Music Industry Convention: Go or No?
Conventions are an opportunity for musicians to network and make connections. It’s also a chance of meeting your favorite artist from the music industry, as well as other creatives who work behind the scenes in various capacities such as photographers or booking agents! Many conventions offer free items such as convention passes that can give you access to panels with artists talking about their craft. The only negative side maybe the price of admission, travel, and accommodation expenses may seem excessive; unless this will ultimately lead towards increased revenue streams.
Yes, if you apply for a Showcase Show.
The music industry is all about getting your name out there also making connections. As an independent musician, you may not have the budget for expensive promo campaigns, playing at a convention showcase show can be a way of doing just that! Some offer free admission into these events (maybe even money towards travel expenses), selected acts will get more exposure than they would otherwise.
If you are planning on attending an event like this, it is important that your act stands out. A competition to play at these events can be stiff, for those who don’t get chosen they might still go ahead, as long as they can afford the expenses.
Why should you say not go?
It’s not always easy to decide if a showcase show is worth the money. Attendees of a showcase show are not always guaranteed to get their money’s worth. It is important to consider the factors before attending these events:
- Promotional materials go to waste
When the event is over, many people are left with piles of promotional items they never touched or used. Promotional CDs tend to be thrown away after one play, while flyers and other paper promotions often get lost in the shuffle, along with a huge stack of business cards.
- Wrong setting to try and get your dream recording deal
If you plan on pitching your demo at a convention in hopes of getting signed, know that it’s not usually the best way. You’re likely to make it uncomfortable for everyone involved, there are very few labels who want unsolicited demos from musicians delivering them anyway so they can be in the spotlight, with nothing but an awkward exchange behind them – which ultimately hurts their chances of getting a recording deal.
- .Work always comes first
The music business is a competitive, fast-paced industry. The events are a place where professionals can meet and network with other musicians, or record label executives in the same field of work to form relationships that could lead towards future collaborations for projects they’re currently working on. Also for these individuals, work always comes first, so there’s little or no chance to get an impromptu demo meeting, you can try your best but do not set your hopes up too high.
- Conventions can overshadow other surrounding events
The odds are not in your favor if you book a show at the same time as the music convention. The trade shows promote their sponsored events to attendees, so unconnected musical performances will be overshadowed by those who do have connections with them and can benefit from being formally introduced to audiences on-site.
Note:
If you are a musician and plan on attending music conferences or trade shows, it is important to understand the considerations behind each decision. The advice below applies specifically for people in this industry who will be attending these types of events, so they can prepare themselves appropriately with knowledge about what’s expected from them at every turn.
