Australia’s biggest celebration of breaking artists and industry networking has reached a new milestone with the first announcement today of its BIGSOUND LIVE program, boasting some of the country’s hottest acts.
This year’s event, to be held from September 7-9 in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley live music precinct, hosts its strongest lineup yet, with the first 24 artists announced including The Getaway Plan, Horrorshow, Calling All Cars, Emma Louise, Eagle & the Worm and many more.
With the program expanding this year to 80 acts across two nights in 8 venues for just $55, BIGSOUND LIVE is the hottest ticket for tastemakers, industry and punters alike in 2011 and go on sale on June 27 through OzTix.
BIGSOUND has also unveiled its second round of speakers with an impressive lineup of international and domestic industry identities adding to an already solid group.
BIGSOUND welcomes radio programmers Mike Walsh (XFM) and Jen Long(BBC) from the UK alongside triple j’s Richard Kingsmill. US manager Brian Winton from Foundations Management, the company behind Passion Pit, Joan As Policewoman, Tokyo Police Club and Owl City will also lend his insight to the event.
Live music is also high on BIGSOUND’s agenda this year with agents Dave Shapiro (The Agency Group, US) Henning Ahrens (Four Artists Agency, Germany) and Lisa Whytock (Active Events, UK) as well as representatives from Canadian Music Fest, Big Day Out and Peats Ridge Festival.
Australian manager and ex-label head John O’Donnell (OdFellows Music) makes a welcome return, joining in some innovative panel lineups with Spunk Records head Aaron Curnow (The Middle East, Arcade Fire) and technology gurus, Guvera’s CEO Claes Loberg and We Are Hunted’s Stephen Phillips.
Sync specialists Isabel Pappani (Undercover Tracks, US) and Michael Nieves (Sugaroo, US) also join the lineup, adding weight to both the panels and the breadth of export potential on offer.
The new lineup joins Creation Records & Poptones founder Alan McGee (Oasis, Primal Scream, The Hives); Warner Music boss Tony Harlow, ie:music’s David Enthoven & Tim Clark (Robbie Williams, Jimmy Page, Ladyhawke); Matador Record’s Natalie Judge (Cat Power, Sonic Youth); Frenchkiss Records’ Paul Hanley (Passion Pit, The Dodos, Local Natives); and Paradigm Talent Agency’sKevin French (The Decemberists, The National) from the event’s first announcement, creating one of the strongest speaker lineups ever seen at an Australian music event.
Tickets for BIGSOUND Live go on sale June 27 through OzTix. With BIGSOUND Live 2010 selling out, tickets for this year’s event are not expected to last. BIGSOUND industry tickets are available now through www.bigsound.org.au.
“BIGSOUND has an undeniable natural momentum,” said BIGSOUND programmer Graham Ashton. “That, along with the calibre of artists we are attracting, makes us confident that the 10th anniversary will prove to be a unique gathering of the tribe for the music community both locally and internationally.”
