BIGSOUND 2013 Announce Speakers & Acts Including Billy Bragg & Amanda Palmer

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 four long months off, the first round of speakers and live performances for this years event has been announced and organisers have pulled out all stops to put together a star-studded host of personalities from a wide spectrum of the music industry.

BIGSOUND, held this year from September 11-13 is now one of the biggest music industry gatherings in the southern hemisphere and welcomes great names from around the world. With the UK’s pioneering agitator Billy Bragg, US crowd-funding poster-child Amanda Palmer and Australia’s Queen of country Kasey Chambers heading up the speaker’s list, this first lineup announcement already ensures an inspirational and perhaps controversial conference program.

BIGSOUND has also let the first dozen live artists slip, with Xavier Rudd, Megan Washington, The John Steel Singers, Stonefield, Bleeding Knees Club, The Jungle Giants, Spit Syndicate, Dune Rats, Clubfeet, Thelma Plum, Citizen Kay and Little Bastard among the first of 120 artists from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and more to play over twelve venues in the biggest gathering of emerging artists in Australia.

International industry will be well represented on the conference program with the first confirmed industry players including the UK’s Simon Raymonde from indie label Bella Union, while the US gives us Nashville producer Brad Jones, CMJ’s Matt McDonald and NYC venue booker Billy Jones. Australians confirmed to speak also include Eleven’s John Watson, Woodford’s Chloe Goodyear, RIP Society’s Nic Warnock and Brisbane music heroes Regurgitator. And BIGSOUND even welcomes the first speaker in its history from Iceland, booker for Reykjavik festival Iceland Airwaves, Grimur Atlason.

“BIGSOUND 2013 is already the biggest we’ve ever hosted and it’s only the first announcement,” said programmer Graham Ashton. “The tribe is growing from all corners of the world as BIGSOUND quickly becomes the Southern Hemisphere’s gathering for music-lovers and industry wanting the experience of seeing tomorrow’s big artists before they break.”

BIGSOUND has a long history of being the place to see the hottest new artists. The likes of Flume, The Temper Trap, Kimbra, Seth Sentry, The Naked and Famous, Ball Park Music, Bertie Blackman, Emma Louise and Last Dinosaurs all became BIGSOUND alumni on their journeys to international success.

Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games Jann Stuckey said BIGSOUND was supported by Tourism and Events Queensland for a second consecutive year.

“The announcement of today’s program will see top national and international performers descend on Brisbane once again this September,” Ms Stuckey said. “The ever growing BIGSOUND program is another example of an event enhancing Brisbane’s reputation as a cultural hub, profiling the city’s diverse attractions and entertainment experiences.”

BIGSOUND earlybird tickets are now available until May 20 from the BIGSOUND website giving punters the full experience including access to all panels, parties, exhibitions and live music events. BIGSOUND Live Passes will go on sale in June.

BIGSOUND 2013 SPEAKERS FIRST ANNOUNCE

BILLY BRAGG (UK)
AMANDA PALMER (USA)
KASEY CHAMBERS (AUS)
REGURGITATOR (AUS)
SIMON RAYMONDE – BELLA UNION (UK)
JOHN WATSON – JOHN WATSON MANAGEMENT / ELEVEN MUSIC (AUS)
BRAD JONES – PRODUCER (NASHVILLE) (USA)
MATT MCDONALD – CMJ (USA)
NIC WARNOCK – RIP SOCIETY (AUS)
GRIMUR ATLASON – ICELAND AIRWAVES – (ICELAND)
CHLOE GOODYEAR – WOODFORD – (AUS)
BILLY JONES – PIANOS – (USA)

BIGSOUND LIVE 2013 ARTISTS FIRST ANNOUNCE

XAVIER RUDD
MEGAN WASHINGTON
THE JOHN STEEL SINGERS
STONEFIELD
BLEEDING KNEES CLUB
THE JUNGLE GIANTS
SPIT SYDNICATE
DUNE RATS
CLUBFEET
THELMA PLUM
CITIZEN KAY
LITTLE BASTARD

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.