April 13th, 2011

Acts wanted for artsfest

Artsfest is the UK’s largest free arts festival and they are currently looking for performers. From indie rock to bhangra to hip-hop all styles are represented, but you’ll have to be quick if you want to apply, the deadline for entries is the 18th of April at 5pm.

Artsfest takes place in Birmingham (UK) 10-11th September 2011 with over 600 acts. It’s not just music there are opportunities for visual artists, poets and more. As the festival takes place in an urban setting it is also mud free! There are performances, workshops, exhibitions, installations, talks and screenings celebrating the performing, digital and visual arts. Its primarily aimed at people from the West Midlands but artists who are performing in the West Midlands or have a connection to the West Midlands are allowed to apply, even if they are not based in the UK.

As a free festival it presents a great opportunity for unsigned bands to build an audience and make connections. The event is heavily publicised online and in the print press and will certainly raise the profile of the acts that get to play. Application is via the website here.

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April 11th, 2011

New online music awards – for unsigned bands

The St. Helier Cider Online Music Awards is an new online event for unsigned bands, now in its second year. It is only open to unsigned acts.


There are seven categories:

  • Best Urban Act
  • Best Rock Act
  • Best Pop Act
  • Best Dance Act
  • Best Music Website
  • Best International Unsigned Act
  • Best Music Video

You can nominate your act, create a profile and upload your music and information. The deadline to register is before May 2011. A panel of industry experts will choose the top five acts in each category. Each nominated act will be judged on originality, presentation, lyrics, arrangement, musicality and vocals. The top five acts will be announced in May where the public can vote online for the winners.

As the competition is sponsored by a cider company you have to be over 18 to enter. This looks like another good way of gaining exposure for your band and winners will be announced on the 25th June 2011 by acts including Roll Deep, Tim Westwood and The Noisettes.

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March 30th, 2011

Win tickets to MusicConnex

MusicConnex is a new event for people looking for a career in the music industry with over 100 expert speakers and 40 sessions.  Companies including Youtube, Soundcloud, Topspin, Reverbnation and INgrooves are involved and it takes place over three days at Kings Place in London starting on the 19th April.  We have 5 tickets to give away and a special offer for members of the Live Unsigned community.

The best thing about this event is that it addresses the reality that musicians have to build a following themselves before getting the conventional industry involved, building it one fan at a time. MusicConnex covers a lot of the same subjects we have featured on the Live Unsigned blog over the last year, rather than a lot of events that focus on getting signed as a route to a career.

Other than just the speakers and panels events like MusicConnex are great chances for you to network and meet up with people. Take some CDs and business cards, you never know who you might end up talking to.  The best thing is to try and get the business cards of the people you meet. Ensure you follow up potential industry contacts with an email within 24 hours to show you are keen to work with them. It only takes one connection to take your music career to the next level and MusicConnex represents a great opportunity for independent musicians.

Seminars include:

  • How to Make Compelling Content by YouTube, Synchronisation & Licensing
  • How To Get A Gig/Tour
  • Digital Retail – Is Streaming The Future? Access Vs Ownership
  • How Do I Make Money?
  • Routes To Market – Label Vs Unsigned
  • How to Get Paid

Live Unsigned have 5 tickets to give away to MusicConnex and to win them we’d like to hear your music and find out what you are doing to promote your band online. We’re looking for original and exciting bands or solo artists from any genre who are really working hard to build a following. Please send us a link to your artist profile on Live Unsigned along with a short message about how you are promoting your music online and a bio to competitions@liveunsigned.com with “MusicConnex” in the subject line. Please make sure you include your contact details in the body of the email. Deadline for submissions is April 10th, winners will receive confirmation and details of how to get their tickets to the event by April 12th.

In addition as a special offer to members of the Live Unsigned community if you enter the promo code LAUDEAL1 when you order tickets for MusicConnex you get them for £75 instead of up to £199, which is a massive saving.

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February 21st, 2011

Tunebreaker – New Music Award Launched

Tunebreaker.co is a new site that seeks to connect musicians with fans, and also raise money for the charity Warchild.

Tunebreaker New Music Award

The site allows you to discover new artists and listen to them via their players on the relevant social media platforms. You can vote for artists to win the TuneBreaker New Music Award (with a £10,000 prize!) using a method called Sales Led Voting. When you purchase a download from the site you also vote for the artist in the award. 50% of the net profits go to the artists, a percentage of the remainder goes to support the charity Warchild the rest goes to covering costs at Tunebreaker.

The idea is fans discover new music, the band’s audience grows and money is raised for Warchild in the process. You can search for artists by genre or location. As they say themselves “we want to help to build a “new industry of music” that is based on the four pillars of respect, trust, worth and value”. Anything that gets people talking about your music is a good thing and if Tunebreaker does that and raises money for a good cause its good for everyone.

Tunebreaker has just launched registration for its first Monthly Live Chart Award for unsigned artists worldwide at www.tunebreaker.co. It is free to enter. Tunebreaker have lots plans for the future including meet ups for fans and a TuneBreaker Live Chart, all tied in across the various social networks. Artists and Fans can download badges and flyers at www.tunebreaker.co/goodies.php .This is another opportunity to get yourself heard and it will be interesting to see how Tunebreaker develops in the coming months.

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