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Charles Caldas and Everything Everything added to Great Escape convention programme
By CMU Editorial | Published on Thursday 18 April 2013
With less than a month to go until The Great Escape 2013, how about another round of updates on this year’s convention programme which, as always, has been put together by the team at CMU Insights? And what a packed programme it is.
Amongst the latest announcements is the final of four keynote sessions. ‘Where We’re At’ will kick things off on day one, with CMU Business Editor Chris Cooke reviewing the biggest headlines and most enlightening stats of the music business year just gone, before interviewing Charles Caldas, CEO of indie labels digital rights agency Merlin. With his organisation fast approaching its fifth anniversary, Caldas will discuss the state of the indie label sector and the evolution of the digital market from an independent perspective, and reveal key results from a new survey of Merlin members. Then Sony Music’s Federico Bolza and MAMA & Company’s Rich McGinnis will join the debate, discussing the greatest threats and opportunities facing the music industry in the coming year.
Confirming his involvement, Caldas told CMU: “From day one, independent labels and artists have been at the forefront of digital music: adapting to change, driving innovation and weathering perennial challenges – from both inside and outside the industry. As the digital market continues to evolve, and particularly with the growing adoption of streaming services, I look forward to sharing some of the insights that Merlin has gathered over the past five years with The Great Escape’s audience”.
‘Where We’re At’ joins the three previously announced TGE keynote sessions for 2013. Arts Council England CEO Alan Davey will launch his organisation’s first artist-centric music development fund, while Rough Trade Retail co-Owner Stephen Godfroy will outline his vision for the future of music retail. Chris Cooke will also return to the stage for a second time to explore some of the innovative new deals artists are negotiating with music companies, talking to artist managers Brian Message, Garry Warren and Jamie Osman about their respective partnerships with Kobalt, Cooking Vinyl and BMG Chrysalis.
Also announced today are the highlights of this year’s TGE In Conversation programme, a number of more informal sessions involving artists and key industry players. Everything Everything will precede their Dome Show at The Great Escape by discussing their career to date with Xfm’s John Kennedy. Elsewhere Sire Records’ Seymour Stein, Infectious Music’s Korda Marshall, Domino and Weird World’s Jack Shanky and Parlophone’s Jos Watkin will discuss the art of A&R, and John Robb will lead another lively political debate in Pop Question Time, featuring Billy Bragg, Skint’s Damian Harris, The Pirate Party’s Loz Kaye and Kerry McCarthy MP.
A day-by-day overview of the TGE convention is now online for those looking to plan their own Great Escapes, plus look out for regular updates on and outlines of other TGE sessions here in the CMU Daily between now and the kick off of things at 10.30am on Thursday 16 May. Meanwhile, delegate passes are selling fast, so if you haven’t got yours yet, get it now to avoid disappointment. Passes are available for £175 from the TGE website.
