Conference Program 2008

Want to check THIS out ! Puchase your NXNE 2008 Priority Pass $149 or Super Pass $249 via www.clubzone.com.

Once you've purchased your pass you can pick it up at The Holiday Inn on King during the following times OR come on down and purchase it onsite!!

Thursday June 12th          NOON - 9PM
Friday June 13th              11:30AM - 9PM
Saturday June 14th          11:30AM - 5PM

Proper I.D. IS required !!

Jian Ghomeshi Interviews Thomas Dolby
Noon – 1PM • Regency B/C

Jian Ghomeshi:
Toronto broadcaster, writer and musician and host of daily CBC/Sirius arts & culture show “Q.” He has hosted TV & radio programs including The National Playlist, Sounds Like Canada, and The End, and has written for the Washington Post, The Globe and Mail, and more. First found fame in the multiplatinum selling group Moxy Früvous.

Thomas Dolby:
Electro-pop icon Thomas Dolby has released four milestone albums and two gigantic hit singles (“She Blinded Me With Science” and “Hyperactive”) plus collaborations with George Clinton and Ryuchi Sakamoto. He’s produced Joni Mitchell and Prefab Sprout, and was David Bowie’s musical director at Live Aid. When other less impassioned souls might have retired to the beach or the Betty Ford clinic, Dolby spent the 1990s in Silicon Valley inventing the technology that enables mobile phones to play music. His new live album The Sole Inhabitant is out now.
A true visionary.


He shoots—(He strums)—He scores!!
Noon – 1PM • Regency D

Moderator: Dave Bookman (Edge 102.1)
Panelists: Dallas Green (City & Colour), Dave Hodge (Sports Announcer), Boyd Devereaux (Toronto Maple Leafs), Jim Cuddy (Blue Rodeo)

The mutual admiration society between musicians and athletes has reached playoff pitch. Pro athletes all have a pre-game psych-up ritual, and the right tunes are key parts of the drill. Meanwhile, musicians’ hearts go pitter-patter when they’re offered a chance to sit rinkside or schmooze the dressing room after a game. It cuts both ways: you’re as likely to see Lebron James on the cover of Rolling Stone as spot Gord Downie playing goal for the Boston Bruins old-timers. Today’s groundbreaking panel presents A-listers in their respective fields tell us why they’d swap their field of dreams for the others’ centre stage.


It Better be Free, or How Can You Sell What Others Are Practically Giving Away?
1PM – 2PM • Regency A

Panelists: Mitch Joel (Twist Image), David Usher (Artist), Michael McCarty (EMI Music Publishing)

How come so much talk about the future of the music biz dwells on the past? Is the whole industry going to hell in a handbasket? Not quite—but the new boss ain’t the same as the old. MP3 players, digital music, concert tix, and merch are flying off the shelves—last Christmas, iTunes had its biggest day ever, selling more than 20 million songs in one day. So how do you get in on the action? Our industry pros will dissect the new business models, plumb the social media, and demystify digital channels—all to help you find where the money is.


Technology/DJ Culture: The DJ on Display
1:15PM – 2:15PM • Regency D

Moderator: Jay Devonish (Stones Throw)
Panelists: Nasty Nav (NastyMix / Play De Record), Egon (Stones Throw), Lil’ Jaz (Artist), P-Plus (Artist), DJ Grouch (Artist)

Rocking parties, breaking singles, putting out their own albums-DJs are a key piece of the music biz today. This session asks what successful DJs do to stake out their turf as trendsetters & tastemakers. Our DJs swap ideas about how new technology is changing DJ culture and where things go from here.



Bob Harris BBC Radio 2
2:00PM-3:00PM • Regency B


OMDC Music Makes It Presents: Ready to Rumble: Music Supervisors Get Down & Dirty
3:15PM-4:15PM • Regency A

Moderator: Michael Perlmutter (instinct Entertainment and Communications)
Panelists: David Hayman (Vapor Music Group), Andrea Higgins (Arpix Media), John Rowley (J. Rowley Music Services), Jodie Ferneyhough (Universal Music Publishing), Jennifer Jonas (Producer)

A group of film & TV Music Supervisors gets greased up and goes to the mats to show how music can make or break what’s happening on screen. Using a scene from Bruce LaBruce’s film OTTO, these pros reveal trade secrets about why they choose certain tunes to make their screens sing—including those shoot-em-up video games your kid brother’s always playing. This isn’t exactly an “Idol” contest, but you can throw your vote down, too.


I’m in a Band—Can We Play Your Festival?
3:15PM-4:15PM • Regency D

Moderator: Panos Panay (Sonicbids)
Panelists: Matt McDonald (CMJ), Ruud Berends (Nooderslaag / Eurosonic), Sam Baijal (Hillside Festival), Brad First (SXSW)

Remember that scene from “The Partridge Family” when Danny slides a tape of the band to Reuben Kinkaid under the toilet stall door? Well, you don’t have to stoop that low anymore. The fastest, bestest way to headlining that cross-country tour may be a career-making play at one of the world’s marquis music festivals. Programmers from mega-fests like New York’s CMJ, Holland’s Noorderslag, and mother-of-all-music-extravaganzas (and NXNE sister-fest) South by Southwest dish the straight goods on how & why they choose their lineup. Forget schmoozing the A&R dudes and find out how to get your act onstage in front of the eyes and ears of the world.


Meet the New Boss
3:15PM-4:15PM • Regency B

Moderator: Jason Richards (MuchMusic)
Panelists: Adam Countryman (The Agency Group), Alok Sharma (Harbourfront), Eric Warner (Over The Top Festival), Adam Gill (EMBRACE), Louise Simpson (SPARKS)

Ever wonder why the monkeys running the music zoo seem so…old? Well, it just seems that way. Here, you’ll meet some exciting and influential new faces in the biz—and believe us, the industry would be in better shape with more of these guys calling the shots. Booking, programming, branding, and online marketing—this revolution may not be televised, but its effects go way beyond traditional channels, determining the way we’ll be listening to music from the next year to the next generation. You want new ideas? Look to new people.


Your Witness: A&R takes the Stand
3:15PM-4:15PM • Regency C

Moderator: Mark Jowett (Nettwerk)
Panelists: Michael Howe (Downtown Records), Tommy Brunett (Universal Buzz), Martin Heath (Lizard King Records), Jennifer Hirst (EMI Music), Tobin Watkinson (Myspace Records)

Come hear the once-mighty A&R cabal explain why they’re still relevant in today’s music universe. A major-label record deal was until recently the Holy Grail for every dirt-poor tunesmith looking to score chicks, dope & dough. By now, though, everyone’s realized that the CD is fast becoming a museum artifact—so wherefore the A&R rep? Our top-drawer A&R panelists have all been around a while—let’s find out where they’re going next.


SAC (Songwriters Association of Canada) Presents Demo Derby:
Smash Hits & Bruised Egos
4:30PM-6PM • Regency D

Moderator: Don Quarles (SAC – Songwriters Association of Canada)
Panelists: Priya Thomas (Artist), Marc Jordan (SAC), Cheryl Link (Peermusic)

Your opportunity to get your song heard by music industry execs and professional songwriters—without having to camp out on anyone’s front lawn. Bring a demo to the session; CD tracks are randomly selected and played—then dissected in front of the entire group. Not for the faint of heart. (Note: Demo Derby registration will take place at the NXNE Registration desk and will close at 4:00 PM FIRM on June 13th. We regret that absolutely no songs will be accepted after 4PM.  Please submit songs on audio CD and include 3 hard copies of the lyrics. Due to time constraints, some songs may not be reviewed.)


FACTOR FICTION?
4:30PM-6PM •Regency A

Moderators: Erin Kinghorn: General Manager - FACTOR ; Krista Culp: Communications Manager – FACTOR

Every musician tells clenched-teeth stories about someone else who scored a FACTOR grant to record a demo or CD or put together a tour… so what do you have to do to get your own grubby paws on some FACTOR dough? The organization’s GM and Communications Director are on hand to field queries on their programs and info seminars (and to deftly sidestep pissed-off “why-not-me?” whining). So come with questions, and you’ll leave with what you need to know about reachingdeep into the FACTOR pocket.


MMF AGM
4:30PM-5:30PM •Regency A
Invitation Only

War Stories From The Road
Noon – 1PM • Regency B/C

Moderator: Lucy DeCoutere (Trailer Park Boys)
Panelists: Carole Pope (Rough Trade), Darrin Pfeiffer (Goldfinger), Tyler Westerlund (White Cowbell Oaklahoma), Robin Fucking Black (Robin Black), Keith Morris (Black Flag / Circle Jerks), Fernando Saunders (Artist)

What plays on the road stays on the road… at least until today. Whether you think the reality of life on tour is closer to the Monkees or to Spinal Tap, come prepared to be disabused of a few notions. Our panelists will be prodded and coaxed into dragging forth dark & ugly anecdotes from the sordid past. The Regency Ballroom may never be the same.


UMAC Presents: Play Some Funky Music, White Boy!
Noon – 1PM • Regency D

Moderator: Addi Stewart (aka Mindbender)
Panelists: Ayah (Artist), Che Kothari (Earwaks.com), Tara Nicole Donald (GreenTaRA), Michie Mee(Artist / TV Personality), Famous (Radio Personality / Artist)

You may not be old enough to remember when Top-40 radio played everything from cheesy pop to hard rock and—yes—funk and R&B. But if you’ve got your ear to the airwaves today, you’ll know that urban artists are notoriously under-represented on mainstream music channels through radio, TV, and digital media. The Urban Music Association of Canada (UMAC) explores the problem, and presents top urban artists and entrepreneurs who dish the goods on how Canadians in urban music can get quality gigs and vital career-building exposure. (Hint: it doesn’t mean running off south of the border!)


Hip-Hop Confidential:
Maestro Fresh Wes Interviews Fab 5 Freddy
1:15PM-2:15PM • Regency D

Fab 5 Freddy:
Fab 5 Freddy is a pioneering cultural legend, a key player in bringing hip-hop to the world and into the mainstream. Brooklyn-born Fab 5 Freddy began as a visual artist, executing graffiti pieces throughout New York City. He later bridged the gap between the art world and the new hip-hop scene developing in Harlem and the Bronx. Fab moved on to directing and writing music for film & videos, and to the small screen as an MTV host. His pop-culture essays have been published in Vibe and The New York Times.

Maestro Fresh Wes:
Maestro Fresh Wes is the recipient of  the first Rap Juno Award as well as the first Canadian Hip Hop artist to have a song appear on Billboard’s Top 20 Rap Singles Chart. He has released 6 albums, one of which is the best selling Rap album in Canadian history.


Hugh Cornwell Interview: Getting to grips with a Strangler
1:15PM-2:15PM • Regency B

Hugh Cornwell:
Hugh Cornwell was the original frontman and songwriter in The Stranglers, one of the UK’s most important and successful groups of the punk and new wave era. He has been a solo artist since 1990. His new album, Hoover Dam, is available now, and is accompanied by a film, Blueprint.


Chillin’ wit Sheek:
Addi Stewart Interviews Sheek Louch
2:30PM-3:30PM • Regency A

Sheek Louch:
For over a decade, Sheek Louch—who also answers to “The Wolf”—has been pumping out serious hip hop from his home base in Yonkers, NY. As part of The Lox, he struck big before the millennium with Money, Power and Respect and We Are the Streets. He’s also down with the business side as owner of a recording studio and co-founder of record label D-Block. Sheek’s also built up the usual list of feuds—he’s had a few pops at 50 Cent and Diddy.

Addi Stewart (aka Mindbender)
A rising star in the Toronto hip hop community, Mindbender has played shows across North America and is a contributing music writer for NOW magazine.


UMAC Presents: The New Record Label
2:30PM – 3:30PM • Regency D

Moderator: Dalton Higgins (Harbourfront)
Panelists: Vivian Barclay (Warner Chappell Music), Katrina Lopes (UOMO), Masia One (Artist), Dan Kershaw (SOCAN)

If your eyes glaze over when you hear phrases like “music publishing” and “intellectual property,” come hear the UMAC crew explain why these and other equally abstract concepts are
actually relevant to you, your career, and to what’s happening to music everywhere. Major record labels are struggling to survive—find out what the future looks like.


“Producer”: I Hear Rich People
2:30PM – 3:30PM • Regency C

Moderator: Byron Wong (Homeworks Studio)
Panelists: Kevin Churko (Independent Producer), Mick Glossop (Producer), Annelise Noronha (Grayson Matthews Audio Design)

Producer: (n) “An autotrophic organism viewed as a source of biomass that can be consumed by other organisms.” Well, that’s no worse than many definitions of “producer” that we’ve heard.
Our producers examine themselves— in public—and share the fruits of their investigation. Juno nominees and winners will be given drug tests before the panel.


North American Bookers’ Summit
3:45PM – 4:45PM • Regency A

Moderator: Emmanuel Patterson (Live Nation)
Panelists: J cloth (Indie Promoter), Jonathan Ramos (REMG), Brent Smith (Just Entertainment)

How does a band with only 1,000 Myspace friends get a gig at a key big-city venue? Is it the tunes, the packaging, the EPK (or just that that  the drummer’s sister is shagging the club owner)? What’s the best way to approach a talent booker? When does “persistent” become “fucking annoying”? These bookers give you the scoop and list the things that pique their interest and piss them off.


SOCAN Presents: BRING THA NOIZE
4PM – 5:30PM • Regency B

Panelists: Craig MacMillan (Frontline Management & Bookings), Addi Stewart (aka Mindbender), Jason Smith (Smallman), Adam White (The Reason), Adam Bomb (The Empire)

Hip Hop meets Punk: Building a DIY tour plan. Why do Canadian hip hop artists have such a bitch of a time booking viable national tours, while underground punk acts are able to knit together regional audiences into a thriving touring economy—in spite of the fact that punk has even less mainstream media exposure than hip hop? This round-table will pair reps from punk and hip hop to discuss what each can learn from the other when it comes to DIY touring.


Where Did All The Money Go (and how can I score some more)?
3:45PM – 4:45PM • Regency C

Moderator: Dave Videka (Jager Music)
Panelists: Daniel Ewing (Rogers), John Omazic (Converse), Brenden Mallette (Live Nation), Tina Simpkin (Gibson)

I have (1) a fan base (2) a tour booked (3) an expensive crew & overheads. I don’t have (1) a
vehicle or gas (2) insurance (3) enough ketchup left to make tomato soup with hot water from the motel bathroom sink. So can a sponsor bail me out? Is a sponsorship the best way to reach more people who will pay money to see me rock? Or are sponsors the devil incarnate, offering filthy lucre just to tempt me to sell out the purity of my artistic vision? (How much more of that soup before I puke?)


UMAC Presents: You Call That a Hit?
3:45PM –5PM • Regency D

Moderator: rez Digital (OTA Live)
Panelists: Mel Boogie/Droppin’ Dimez, Farley Flex (Plasma Corporation), Gail Phillip (UMAC), David “Click”Cox (Universal Music Canada), Will Strickland (UMAC), Ty Harper (OTA Live)

A&R directors, talent scouts, artists, radio personalities & music directors will risk public embarrassment by listening to & spontaneously critiquing a sampling of urban artist music submissions. Can they spot the good stuff and toss the crap? Audience members will get a chance to disagree with the experts on the tracks played during this session.