BIGSOUND 2013 Applications Are Now Open

BIGSOUND is widely recognised as the biggest and most important gathering of the music industry in Australia, where over three days each September, the conference draws an ever-growing assembly of musicians, managers, industry experts, movers, shaker, and music lovers to converse, exchange, discover (and dig a whole lotta live shows) in Brisbane’s renowned entertainment hub, Fortitude Valley.

Though BIGSOUND 2013 is still more than six long months off, today organisers have announced that BIGSOUND registrations and BIGSOUND Live showcase applications are now open for this year’s event, held from September 11th to the 13th.

BIGSOUND are taking the early bird maxim to heart (or in the words of the Beastie Boys, “no time like the present to work shit out“), along with the news that early bird ticket rates are open today, with a discount price available to all conference sessions, functions, parties, after-parties, and the all-important BIGSOUND Live schedule, which last year saw a mammoth 120 bands playing across multiple venues across two nights in over 12 venues.

BIGSOUND’s days are filled with insider information and fascinating perspectives on the music industry, which last year saw the likes of festival elite Jessica Ducrou of Splendour In The Grass and Ken West of Big Day Out chewing the fat on an industry panel, legendary producers Wayne Connelly and Anthony Lycenko giving advice on recording a debut, and a wonderful opening keynote address from Steve Earle.
BIGSOUND’s days are filled with insider information and fascinating perspectives on the music industry

The evening belongs to BIGSOUND Live, a two-night music festival that puts up-and-coming artists in front of hundreds of local, national, and international music industry delegates, it’s a music lover’s wet dream, and as our writer on-ground at BIGSOUND 2012 wrote, “Unless you’re in possession of a time machine, or have several musically astute clones of yourself – there’s no way one person can take in [everything].

Highlights from last year’s lineup included the EMI Music Party with sets from Something For Kate, Ball Park Music, and Oh Mercy, a riveting showcase at from Candians The Darcys, the textural guitars of Melbourne’s I, a Man, the ‘casual rock’ antics of Courtney Barnett, Jeremy Neale’s spy rock, a ripping return from Violent Soho, Adelaide’s Sincerely, Grizzly thrilling assault, the moody five-piece The Trouble With Templeton, and many, many more.

It’s the place to be to catch breaking artists, with previous BIGSOUND events featuring the likes of The Temper Trap, Flume, Clare Bowditch, Boy and Bear, The Jezabels, Children Collide, DZ Deathrays, Cloud Control, Emma Louise, The Getaway Plan and Lanie Lane.

Though it may be some time before the first acts and names are revealed for BIGSOUND 2013, with that kind of pedigree, it’ll certainly be worth the wait, and if you’re an up-and-coming artist yourself, then what better time to apply?

Read our BIGSOUND 2012 coverage including the BIGSOUND Blog: Day One, Day Two, the BIGSOUND Live Wrap-Up: 1st Night, the 2nd Night Live Wrap-Up; as well as reviews of the EMI Music Party and Jeremy Neale @ Ric’s Bar.