[News] BIGSOUND FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES SECOND SPEAKER LINE-UP

BIGSOUND Festival just keeps growing with a second round of international and national speakers added to Australia’s biggest music event. BIGSOUND is pleased to welcome two new keynote speakers, co-founder of one of the world’s biggest indie labels PIAS, Kenny Gates, and vocalist, poet and multi-instrumentalist Sadie Dupuis from US buzz band Speedy Ortiz.

Also popping in for a chat are over 40 industry heavyweights including: US Pitchfork writer Jillian Mapes; UK Vevo talent manager Carl Young; US tastemaker label Captured Tracks A&R, Mike Sniper; US booking powerhouse Paradigm Talent Agency’s Jackie Nalpant and Marshall Betts; ARIA CEO Dan Rosen; C3 Management’s Joe Greenwald; UK author and ex-manager of Wham! and Marc Bolan, Simon Napier-Bell; Singapore’s Slate Entertainment founder and CEO Keith Tan and a host of other amazing speakers and buyers—all of whom could make a real difference to the global careers of the 130+ artists showcasing at BIGSOUND Festival.

These new additions join with previously announced speakers including Tina Arena, Archie Roach, Alison Wenham (WIN UK), Jane Abernathy (4AD), Eva Trifonas (Ninja Tune), Stuart Meyer (Sub Pop), Mary Ramos (Saturday Music Inc), Nick Findlay (triple j) and many more to create the most diverse program of international and national music tastemakers ever assembled in Australia, building on BIGSOUND’s sixteen years of being the southern hemisphere’s premier A&R event.

BIGSOUND is the key networking event and party that no Australian musician or industry participant can afford to miss with over 7,000 attendees expected to descend on Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley live precinct this September 5-8.

BIGSOUND is not only getting bigger, but also wider, with the addition of the Music Tech Showcase, giving the opportunity for ten tech innovators to showcase at the event. The selected applicants will participate in a day-long workshop with a group of industry leaders and start up mentors to pitch and get feedback on their innovation and prepare for showcasing their product at a special event on Wednesday 6th September.

Mentors for the program include Joel Connolly (Blackbird Ventures), Colin Kinner (Startup Onramp), Murray Galbraith (Myriad), Shelli Trung (QUT Creative Enterprise), Peta Ellis (River City Labs) and Tom Larkin (SIGNAL Artist Development Accelerator, VVV MGT and artist). Entries are open now at www.bigsound.org.au and close on July 15.

BIGSOUND partner Virgin Australia is also extending the musical journey this year, offering two return economy class airfares anywhere on their international long-haul network to one lucky visitor who books their flights to the festival via the BIGSOUND website. Whether you choose Coachella, Auckland City Limits or FYF Fest, BIGSOUND might be just the start of your musical adventure!

If you want to immerse yourself in the full BIGSOUND Festival experience, Purple passes give access to all festival venues and conference events, closing night party, official parties, the delegate networking portal, and are available from just $470 (member rate), but be quick as this special rate is only available until July 31 when prices will increase. BIGSOUND passes have sold out in advance every year since 2010, so head to www.bigsound.org.au to register and don’t miss out!

If you’re just in it for the music, a four-night rainbow pass giving access to all festival live venues (from 8pm) and the closing night party, hosted by Mountain Goat Beer, are just $85 (+bf) and are available now from proud BIGSOUND partner Oztix.

BIGSOUND FESTIVAL SPEAKER ANNOUNCE
SECOND ANNOUNCE

Kenny Gates – PIAS (BEL) – Keynote
Sadie Dupuis – Speedy Ortiz (USA) – Keynote
Aminé Ramer – States of Sound (USA)
Ben Godding – AWAL/Kobalt Music Recordings (AUS)
Ben O’Connor – Chapter Music (AUS)
Ben Swanson – Secretly Group (USA)
Bill Wilson – Music Biz (USA)
Cameron Schaefer – Vinyl Me, Please (USA)
Carl Young – Vevo (UK)
Charles Kirby-Welch – Kartel (UK)
Chris Twite – Secret Sounds / Brisbane Festival (AUS)
Clémence Bizien – Super! (France)
Dan Rosen – ARIA (AUS)
David Sheils – APRA AMCOS (AUS)
Elspeth Scrine – LISTEN / Huntley (AUS)
Emma Calverley – Australian Cultural Fund (AUS)
Emily Kelly – Deathproof (AUS)
Farinoush Mostaghimi – SynchAudio (CAN)
Haley Connelly – Little Press (UK)
Heath Miller – Webster Hall & Excess dB Entertainment (USA)
Hugh McClure – Good Manners (AUS)
Jackie Nalpant – Paradigm Talent Agency (USA)
Jake Friedman – We Are Free Management (USA)
Jane Gazzo – Triple M (AUS)
Jeff Owens – Felte / Ghostly International (USA)
Jennie Sager – Twitter (AUS)
Jeremy Yohai – Imagem Music Publishing (USA)
Dr. Jess Carniel – University of Southern QLD (AUS)
Jillian Mapes – Pitchfork (USA)
Joe Greenwald – C3 Management (USA)
Joel Connolly – Blackbird Ventures (AUS)
Karl Richter – Level Two Music (AUS)
Kate Mills – Native Tongue Publishing (AUS)
Keith Tan – Slate Entertainment (SIN)
Lars Brandle – Billboard (AUS)
Leigh Treweek – The Music / Handshake MGMT (AUS)
Marshall Betts – Paradigm Talent Agency (USA)
Matt Fiedler – Vinyl Me, Please (USA)
Mel Yong – Village Sounds & Other Sounds (AUS)
Mike Sniper – Captured Tracks (USA)
Nic Warnock – R.I.P. Society Records / Repressed Records (AUS)
Paul Barclay – ABC RN (AUS)
Peymon Maskan – Media Arts Lab (USA)
Shelli Trung – QUT CEA (AUS)
Simon Napier-Bell – Pierbel Ltd. UK (UK)
Steel Hanf – WME (AUS)
Tom Taaffe – United Talent Agency (UK)
Zena White – Partisan Records (UK/USA)
Ziggy Ramo – Artist (AUS)

ALREADY ANNOUNCED

Archie Roach (AUS) – Keynote
Tina Arena (AUS) – Keynote
Adel Hattem – D Music Marketing (Brazil)
Alison Wenham – Worldwide Independent Network (UK)
Andrew Jervis – Bandcamp (USA)
Ash Kerley – Girls Rock! (AUS)
Bill Roe – Trouble In Mind Records (USA)
Bob Van Heur – Le Guess Who? Festival / Belmont Bookings (NL)
Eva Trifonas – Ninja Tune (AUS)
Isla Angus – ATC Live (UK)
Ivy Yuen – Magnetic Asia Limited (Hong Kong)
James Clarke – Aeroplane Agency (AUS)
James Moodie – The Orchard (UK)
Jane Abernathy – 4AD Records (USA)
Jenn Yacoubian – Goldenvoice (USA)
Lucy Wood – Festival Republic (UK)
Mary Ramos – Saturday Music Inc. (USA)
Mazin Tappuni – Communion Music (UK)
Mel Brown – Impressive PR (UK)
Melissa Woods – Third Side Music (USA)
Mike Ajayi – All My Friends (UK)
Nick Findlay – triple j (AUS)
Paul Adams – New Community Management / Roc Nation (USA)
Peter Berard – Domino Recording Co. Ltd. (USA)
Poppy Reid – Seventh Street Media (AUS)
Rebecca Young – Collective Artists (AUS)
Ric Leichtung – Adhoc (USA)
Roy Amar – Bear Parts Music (AUS)
Stuart Meyer – Sub Pop (USA)
Sullivan Patten – Sullivan (AUS)
Sylvie Piccolotto – Rock City (Argentina)
Zan Rowe – triple j (AUS)

BIGSOUND FESTIVAL ARTISTS
FIRST ANNOUNCE

Alex The Astronaut
Alexander Biggs
ALTA
Aurelia
Baker Boy
Bespin (NZ)
BOAT SHOW
Body Type
Brightness
Clowns
Daggy Man
Dobby
Donny Benét
Dream Rimmy
ELKI
Endless Heights
Fanny Lumsden
Good Morning
Haiku Hands
Hatchie
Hayden Calnin
Hockey Dad
Horace Bones
Introvert
Isabel
IV League
Jess Locke
Jim Lawrie
Joyride
Kardajala Kirridarra (Sandhill Women)
Kylie Auldist
Lonelyspeck
Maddy Jane
mama kin spender
Mammals
Mansionair
Maribelle
Merk (NZ)
Miss Blanks
nyck
Obscura Hail
OKBadlands
Pagan
Pandamic
Party Dozen
Peter Bibby
Polaris
Polographia
POW! Negro
RUBY FIELDS
Seavera
Sloan Peterson
Spirit Bunny
Splashh (UK)
The Cactus Channel
The Creases
The Teskey Brothers
Tigerilla
TOTAL GIOVANNI
WHALEHOUSE
Willaris. K
Winston Surfshirt
Yoste
Ziggy Ramo