The DM team had a day out to Dundee visiting music business event Off The Record armed with Discovery Music badges for everyone and their granny!
Off The Record is a project lead by Olaf Furniss and his team as another of their local industry events along with Widedays and Born to Be Wide evenings. Bringing together Scotland's finest music industry boffins all to the one place to give panel talks and the chance to network with the industry's up and coming, and not to forget a showcase of local acts at the end of the night.
Having already been to some of these events I can't recommend them enough and what never fails to surprise me is the wealth of speakers the OTR team bring in with representatives from BBC Radio Scotland, Emu Bands, DF Concerts and more. You'd be daft no to go.
The panels were broken down into the following topics:
- Publishing & Collection Societies
- Organising & Getting Gigs
- Releasing Music
- Promoting Your Music
- Health & Wellbeing in Music
- Songwriting & Production
- Working in Music
Each panel gave their opinion and knowledge on the chosen topic and gave background on their company's role with the option for question and answer at the end. What is great about these live panels is that it's totally open for discussion to grow and has no real script so you watch the panelists debate the issues live and unedited. It's also always good to see the topic of health and wellbeing especially mental health in the music industry incorporated into the mix as well, highlighting the issues faced but also the help available such as the fantastic work of organisations like Help Musicians UK.
I think the most interesting point of discussion, especially for those hoping to follow in a similar direction, is how the speakers got to the point they are at today with some of them not even intending to end up in a career in the music industry to begin with. Getting your foot in the door is the hardest part but making the most of these events and the networking opportunities they provide can really give you the kick up the arse to get involved and get noticed.
Then on to the showcase starting with Dundee's very own dark n dreamy duo 'St.Martiins'. Katie and Ryan blend distorted and quirky guitar riffs with echoingly beautiful vocals. Check out their latest release 'Jazzboy' over on Spotify now!
Next up Scarlett Randle, 'Scarlett with 2 t's and Randle, like handle but with an R'. She was a new act for me but that's what we love about these events! Scarlett had a really quirky style, energetic stage presence and a bass face Este Haim would be proud of. She played some of her new tracks which took an interesting take to say the least on folk who had pissed her off and just general shite that she's gone through but come out the other side of. All worth it if you get a great few tracks out of it and she certainly has!
'Walt Disco' were our next viewing and viewing they were, such an aesthetically pleasing band, like have you ever looked at a band and thought how are you so cool as fuck? Even with a sequin synth desk cloth. James' voice is something else, reminiscent of later Bowie work but not enough for me to not call him unique. Complimented by a total surge of energy from the band in tunes like 'Drowning in Your Velvet Bed' to a more playful, funky tune like 'Danube' where the synth says it all. I can only imagine big things coming for this band in 2019.
Headlining we had up and coming Perth band, 'Parliamo' who certainly brought in a crowd. A fresh and lively band who seem to have hit the ground running with their entrance to the local Scottish music scene. Their sound incorporates the passion and emotion of 80's punk with the attitude on 90's Britpop and speaks out from the youth to the youth.
We had a fab wee day all thanks to the hard work of the Off The Record team and their volunteers. Next up you will catch up at their Born To Be Wide: Spotify for Artists event on Thursday the 6th of December!
LINKS N STUFF:
Off The Record:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OTRScot/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/otrscot/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/OTRScot
Artists Spotify:
St. Martiins: https://open.spotify.com/artist/
Scarlett Randle: https://open.spotify.com/artist/
Walt Disco: https://open.spotify.com/artist/
Parliamo: https://open.spotify.com/artist/