Sound City Manchester to launch on July 19

04 July 2019 - Press release

One-day conference and music showcase part of Distractions summit during Manchester International Festival

Tickets: bit.ly/2FOWLHB

 

The first ever Sound City Manchester will launch on July 19 as a one-day conference and music showcase as part of this year’s Distractions summit.

Distractions is a three-day event (July 18- 20) running during Manchester International Festival. It explores how technology will change the way we create, share and consume art, music and entertainment across a weekend of debates, talks and panels, as well as new music and content showcases with some of the world’s leading tech companies, artists and producers.

Distractions has been created by FutureEverything, Manchester International Festival and Sound City, in collaboration with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

Sound City is the brand responsible for organising a rang of boutique music, media and technology festivals and conferences around the world.

Since its inception over 10 years ago, it has designed, delivered, marketed and hosted events in cities on three continents, ranging from a series of shows, conferences, and product and service launches, to full music and arts festivals, and creative and digital conferences.

Sound City-owned events include Liverpool Sound City festival and conference, Dubai Sound City, New York Sound City and Sound City Digital, Sound City Korea, Gateway To The Asian Music Markets, Off The Record, and Sound City Satellite.

Past speakers at Sound City events include Andrew Loog Oldham (Rolling Stones), Black Ice (Def Jam Poet), Alan McGee (Creation Records), Viv Albertine (The Slits), Tracey Thorn (Everything But The Girl), Vince Power (promoter), Edwyn Collins (Orange Juice) and many more.

The Sound City Manchester conference will see executives from some of the world’s leading tech companies and artist managers debate the newest trends in music and tech – and the intersection between the two.

Two panel sessions have been announced so far:

‘Tech. Music. Creativity’ will evaluate the pros and cons of technology integrated with music and question whether it is enhancing our experiences or disconnecting us from our primal attraction to music.

‘Who And What Are The New Creators And How Do We Create Them?’ will take an in-depth look at the skills required in the modern day industry, where tech knowledge and innovative creativity are crucial tools in any musicians arsenal, and how we can educate the next generation of creators.

Announced speakers include Andy Burnham (Metro Mayor), Mike Blake Crawford (Social Chain), Sammy Andrews (Sabotage New Media), Andy Wood (Cubic Notion), Jeff Thompson (Unconvention), Andrew Hirst (Modern English), Mike Garry (Poet), Alex Kunawitz (Laduma) and Terry Tyldesley (Emergent Technology, Multimedia Producer, Board Chair Resonate Co-Op).

Alongside the conference will run a diverse and exciting music showcase hosted by Jenna G at Festival Square in collaboration with MIF, curated by an independent A&R panel made up of some of Manchester’s most influential music industry figures. The programme includes an in-conversation between Andy Burnham and Peter Saville on 40 years of Factory Records.

Andy Burnham said: “Distractions is everything Greater Manchester is about – innovative, forward thinking and radical. We have a pioneering digital, technological and music history. Whether that’s building the first computer, the birthplace of the industrial revolution and the Spinning Jenny, or the home of Factory Records; our progressive past should be seen as a great foundation for the future. Distractions is all about showcasing the future of Greater Manchester and asking the moral and ethical questions about how technology is both a fantastic opportunity, but also a distraction from reality in an increasingly troubled world. In Greater Manchester, we don’t want to just imagine what the future of entertainment might look like, we want to lead it.”

Sound City CEO Dave Pichilingi said: “Liverpool and Manchester are two of the most iconic music cities in the world. It makes sense that Sound City should have a presence here to celebrate Manchester’s rich music heritage, the exciting things that are happening here right now, and what’s sure to be a bright future for both music creators and the music business.”