ContentSphere - Music & Media in an Online Culture

Know what: I f***ing hate having no web in train. For four hours. Four hours I could have been working. Ok. I give up. I’m playing around with my my cell phone now to tweet… then again - it’s no iPhone (and I really wish I would have one). But no, not available with any plan at Vodafone. So I’m still using my old Sony Ericsson P1i. 4 chars on 1 key. Great.

More hate. But I’m in dire need for good vibes. Yes (I’m saying that to myself). Yes, I AM going to enjoy SXSW, Austin. Btw, did I mention first we’re going to spend two days in Miami Beach, prepping up for SXSW? We got a hell lot of things to do to get the maximum out of SXSW for Berlin’s all2gethernow, aka a2n.

We keep on being told that everybody’s looking forward to a2n, having heard great things from other people. Obviously Amanda is doing a lot of recommendation here (big thx to Sydney!) - and another one whom I don’t want to mention yet… he’s even recommending us though he wasn’t around last year (you know who you are - already owe you a lot).

If success at SXSW comes just close to what we have started and drafted for a2n - you damn better get a ticket for a2n.

Now I’m enjoying my ride.

P.S.: As you can see: There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel, which is a tunnel without web nor power supply. Found it.

Hey there… so here we go! all2gethernow 2010, which is scheduled for Sept 6th-12th, will be present at SXSW booths #509/511/513 in Austin (TX). We are joining teams from Cologne, Hamburg and more peeps from Berlin.

All the freshest news on Germany’s musical landscape and what you are about to expect at all2gethernow - just come over and have a chat with gorgeous Andrea Goetzke or myself (if you can bear that). Of course, we are going to provide you with twitter, friendfeed and facebook coverage, pics’n’all. Hashtag: #a2n

You thought a2n 2009 was a great one with just 10 weeks of preparation? Ok. This year we are about go really boom. You are afraid a2n is losing touch with its bottom-up approach? Hell! Don’t you ever dare to… Never. Artists, fans, bloggers, consumers - keep your bags packed and prepare your suggestions.

More details soon.

Georgia Wonder is Stephanie Grant from London and Julian Moore from Portsmouth. We got to know each other via Andrew Dubber’s blog and Twitter. You’re searching for a pop/rock/folk band serving beautiful tunes and a brilliant female voice - buy their tracks. You can even choose if and how much to pay for downloads. Or you may order a physical copy.

Julian Moore and Stephanie are never short of clever ideas to add to their marketing. And they are really running the marketing themselves. Blogs, videos, Bandcamp, iTunes, We7, Twitter, homepage, mailings (email as well as snail mail), Facebook etc. - it is time consuming but they’re constantly connected to their fans.

"DIY-Marketing #3: Georgia Wonder Serving Fresh..." vollständig lesen »

Finally. Editing of videos, compiling all material and statements took more time than expected. But it’s - almost - done.

Unfortunately, most statements are available in German only. Yet some of the sessions were held in English.

I’m still missing the sessions on collection societies and DIY marketing, the latter featuring Amanda Palmer and Georgia Wonder. Though one video I’m sure you will enjoy: Amanda Palmer live at Münze Berlin (almost 80 minutes).

Right now, the documentation on Vimeo lists 59 videos. This includes statements from participants right after panels they were involved in as well as full videos of some sessions. Much thanks to the guys from PeopleZapping as well as to Jens Best who was heavily involved into editing the videos. Btw, these videos are the result from our webcasts - please don’t expect HD material shot with the best and most expensive equipment you can find at Amsterdam’s IBC.

Also, you might browse the Flickr group mainly featuring pictures by Robert Eysoldt, Karola Riegler, Sim Sullen and Gaga Nielsen. The type of copyright licence depends on the photographer and the picture.

I came across this when browsing this year’s program to Luxembourg’s Sonic Visions festival and - you guessed it - conference.

Obviously, the question is a more rhetoric one. At least I hope so. Too bad if announced panel’s conclusion would be to reduce and cut conferences. Of course, some conferences appear dispensable. Actually, changes in music industry indicate that some sort of conferences has become redundant.
"Do We Need Music Conferences?" vollständig lesen »

Several times I mentioned GEMA (Germany’s collection society) and hassles artists as well as event managers and other people are having in dealing with them. Yet, all2gethernow’s panel on collection societies made me feel some relief in looking forward.




"Germany's Collection Society GEMA Having a..." vollständig lesen »

The concept was to create an event for the creative people. For consumers. For social media geeks. For IT people. For anyone whose interested in discussing the changes in music and culture. It was intended to be a convention for anyone to collectively work on the current situation - all2gethernow.

The first installment of all2gethernow aimed at finding first steps towards solutions - we didn’t expect Harry Potter to attend and make Lord “Where’s the artist’s money?” Voldemort go KA-BOOM. Also, confrontation gets no one nowhere. Starting out, it’s great to get people from different sides talking to each other. To motivate. To initiate. To help people participate.

But, no matter what, a2n will be compared to Popkomm.

"all2gethernow at Berlin - a Review (albeit from..." vollständig lesen »

Still listening and watching surprise guest Kim “Vermillion” Boekbinder opening the set, there was another sound that made people turn their heads by 100°.

It’s been surely bizarre: Imagine the almost naked architecture of an industrial building’s hall from 75 years ago, and a vaudeville figurine in lingerie playing her ukulele right below the ceiling up on an open stair.

With a quiet yet growing voice she started. No mic at all. Not that she was in need of one.

“I’m a creep... I’m a weirdo...”

This has to be the most haunting and emotional interpretation of Radiohead’s “Creep” I ever heard. While playing, singing, and feeling the song Amanda slowly climbed downstairs with the grace of walking on a huge show stairway and went over to the stage.
"Amanda Palmer: "I'm a weirdo..." #a2n" vollständig lesen »

[Most recent update from 09/24: Review of Amanda’s concert (incl. appearance of Neil Gaiman).]

Here’s the latest & hottest & absolutely stunning terrific update on all2gethernow: None other that Amanda Palmer, legend of DIY marketing comparable only to Trent Reznor, is coming to all2gethernow. We are in an absolute frenzy she’s willing to do a Q&A session as well as a one-off gig. A kind of impromptu one. True AFP style.

[Update: Going to Berlin?]

For anyone who’d like to go to Berlin to see Amanda but don’t know how, here’s two options. First, you might become a member of all2gether’s mixxt community and search there. Secondly, there’s The Shadowbox Net to hook up with like minded people to share cost of travel.

[Update w/details on location, time etc.]

Date: 17 September 2009

Location for both Q&A session and concert:

Münze Berlin, Molkenmarkt 2, 10179 Berlin. Map (look for #camp)

Details Q&A Session:

Time: 17:45-19:15
Room: “Zählwerk”
Ticket: 1-day only / 12 EUR (incl. access to all #camp sessions on 17 Sept - that includes Wim Wenders, btw)
Tickets available here.

Details on Gig

20:30 - [doors open]
21:00 - Siva. (http://www.myspace.com/sivaofficial)
22:00 - Voltaire
23:00 - Amanda
01:00 - [closing]

Entry for the concert only: free, donations for the artists welcome. Any donation goes directly to the artists.

Retweet heavily - and don’t you dare to NOT be there...

During the Q&A session, she will be joined by Georgia Wonder from UK, another act who chose DIY marketing. Georgia Wonder’s folk goes rock goes pop you can enjoy on Thursday afternoon. It’s worth a listen... you won’t come across a voice like Stephanie’s that often in these casting days.

The number of exhibitors was said to be low. Due to online piracy.

This is what Dieter Gorny, CEO of German Body of Music Industry (BVMI) told the public when Popkomm (founded by Gorny), Germany’s most important and one of Europe’s largest music business conferences was cancelled on 19 June.

Then, Jana Herwig, addressing Berlin’s music scene blogged from Vienna: “Can’t you do anything about it and make it happen yourself, bottom-up style? #unkomm”. She coined the hash tag paving the way. By 7 July at the founding meeting, all2gethernow was born.

It took us little more than 10 weeks to prepare for an event including festival, barcamp and conference on exactly the same date Popkomm 2009 should’ve been taking place. There’s two camp days packed with about 50 sessions and the conference presenting 12+ speaker slots.

Not everyone was able to fit an appearance into his personal schedule that quickly.

Nevertheless, all2gethernow amongst others features

• Melvin Benn (Director of Festivals // Mean Fiddler)
  
• Amke Block (CEO // Audiomagnet)
  
• Julie Borchard-Young (“The Metropolitan Opera Live in HD”)
  
• Andrew Dubber (NewMusicStrategies.com)
  
• Jim Griffin (Choruss)
  
• Paul Keller (Project Lead // Creative Commons Netherlands)
  
• Laurent Kratz (CEO/CoFounder // Jamendo)
  
• Gerd Leonhard (MediaFuturist.com)
  
• Alexander Ljung (CEO/CoFounder // SoundCloud)
  
• Tim Renner (CEO // MotorEntertainment)
  
• Kilian Steiner (Director/Legal Advisor // GEMA)
  
• Wim Wenders

This event has no budget but great sponsors. Anyone of us is in it for the matter.

all2gethernow - a new music and culture convention.