The 2015 Launch Music Conference begins this Thursday, April 23, and as you probably already know the Haulix team will be participating in this year’s event. In fact, James got a haircut earlier today in preparation for his appearance on one of the many panels happening in Lancaster in the coming days. He wasn’t too thrilled about having to do so, but at least he no longer looks like a rejected wannabe actor who blew his audition for some off Broadway version of Scooby-Doo: The Musical.
What we’re trying to say is that we could not be more excited to be participating in Launch this year, and we want to make sure everyone in attendance makes the most out of their time in Pennsylvania. There are a lot of great panels happening, as well as dozens of potentially amazing live performances, but we have chosen five events we feel those headed to Launch absolutely must attend. Each pick represents a unique opportunity to either learn or better integrate yourself into the music industry at large, both of which will help you further your career.
To be fair, we have chosen to not highlight the panel we will be participating in as part of this list. You can find information on that event, which is called ‘Protecting What’s Yours,’ in the panel guide on the official website of Launch.
Don’t miss these events:
Value Of Education Panel – Friday @ 10:30 AM
Serving as the first event on Friday morning and featuring a panel of six industry professionals, each with a unique background in music business, this discussion will focus on the value of a formal education in music. As people who deal with music education day in and day out, we can say first hand this is a question posed by students, aspiring professionals, and their parents on a regular basis. It’s a no brainer that everyone hoping to work in music should have some understanding of how the business functions, but where and how to receive that education is a debate that has continued for decades. These panelists might not settle everything in one hour, but those in attendance will no doubt learn from what they have to say.
Marketing Your Band Panel – Friday @ 3:45 PM
There is an entire industry dedicated to helping bands and solo artists learn to not only navigate the music industry, but conquer it through the use of so-called groundbreaking marketing tactics. Whether or not those books offer any real advice that cannot be found online is a top for another time, but what we can tell you without a doubt in our mind is that there is no better place to learn about what does and does not work in marketing today then from the mouths and minds of the people marketing music for a living in 2015. This five-member panel, which represents talent from a variety of genres, will share first hand knowledge of marketing in music today, as well as where they see things going in the future. If you truly want to be on top of your promotional game, this may be THE must-see panel of the day.
SPOTLIGHT: Artist Manager – Saturday @ 11:25 AM
Saturday at Launch 2015 is largely dedicated to what is essentially a ‘pop-up’ school of music hosted by Van’s Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman. For this specific event, Kevin will be conducting a one-on-one interview with Mike Mowery, Co-Founder and CEO of OuterLoop Management, about his work and the role of artist managers in music today. We’ve heard from many up and coming artists who wonder if they should have a manager at this point in their career, as well as what responsibilities they should assign to said manager if they do choose to hire one. This conversation will hopefully answer those questions, as well as provide insight for current artist managers about how they can potentially improve their efforts moving forward.
Can You Handle The Truth Panel/Event – Saturday @ 2:30 PM
This is probably the greatest event in the history of music conference events, and that is only a slight exaggeration. Following days of education and advice, ‘Can You Handle The Truth’ offers musicians at every level of their career to showcase their music for a massive panel of industry leaders, including Kevin Lyman and MetalBlade PR head Vince Edwards, and receive on the spot reviews in front of a crowded room. It could be the best or worst day of your life, but you will never have an opportunity quite like this at any other music industry event you attend this year. Take a chance.
Attendee Appreciation Party – Saturday @ 4:00 PM
This is the last time the majority of the Launch Music Conference attendees will be in the same room together, and it’s your best chance to making a good impression on fellow industry professionals before returning to whatever place you call home. Make the most of this opportunity and greet as many people as possible. Ask what they do and, when asked, tell people what you are working on. Exchange business cards. Exchange Twitter handles. Do whatever you have to do to walk away from the weekend feeling like you not only learned something, but that you also met people who may one day be able to help you advance your career, or at the very least someone who you can turn to for additional advice in the future.
Just to be clear: Every event at Launch Music Conference is worthy of attendance in our minds. That is a fact we cannot stress this enough, but we do feel the items highlighted above offer something special that is only made possible at this gathering. Don’t miss out.
