Bay Area, get your bass face ready. On July 25th the newly formed Amplify SFwill be hosting their first Voltage festival. The one night showcase will host some of the best up and coming names in bass music with AFK b2b Svdden Death as headliners while the Savage Society team takes over the rest of the night.
Amplify launched late in 2017 after taking over EPR Wednesday. Since then they’ve kept San Francisco booming with incredible sets from the likes of Wenzday, Pixel Terror, Oski, Hydraulix and more, including Scrvp who plays there tomorrow. If you wanna make your week a whole lot better, go on ahead and get tickets for the event. Time is running out!
The 18th anniversary of one of Denver’s most storied music events, The Underground Music Showcase, is rapidly encroaching, bringing with it perhaps its heaviest-hitting lineup ever. What began as a one-night performance featuring just four bands, The UMS has steadily exploded into to a three-day music and arts festival featuring hundreds of performances. As the time draws nearer to what will no doubt be another incredible weekend of performances, this year taking place from July 27th – July 29th, it’s time to get our readers familiar with this year’s crop of highly established headliners and burgeoning local & national artists, spanning a plethora of genres and sounds.
Right now, special one-day GA tickets can be found for $40 over on their homepage with weekend passes for just $75. We’ll see you there in full force on July 27th, but until then, get in the UMS swing of things by streaming our playlist below.
Aside from a simple blurb on Facebook and Soundcloud, there’s not much I can share with you about Astrolemo, the person. Self-described as somewhere between “a drug-free Flying Lotus and a spicy Bonobo,” this enigmatic character is purposefully hidden behind a moniker and the anonymity that only the web can provide.
What I can tell you, is that since starting the #TMNMailbag series, this is far and away the most impressive submission I’ve received. As he mentions, his art beckons on notable acts like Flying Lotus and Bonobo. Personally, I also notices comparisons that lean towards a few other personal favorites — Tycho and Absofacto.
Typically, I like to feature the song that the artist submitted, and that alone. Today, though, I’m showcasing his last EP, as well as his most recent single.
Kicking things off is his most recent offering, “Haunting Me” is a deep and enveloping experience. Starting off with haunting keys and (assumedly) Astrolemo’s captivating vocals, the tune provides a layered and textural listen from start-to-finish. It’s pleasantly dreary, lending itself to a harmony with a relaxing Sunday rainstorm.
Next up is the title track from his last EP, “Stay with Me.” A bit more upbeat than the former, the experience comes to life with glowing, echoing vocals, and danceable percussion. It has plenty of drive, yet still maintains that all-encompassing soundscape that embodies his sound.
As I’m sure you’re convinced at this point, I’ll stop yammering and leave you be with this tasty little collection. After you’re done, make sure to throw this budding young act a follow on Facebook and Soundcloud. As of right now, he has less than 500 on both accounts, meaning you’ll be an early adopter. Get on it.
Watch out New Orleans! BUKU Music and Arts Project is coming March 9th & 10th to the party of all parties in downtown New Orleans. As expected, this festival is bringing the underground industrial nature of techno culture back to the festival circuit with an incredibly diverse genre-crossing line up that will keep you movin’ and groovin’ for two days straight.
Get lost in the multi-genre performances from electronic acts like Bassnectar and Borgore, rock bands like A Day to Remember and MGMT, hip-hop artists like Migos and Isaiah Rashad, and tons more. Talk about buku bands! There will also be live street art, custom-made industrial art installations, local food vendors, and a ton of “pop-up” performances to keep the thrill alive.
If you’re looking to up your experience, the festival also offers a VIP ticket option that gets you access to the Buku Rooftop, a multi-level structure with special amenities and VIP-only artist performances. Checkout the playlist below featuring every artist that’s been announced so far, then click here to get your tickets rolling.
If you added up all of the festival experiences across each and every one of our writers, you would stand in awe, jaw agape. It’s a lot. And, it’s not just because it’s part of the gig. It’s because we love each and every live music experience, from the smallest of dive bars, to the most elaborate main stages. They all hold a special place in the collective heart of our dojo.
For me, personally, I first fell in love with live music as a business at raves when I was a teenager. Mind you, these were the days where you had to call a phone number to find the event’s location. Yep, that’s right. We had no idea where we were going until the day of the party. But, that was part of the allure. The entire experience, from start-to-finish, was completely encompassing, to me. I loved the theatrics, the mystery, and everything that added up to create that.
That interest continued throughout the years, eventually leading me to the very same blog you find yourself on today. Live music is the one constant throughout my adult life, which is why I’m heading out to XLIVE in Vegas.
No, I’m not going to throw my own party some day. We won’t be hosting a TMN Festival next year, but you’d be crazy to think I wouldn’t want to experience teachings from those who craft the biggest and best parties across the globe. Who are these industry leaders? Here’s a highlight of a few of them: AEG Presents, Firefly, Electric Daisy Carnival, Goldenvoice, Superfly, The Confluence, Country Music Association, Newport Jazz Festival, Bonnaroo, Life is Beautiful, Coachella, OutsideLands, FYF Festival, Lost Lake Festival, and on, and on.
The Las Vegas-based conference covers numerous different facets across the live music space, covering everything from ticketing, to event tech, to even security. While I’m sure I’ll find myself popping in and out of different presentations, I’m admittedly most excited for the following talks:
Lessons Learned From The Year’s Biggest Failures : Tim Epstein: Partner, Duggan Bertsch
A Show Of Their Own: The Rise Of Artist Championed Festivals – Sam Hunt: Agent, Paradigm Talent Agency / Phil Quist: Agent, CAA
Keep It Local: Including Local Artists And Emerging Talent In Your Lineup – Adam Chernick: Co-Founder & Director Of Operations / Arcartists Craig Asher Nyman: Head Of Music & Live Performances, Life Is Beautiful / Kurt Melien: President, Live Nation Nevada / Trevor Solomon, Boston Calling
Multi-Platform Juggernauts in Your Town: The Explosion of Radio Station Concerts & Events – Gary Krantz: Krantz Media Group
Turn it to Eleven: Elevating the Fan Experience – Emily Cox: AC Entertainment, Lindsay Glatz: LUNA FETE
The Future is Female: How Women are Playing a Crucial Role in the Creation of Extraordinary Live Events – Kate Levenstien: Cannonball Productions, Martha Donato: MAD Event Management, Emily Cox: AC Entertainment
The best part about this conference? You can still pick up tickets and come hang out with your favorite bloggers. Ok, that might not be the best thing, but it is, well, a thing. Click here to buy your pass and let’s hang in Sin City!
We’re gearing up for another trip out to LA. This time, we’ll be hitting up the inagural Fresh Coat Mural Festival, which takes place on the streets of DTLA on October 7th. A beautiful blend of art, music, food, and drinks, this brand spankin’ new block party has something for just about everyone.
Legendary local and national street artists Drew Merritt, Breeze, Vyal, It’s a living, Axis, Carley Ealey, Andrew Hem, and OG Slick will be taking over walls in the Arts District, serving up incredible, live street art for everyone who comes down. On top of that, there are local, curated food trucks from LA dishing out tasty bites, alongside of brews from Angel City Brewing and hand-crafted cocktails featuring Hansen’s Soda.
As if that wasn’t reason enough for you to head down, there’s also a top-notch musical lineup. The day kicks off with old school, hip-hop icons, The Beat Junkies, followed by Peanut Butter Wolf and The Hood Internet. Rounding out the bill are a handful of TMN favorites. Viceroy, who was one of our Resident Artists here at TMN, and the ever-so-chill Poolside. The cherry on top? RJD2 will be closing out the night. We’ve admittedly never seen him live, so you’ll find us front and center as soon as he takes the decks.
The best thing about this fest? It’s free. That’s right. The organizers, The Container Yard and Hansen’s Soda have you covered. All you have to do is RSVP and you’re good to go.
I’ve been to more conferences than I can count–music, tech, entrepreneurship–the list goes on and on. The next sentence I’m about to write comes from a place of absolute confidence, authenticity, and steadfast conviction. This is the most excited I’ve ever been to go to a conference. Ever.
Taking place in the epicenter of entertainment, Hollywood, California, WORLDZ has a lineup that, if compared to a music festival, would call on associations of Goldenvoice’s masterpiece, Desert Trip. It’s made up of absolute legends–the kind most people would kill for a chance to hear live once in their lifetime.
On a personal level, I’m looking forward to speakers from the music and journalism industries. That should go without saying. Industry leaders like Kaskade (Multi-Grammy Award-Nominated Singer, Songwriter & Producer), Quincy Jones (Producer, Conductor and Musician), will.i.am (7x Grammy Award-winning Artist, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist), Bob Pittman (CEO & Chairman of iHeartMedia), Tom Punch (Chief Commerical & Creative for VICE), Marc Ecko (Chief Brand and Creative Officer for Complex), and a handful of others will be representing the sectors I’m most passionate about, but it doesn’t stop there.
Beyond my place in the music industry, I come from a marketing background. My degree from Metropolitan State University of Denver is in marketing, and I’ve worked in a handful of firms and advertising agencies while running The Music Ninja. As the landscape of business continues to grow and evolve, it’s important to keep looking forward. And, who better to lead that vision than top global brands, startups and creators?
If you’re a self-starter, looking for personal or professional growth, are interested in the entertainment industry, I would highly advise picking up a ticket. You can do so here.
FULL LINEUP WITH MORE TBA
Shaun White (CEO, Shaun White Enterprises & 2x Olympic Gold-Medalist)
Gary Vaynerchuk (CEO, VaynerMedia)
Kelly Slater (11 Time World Surf League Champion, Outerknown Founder)
Bjarke Ingels (Founding Partner, Bjarke Ingels Group: BIG)
John Amato (President, Billboard & The Hollywood Reporter)
Sebastian Copeland (Polar Explorer & Photographer)
Sophia Amoruso (CEO & Founder, GIRLBOSS)
Deborah Dugan (CEO, (RED))
Jon Buscemi (Founder, Buscemi)
Alexis Ohanian (Co-Founder, Reddit)
Steve Clayton (Chief Storyteller, Microsoft)
Kathy Calvin (CEO & President, United Nations Foundation)
Jeri Ward (Chief Communications Officer & SVP, Audi)
Mike Tunnicliffe (EVP & Head of Universal Music Group, USA)
Justin Weniger (CEO, Life Is Beautiful)
Greg Thompson (President, Maverick Music)
Marc Mathieu (CMO, Samsung, Mobile & Marketing, North America)
Dream Rockwell (Co-Founder, Lightning in a Bottle)
Bob Safian (Editor & Managing Director, Fast Company)
Meredith Perry (CEO & Founder, uBeam)
Ali Shirazinia (DJ, Dubfire)
Dirk Ahlborn (CEO, Hyperloop)
Andy Walshe (Head of High Performance, Red Bull)
Marcus Shingles (CEO, XPRIZE)
Diana Nyad, Record-Breaking Endurance Athlete & Sports Journalist
Stephen Attenborough, Chief Commercial Officer, Virgin Galactic
Shelley Zalis, CEO & Founder, The Girls’ Lounge
Nick Foster, Head of Industrial Design, X
Randy Freer, COO & President, Fox Networks Group
Donny Makower, President, RED Interactive Agency
Rives, Co-Host, TED
Joe Desena, CEO & Founder, Spartan Race
Marlies Dekkers, CEO & Founder, Marlies Dekkers Lingerie
Jim Kwik, Founder, Kwik Learning & SuperheroYou
Kevin Bailey, President, Asia Pacific, VF Corporation
Mark Weinstein, SVP & Global Head of Loyalty & Partnerships, Hilton Worldwide
Charlie Engle, President, Charlie Engle Inc. & Ultramarathon Runner & Author of “Running Man”
Jeff Kearl, CEO, Chairman & Co-Founder, Stance
Ryan Wilson, Street Artist ThankYouX
