ContentSphere - Music & Media in an Online Culture

This week, I’ve been to c/o pop conference, or, precisely put, I’ve been to c’n’b conference at Cologne. I absolutely have no clue why re-branding something established. Would you consider changing your domain name? Which is quite similar, I think.

It’s true, they changed focus. But it’s much easier for your audience to stick with the same name although it might not entirely match the topics you present.

The result: Yes, I found a number of topics from different branches tackled at c’n’b. Design, advertising, social media - whatever. It was a nice event, and I met a whole bunch of cool people. Yet it was like… where are the musicians from last year’s event? The number of panels dealing with music didn’t decrease much (though definitely there were more non-music people on the panels than before).

But for some reason, musicians were hardly to be found. Actually, a2n experienced that in last year’s event too. I couldn’t help to find that c’n’b extremely suffered from missing attendees active in music creation.

"c/o pop Cologne Goes c'n'b - Lessons To Be Learned" 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 »

As you are reading this, it is old news that Popkomm 2009, (still) Germany’s most widely known music conference, has been cancelled.

Originally, I intended to go (and I really hoped to see Andrew Dubber over there) yet I began to hesitate as soon as I read the Preliminary Programme 2009 as of 11 May.

"Into the Void of Popkomm 2009: all2gethernow!..." vollständig lesen »