Learn about the music business with free panels at Stage West in Scranton on Sept. 14
With over 150 bands performing in 11 venues throughout Scranton for the Electric City Music Conference this weekend, it’s easy to overlook an important part of the event – the free educational sessions for local musicians and anyone interested in learning more about the music industry.
This year, the panels will be held at Stage West (301 N. Main Ave., Scranton) on Saturday, Sept. 14 from noon-5 p.m. The discussions with music professionals and national touring band Boys of Fall will focus on how to succeed in several aspects of the music business, including management, marketing, and touring, even offering legal help from an entertainment lawyer.
These sessions are open to the public, and questions for the panelists are encouraged.
Electric City Music Conference presentation schedule
Noon-12:45 p.m.: Building the Right Team with Brian Cronin (Millennium Music Conference, Elm City Music Fest, That Mag)
Artists can do a lot by themselves in the music industry, like making new music, getting local gigs, winning contests, selling merch, and gaining new fans. When deciding to taking their career to the next level, a team may be needed. This panel of industry professionals will share strategies for success. Be it a lawyer, manager, agent, publisher, producer, or PR, you need someone that believes in you, someone with the knowledge, the time, the connections, and the outside perspective to share the responsibility of growing your career.
1 p.m.-1:45 p.m.: Best Practices for Starting a Music Career with entertainment lawyer William J. Metzger
This presentation will educate artists on the first steps they need to take to ensure their best possibility of success in the music industry. The music business is exactly that – a business. Understanding the importance of forming a business entity to protect an artist’s assets is a major component of a prospering career. If you are in a band, creating a band agreement will provide a compass for the group to use as a guide. The document may list a variety of topics to consider, such as goals, guidelines, responsibilities, and a breakdown of various monetary items.
2 p.m.-3:45 p.m.: Social Media Basics for Musicians with ECMC co-founder Joe Caviston
Joe Caviston works in digital marketing and specializes in marketing to youth. For the past five years, he has worked in both the music and higher education market, drawing a correlation between the two because many of the demographics are shared. College-age consumers have and likely always will make up the majority of the music consuming community. Caviston will walk bands through the basics of how to improve their social media presence and promote themselves through social media platforms. Plenty of time will be left for questions and answers, as well as a workshop.
4 p.m.-5 p.m.: Running your Band Like a Business with Boys of Fall
When you’re ready to take your band to the next level, you’ll have to start running it like a business. Learn what it takes from national touring act and InVogue Records band Boys of Fall.
The Electric City Music Conference begins tonight with the Steamtown Music Awards at The V-Spot (906 Providence Rd., Scranton) at 6 p.m.; it is free to all nominees and $5 at the door for the public.
All shows on Friday and Saturday are $5 at the door, or a daily hopper pass for all venues is $10. Tickets and passes can be purchased via Eventbrite or at all participating venues – Ale Mary’s, the Backyard Ale House, The Bog, Finnegan’s Irish Rock Club, Harry’s, the Irish Wolf Pub, The Keys, the New Penny Lounge, Peculiar Slurp Shop, Stage West, and The V-Spot.
For a complete updated guide to the 2019 Electric City Music Conference, visit nepascene.com/ecmc.
See NEPA Scene’s photos from the 2018 ECMC announcement party here, the 2018 Steamtown Music Awards here, and the entire Electric City Music Conference here. Listen to ECMC founders Joe Caviston and Ken Norton talk about the conference and the awards in depth in Episode 75 of the NEPA Scene Podcast:
