#POPular Conference
October 20-22, 2011

Get ready for the #POPular Conference and 3 days of exciting panels, debates, screenings and keynote discussions.

The #POPular Conference is open to all who care to attend and promises to be exciting, entertaining and inspiring.

Passes Accepted: VIP, Priority, Artist, Conference.

Are you a social media non starter? Work in government or the corporate world and feel out of the loop? Come down and join the social media support group and learn the basics so you can interact with your clients and audience online. We’ve brought in the experts to teach you all about the hows and whys of social media to help you join the online discussion.

Pre registration is required as space is limited to 15 attendees. Email producton@halifaxpopexplosion.com to register.

Are you curious about how to make your music generate real money? We have brought in one of the leading experts in hip-hop to help you make your music pay up in round one of our day-long Hip-Hop Symposium with Wendy Day. Don’t know who she is? Read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendy_Day

In the lead up to his BAND:SMART Keynote address on Saturday, Martin Atkins will share his experience in a more focused, topic-specific forum during a day of mini-sessions. Topics may include merchandising, screen printing, making your show an event, packaging, and more! Atkins is one of the most respected figures in music education today. As an experienced teacher and industry professional, Martin will share lessons that could only come from someone with his wealth of knowledge about the industry. Get BAND:SMART.

Hip-hop has always been about DIY and self-promotion. In round two of our day-long Hip-Hop Symposium, you will learn about guerrilla marketing and the tactics you should be using to further your hip-hop career.

Learn about Wendy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendy_Day

Building a strong team is never easy. How do you go about choosing a manager, lawyer, booking agent, accountant and publicist? Do you need any of them? Wendy Day gives you the rundown on team-building in the music industry in round three of the Hip-Hop Symposium.

Learn about Wendy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendy_Day

Being "independent" in hip-hop isn’t a buzz term, it’s a reality, especially for artists living outside of major centres. Wendy raps up (get it?) the Hip-Hop Symposium with a focus on building your career on your own outside of a major centre.

Learn about Wendy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendy_Day

Is live music being silenced? Cities around the world are experiencing the death of the independent live music venue. With the proliferation of condo developments in low-income artist communities, ensuing noise complaints, the commercialization of large music venues, and the rise in stringent city zoning and liquor regulations, small local music venues around the world are struggling to stay open.

Set in Vancouver, Canada which has long been known as No Fun City, this documentary is a passionate tale about a tight-knit music scene and its ongoing battle for a place to call home. Witnessing the ups and downs of life behind the scenes, the camera follows as venues are shut down, parties are raided, and musicians resort to playing in illegal venues, DIY warehouses, and even parking lots, mostly located in the downtown eastside Canada’s poorest zip code. These brave supporters of punk and metal face irate neighbours, police raids, evictions, deportation, million dollar lawsuits, and even city hall in order to keep their underground music scene alive.

The film director, Kate Kroll, will be in attendance and there will be a question and answer session after the screening!

Want to meet with industry delegates to break the ice? Come and get to know these folks over coffee and a chat. We know, we know…10am seems early, but in the words of our good buddy Scott Long: If you want to hoot with the owls, you gotta soar with the eagles.

Please email production@halifaxpopexplosion.com to let us know you’re coming so we can arrange meetings for you.

We’ve all heard the saying, "all press is good press," but does that statement really ring true? From crazy live show antics to controversial music videos, the Canadian music scene is pushing the NSFW envelope. Is it controversy for art’s sake, or controversy to sell records? Music and video gurus will help clear the air. This panel is NSFW.

Panelists: Claire Edmonson (Video Director; Broken Social Scene), Wendy Day (Rap Coalition), Josh Hogan (Red Tentacle), Andrew King (Canadian Music Magazine)

Moderator: Scott Honsberger (EMI Music Publishing)

Twitter: @CCEdmondson, @rapcoalition, @marteeeen, @red_tentacle, @scottyhons

Zac Crouse (from the ECMA nominated band Caledonia) has just toured his new solo album by sea kayak and bicycle from Ottawa to Halifax. Tired of living in a van while on tour, Zac was searching for a sustainable approach to spread his music. He teamed up with documentary film-maker Kelsey Thompson (‘Locals Only’), to document his adventure and this unique approach to touring. Listen to Zac & Kelsey discuss how they combined their passions of kayaking, music, & film to promote music in a more balanced, healthy and sustainable manner.

You can check out clips from Zac’s upcoming documentary film ‘Paddle To The Ocean’ at www.zaccrouse.com.

Being a venue operator is hard and running a venue in Atlantic Canada is even harder. We will gather key venues in our region to discuss ways they can better work together in an effort to make their businesses more successful.

This panel is closed to the public and only open to venue operators/bookers.

Are you the type of person who likes to peek behind the curtain at the real behind the scenes? Wait until you hear how these festivals got started and hear some of the stories they picked up along the way! What hoops have they had to jump through to become successful? Have they ever had to fill a bowl of only brown smarties? Festival directors come together to laugh, cry and share the stories of hits and near misses they’ve faced, and what they’ve learned in the process.

Panelists: Lindsay Shedden (Sled Island), Dan Seligman (Pop Montreal), Paul Henderson (SappyFest), Yvonne Matsell (NXNE), Niklas Lundell (Way Out West, Sweden)

Moderator: Waye Mason (Halifax Pop Explosion)

Twitter: @SledIsland, @PopMontreal, @SappyFest, @HaliPopX

60 day tours are extreme, especially when you’re doing them in a 3rd hand van that you bought the day before the tour that you booked yourself. Long car rides, stinky musicians, and an irregular schedule can really mess you up – not to mention the endless possibilities of van explosions and band implosions. How do bands book their own North American tour and better still why do they do it? Did it kill them or make them stronger? Learn about the benefits of having an agent book for you instead and find out what they are looking for in an artist. Hear it from both sides of the business and make your own decision.

Panelists: Aaron Mangle (Cousins), Adam O’Reilly (Cousins), Val Denn (Val Denn Agency), Tom Kemp (SFLA), Tim Hardy (SOCAN)

Twitter: @ValerieDenn, @SLFA_Artists

With the popularity of computers, iPads, and smart phones, not to mention video downloads on your PS3, it can be near impossible to organize your digital life. Now there’s a solution – or so it seems. CLOUD services are on the up and up (no pun intended), but how can you use them most effectively? What does it mean for your band/business? And what about all the APPS? Learn how to use them effectively, and how they can benefits artists, managers, festivals and fans.

Panelists: Julia Rivard (Sheepdog Inc), Bill Syrros (Lixar), Phil Giroux (Lixar)

Moderator: Stephan MacLeod (Stitch Media)

Music Video’s are becoming scarce on television, while YouTube’s catalogue of indie videos is continuously growing. Interactive videos are engaging fans, but how can you properly plan and market them to go viral? How can you apply for grants through VideoFACT, when the system still calls for TV marketing? Grant-givers and Film-Makers debate the ins and outs of Music Videos modern music age.

Panelists: Claire Edmondson (Video Director, Broken Social Scene), Alison Outhit (FACTOR), Kate Kroll (Video Director, Make Believe Media)

Moderator: Jules Lynch (Entertainment Business Affairs)

Twitter: @CCEdmondson, @AOuthit, @Southern_Souls, @NFCity

Over the last decade the world has gotten a lot smaller. The evolution of communication over the Internet has increased the speed of globalization to the point where all of the worlds markets are linked. Not only have businesses collided, but cultures as well. Add to this the disappearance of the barriers between the masses and the tools needed to create culture, and the result is a splintering of our collective cultures. Culture affects behavior, and behavior in turn solidifies culture.

At the same time, ways of consuming media, and communicating is changing at an unimaginable pace. Think of the amount of TV and Video content you consumer from the web five years ago, and how much do you consume today. Does your daily commute involve a newspaper, or an eBook? The continued evolution of and converging of these devices is also creating new behaviors, and in turn creating cultures of its own. Cultures like txting, and social media interactions.

Whether you are a Musician or Marketer, Designer or Artist, following and understanding the changing cultural practices and behaviors is critical in reaching you audience, and consumer.

Panelist: Jacoub Bondre

Twitter: @jbondre

The state of the music industry has never been in greater upheaval. The fall of major labels and ever-changing technology has lead to new and innovative ways of reaching your audience and selling your music. Join Wendy Day as she speaks on the state of music sales and how artists CAN make a living by building their own careers selling direct to fans. The keynote will also discuss actual hands-on ways artists and their teams can do this effectively. Wendy strives to have attendees leave her event with a handful of realistic ideas and action steps that they can apply immediately to their own careers; steps that will make a difference in their lives and careers as artists. The key to success in the music industry for all artists is to learn how to turn music into money! And if artists can support themselves while living their dream, there is no better success.

Meet with booking agents, managers, publicists, record labels and other industry folk over coffee and get to know each other.

Please email production@halifaxpopexplosion.com to let us know you are attending so we can schedule a few meetings for you.

Sticks, picks and sponsorships-big brands want to be involved in music but how can you, the artist, get involved with them? Is it worth your time to go after an endorsement? What do you owe as the artist? We’re going to tell you what brands are after, how to get a hold of them, and what it could be worth to you.

Panelists: Matt Carter (Los Cabos Drums), Ian Steaman (Embrace), Shawn Crockard (Fender)

Moderator: Allison Outhit (FACTOR)

Twitter: @loscabossticks, @AOuthit

Building a festival is like building a puzzle who’s pieces are constantly changing, and the line between huge success and explosive failure is extra thin. We are gathering the top festival minds together to discuss ways in which they can work together, share models that have been successful and ideas that lead to a stronger festival landscape in Canada and beyond.

The all-ages scene is crucial as it allows young fans and bands the opportunity to develop. But the scene is facing difficulty from loss of venues and lack of support. How do we foster the all ages music scene? What are some development strategies for sustainable art and music, and what has worked for organizers in the past? Kevin Erikson, founder of The All Ages Music Project in Washington, collaborates with other go-getters in the scene to answer all these questions and more.

Panelists: Kevin Erickson (All Ages Movement Project), Chris Smith (Pavillion), Kate Kroll (No Fun City), Candace Redden (CD Heaven)

Moderator: Ben Pearlman (Collective Concerts)

Twitter: @all_ages, @NFCity, @halifaxpavillion, @TheBennieP

This isn’t the "how to get booked" panel, this is the "how to never get booked again" panel! Hear stories from the venue bookers who have heard every pitch invented and every story ever told on why they should book your band. Here’s your shot to ask them all the questions you asked in your emails that they haven’t replied to yet.

Panelists: Ben Pearlman (Collective Concerts), Mary Ann Daye (MAD house Inc), Steve Barber (Hunters Ale House), Troy Arsenault (The Seahorse)

Moderator: Scott Honsberger

Twitter: @TheBennieP, @TheCompanyHouse, @scottyhons

Join us for an intimate look at one of your favourite indie/hardcore bands, Fucked Up. Hear the stories straight from the horse’s mouth about the relatively quick rise of the little Canadian band that could-and still does.

Martin Atkins is the definition of entrepreneurial activity in cultural arts endeavors. His three decades in the music business spans across genres, borders and industries. Having experience in nearly every aspect of record production and promotion has given Martin a unique perspective not only on where the music industry is currently, but where it is going in the future.

After playing drums in a variety of English bands, Martin auditioned for and subsequently joined Johnny Rotten’s Public Image Limited in 1979. His first contribution to the band was co?writing and performing on the song "Bad Baby" for the revered Metal Box
LP. After touring the world with P.i.L and contributing to several more studio albums Martin left the group in 1985. Over the next five years, he played with and managed Killing Joke and toured with Ministry. In 1990, while on tour with Ministry, he formed his own band, Pigface. He also worked with Nine Inch Nails, performing on the Grammy award winning "Wish" and appearing in the "Head like a Hole" video.

Martin began working on the business side of music in 1988 when he formed Invisible Records and then Mattress Factory Studios in 1996. Over two decades Invisible has released over 350 albums and has had placements spanning from the original Miami Vice to
Showtime’s Queer as Folk to Robert Altman’s The Company.

Atkins wrote his book Tour:Smart in 2007 and has since spoken around the world at major industry conferences, recognized universities, and nonprofit organizations. His distinguished speaking resume includes: SXSW, Warped Tour, CMJ, New Music Seminar, Unconvention, NAMM, By:Larm, Dfest, USC, Drexel, Virginia Commonwealth University, Full Sail, Weiden + Kennedy, Chicago Cultural Center and many more.
Atkins currently teaches at Madison Media Institute leading courses on Touring, Advanced Entrepreneurship, Artist and Event Management, and Online Marketing.

He is a father of four boys and lives with his wife, Katrina, in Chicago.