Touring, Bowery Presents and more.

BIGSOUND 2014 Industry Speakers & Buyers

Tom Windish – The Windish Agency (US)
Kevin French – Paradigm (US)
Chris Sampson – Superfly / Bonnaroo / Outside Lands (US)
Sean Carlson – FYF Fest (US)
James Minor – SXSW (US)
Adam Ryan – The Great Escape / MAMA & Company (UK)
Avery McTaggart – The Windish Agency (US)
Michelle Cable – Panache Booking (US)
Josh Moore – The Bowery Presents / Cloud 9 Adventures (US)
Danny Rogers – Lunatic Entertainment / St Jerome’s Laneway Festival (AUS)
Jerome Borazio – Get Notorious / St Jerome’s Laneway Festival (AUS)
Jamie Wade – X-Ray Touring (UK)
Emily York – Penny Drop (AUS)
Ben Marshall – Sydney Opera House (AUS)
Justin Sweeting – Artist Voice Asia / Clockenflap Festival (HK)
Melissa Yong – Village Sounds Asia (SNG)
Josh Taylor – Cassette Entertainment / Sprung Hip Hop Festival (AUS)
Mario Stresow – FKP Scorpio (GER)
Henning Ahrens – Four Artists Booking Agentur (GER)
Grimur Atlason – Iceland Airwaves (ICE)

Between them, these bookers look after some of the world’s biggest live music brands and artists in a sector of the market that is continuing the boom across the world. They will impart their knowledge at the BIGSOUND conference before checking out the best new music in the Southern Hemisphere at night, with this year’s event expanding to more bands and venues than ever before.

“BIGSOUND is more than just a local music conference,” says BIGSOUND programmer Nick O’Byrne. “The enthusiasm and willingness of some of the globe’s most influential live music bookers to travel across the world to see our artists before they even leave our shores speaks volumes about Australia’s reputation as one of the world’s most exciting A&R hubs.”

“We know how important it is to make connections with buyers of the highest international calibre. BIGSOUND 2014 has only just started scratching the surface with this first lineup announcement, but this is already the most diverse and influential group of live music buyers we’ve ever seen in Australia.”

This year’s BIGSOUND will take place from 10th to the 12th September, again offering three days and two nights of live music, panels, forums, seminars, and parties (oh, the parties) for another year.

Widely recognised as the biggest and most important gathering in the Australian music industry calendar BIGSOUND has 12 years’ experience in drawing an ever-swelling assembly of managers, experts, record labels, publicists, movers and shakers to Brisbane’s renowned entertainment precinct, Fortitude Valley.

For Aussie artists, its provided countless offers for inking deals, touring offers, publishing rights, syncs, contracts – you name it. Just as it has done in helping the likes of The Jezabels, San Cisco, Seth Sentry, Megan Washington, Ball Park Music, Abbey May, Kate Miller-Heidke, Sheppard, Emma Louise (and many more) not just get their foot in the door, but positively kick it down.

Those looking to get their named added to that impressive roll-call can register their BIGSOUND 2014 application over at www.qmusic.com.au until Friday 9th May.

But you don’t have to be a beatmaker or in a band to attend BIGSOUND 2014. Along with applications opening, earlybird tickets are also on sale at www.bigsound.org.au offering everyone the chance to get in front over 150 international industry guests as well as the who’s who of the Australian scene. Given the speed at which the last three years’ conferences sold out, don’t expect passes to last long.

Among the many highlights of last year’s BIGSOUND 2013 was a keynote address from theBard Of Barking Billy Bragg and crowdfunding cabaret queen Amanda Palmer, Indigenous hero Gurrumul, a satellite link-up with Nick Cave, and multiple gigs -secret and publicised alike – from King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. (Did we mention the parties?)

Don’t forget all the crowdsurfing, taste-making, artist-breaking action provided by the mammoth BIGSOUND Live lineup.

Check out our Festival Guide to BIGSOUND as well as our 2013 coverage, including the 5 Things We Learned At BIGSOUND Day One, Day Two. Plus our photos of BIGSOUND Day One Part 1 | Part 2 & Day Two Part 1 | Part 2

Plus our BIGSOUND Quizzes with Amanda Palmer, Jeremy Neale, Elizabeth Rose, Spit Syndicate, Major Leagues, Chance Waters, Jackie Onassis, Tales In Space, The Peep Tempel, Bloods, and Rainy Day Women.