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THE INDEPENDENT FLORIDA ALLIGATOR

Festival Rocks O-Town

Bands Flock For Fame-Downtown Orlando was a victim of the glamorous music industry this weekend as thousands of people from around the country swarmed Orange Avenue during the sixth annual Florida Music Festival & Conference. Some were there to listen to music, others to share their own. Record label representatives searched for their next big money-maker while teenage girls stood behind stages, hoping to catch the attention of a sweaty musician. The festival featured live music, an independent film competition, rock-inspired art and a conference with panelists from various record companies. The Conference, which took place Friday and Saturday afternoon, was held on the second floor of the Marriott hotel - it was overtaken by what the concierge described as a "bunch of rockers." The forums were an outlet for Artist and Repertoire representatives, as musicians turned to these music scouts for guidance. Guest panelists from major record labels, including Atlantic Records, VIrgin Records and Epic Records spoke about their experience in the music industry and offered advice to prospectives. Musicians showed off their talents in the Guitar Hero area, tables featured fliers and CDs, and bands could be seen huddled together, plotting ways to get demos into the right hands. Meanwhile, A&R representatives attentively listened to the lines of hopefuls.

Showtime-From Thursday to Sunday, during the concert portion of the festival, 250 unsigned bands took center stage and had the opportunity to perform for crowds of all sizes. A local Gainesville band, Ten 13 Concept, used the opportunity to debut their new self-titled E.P. Friday night. Heads in the audience nodded to the beat as the band delivered the energetic performance it is known for. Proving that the guys like to mix things up, lead singer Joe Loffredo broke out into the band's rendition of "Ridin" and "Dirt Of Your Shoulders" mid-set. "even if you don't like what we were doing before, you know that something is coming up that you will like," Loffredo said. Like many of the bands showcasing at the festival, Ten 13 Concept was there to make connections and learn as much as they could from the interactive panels. "You have to just step up to the plate and be very business saavy," Loffredo said. Between their two E.P.s, one full-length album and a DVD, the band has sold approximately 1,900 copies independently - it has toured twice and collaborated on two Hurricane Katrina relief CDs. "At this point, we are at the stage where we have turned down deals," Loffredo said. "We have done everything ourselves: marketing, promotion, production."

Industry Trends-An entrepreneurial spirit is taking lead in the music industry today - instead of turning to big record labels to do all the promotions and distributions, with the use of the Internet, artists are doing it themselves. Independent labels such as Fueled By Ramen and Saddle Creek Records have deomonstrated that artists can benefit more from private distribution. John Janick, a UF graduate and co-founder of Fueled By Ramen Records was a guest speaker of "A Conversation with John Janick" Saturday afternoon. "This man is the hottest man in the industry right now," said Steve Robertson, Vice President of A&R for Atlantic Records. People turn to independent labels as a source for other artists signed under the same company Janick and Robertson said. Independent labels often serve as middlemen to get their artists on major labels, while still retaining control of the band. "We have to be more artist-friendly," said Ken Blaustein, A&R representative for Virgin Records. "The business is much more kinder and gentler than it was before. Now we are the cheerleaders wearing the skirts and pompoms." Other segments of the conference mentored attendees on booking shows, promoting tours and making films. One underlying theme pervaded the 16 forums: if you want to make it somewhere in the industry, you'll have to create a buzz for yourself.

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