On the 6th to 8th of October, BBC Introducing ran it’s first ever Amplify Conference. Marking the 10 year anniversary of BBC Introducing, this conference held over 150 difference music brands with over 300 speakers showcasing the wide range of knowledge that is in the music industry. The blend of music experts and aspiring bands and music lovers, created an electricity in the air.
When you step into the huge open excel conference space, the creative chaos spirals around the whole room. With stands from Yamaha, Adam’s Audio, AWAL and smaller companies being jammed right next to each. Southampton Solent came down to show the industry and new students what we are all about. Students from Music Performance, Popular Music Journalism, Music Promotion, Music Management and many more when to explore this fantastic event, with acts from University playing small acoustic sets at our stall, drawing in crowds and leaving the people wanting more. With acts like Djuno and SVGA playing sets and even at one point having our own ‘Fire in the Booth’ set!
“For up and coming artists in the music scene, amplifier was an amazing event for us to pick the brains of the people who work in the industry already. I came a away with handfuls of tip and some amazing contacts to take me and my music to the next level.” (Courtney Gray, Lead Singer of Djuno)
“It was honestly a great weekend. The opportunities open to and available were overwhelming and an event that I’d recommend all day everyday. What really got me though was the hunger everyone in the building had. From the panelists offering their expertise to breaking out into a freestyle session in the middle of my set with other musicians I had just met! that for me… magical” (Serra Sillah, Lead Singer of SVGA)
The blend of music icons and small music business start ups, held the room together with a sense of community and joy, as everyone came together just for music. The raw passion for music in the room gave the whole event an energy then kept everyone smiling.
“Amplify was the networking event that the music industry really needed. It gave visitors a chance to connect with organisations and companies as well as check out key industry figures sharing their experiences and giving advice. Highlights of the weekend for me were talks by blossoms, Chase & Status and the Hunna.” (Rebecca Warrington, Music Promotion BA 2nd Year)
“My job was to work on industry sessions to make sure they were all running smoothly, to escort guest speakers to where they needed to be. Help out in other sessions. Run around when needed. Aid visitors when needed and help them find where they needed to be… it was an amazing opportunity to get first hand experience in a music industry event, which surpassed all expectations. I loved it” (Manny Hendrix, Music Promotion BA 3rd Year)
After the busy weekend and meeting hundreds of new people, the hope of this happening again is there. With the high demand we will see you there next year.