Harmonious Blend North Park Music Thing combines seminars with musical performances
Kim Fowley
It’s a learning experience for musicians and a treat for music lovers
By Bart Mendoza
San Diego has long been considered to be a world class music town, with many great musicians and venues calling the area home. Over the past three years, the city has also become a magnet for musicians wanting to learn about the ins and outs of the industry, thanks to a two-day music conference held each August, North Park Music Thing.
This year’s event will take place at the Lafayette Hotel Aug. 13-14 with seminars on topics including Music Licensing, PR, Social Media and Downloading. An additional 14 music venues located throughout North Park and the surrounding area, including Bar Pink, The Ruby Room and Lestat’s, will host nighttime concerts.
Organized by the San Diego Music Foundation, 2009 saw 700 musicians at the seminars and 6,000 attend the music performances. There have been other music industry conferences around the country, notably Austin’s South by Southwest, but according to SDMF President Kevin Hellman, the inspiration for North Park Music Thing comes from the community. “It was primarily done because for years musicians have been asking for advice on everything from touring to promotion. Having this event gives us the opportunity to get a lot of that sort of information to a lot of people.” While San Diego is North Park Music Thing’s home, organizers have cast their net wider. “The idea is for it to be not just for San Diego, but for all of Southern California’s musicians and music fans to enjoy,” Hellman said. Proceeds from the event stay in the community, going to the Taylor Guitars for Schools program.
AJ Croce
Past keynote speakers have included famed session bassist Nathan East (Eric Clapton, George Harrison) and Ruthless Records CEO Jerry Heller (N.W.A., Marvin Gaye). The 2010 keynote address will be given by legendary producer and songwriter Kim Fowley, who has worked with a long list of artists including The Runaways, Gene Vincent and Kiss. Meanwhile, dozens of industry professionals will take part in panel discussions, including Lisa Worden. (KROQ), Gary Coreman (Atlantic Records) and Jennifer Knoepfle (Sony/ATV Music Publishing) According to Hellman, it hasn’t proved difficult to get speakers or industry panelists for the event.
“It’s a time-consuming process, but not that hard to get industry people to attend. Many are interested in doing it; after all, San Diego is a pretty cool place to spend the weekend.”
According to Hellman, nearly 500 music acts vied for a spot at one of the event’s 15 concert venues, though only a fraction could be accommodated.
“We’re not looking for anything specific when it comes to booking bands,” Hellman said. “Really we’re just looking for good music; it doesn’t have to be rock, jazz or acoustic, just something that’s good.” One of the most popular events will likely be the Songwriters Circle, hosted by Union-Tribune music columnist George Varga, in which a trio of songwriters perform round robin style and discuss their music compositions. This year will feature AJ Croce, Brian Karscig (Louis XIV, Nervous Wreckords) and John Reis (Night Marchers, Rocket from the Crypt).
Hellman notes that many locals attend other regional music conferences. Compared to SXSW, which charges $700 for its event, North Park Music Thing, at $35 for two days, is a bargain. “Especially when you take into consideration things like air travel, hotels and food it really adds up.” Despite all the hard work putting on something of this magnitude, Hellman is determined to keep the price reasonable. “It’s really cheap because we want to attract people to come and learn,” he said.
While the band performances may gain the most attention, for Hellman and the Music Foundation, the educational component is the key to North Park Music Thing’s success. “Our goal is pretty simple,” Hellman said. “It’s to make this the best learning experience for musicians that attend and then a different event in the evening at satellite venues for people who enjoy music. Not just local acts, but breaking regional and national acts as well.” He notes that due to capacity, for now, the event can’t grow much more. “I don’t expect it to grow much bigger, but I expect to draw different crowds over the years, so that people from outside San Diego will come here and experience our clubs, restaurants and all we have to offer,” he said.
For More Information: www.sandiegomusicfoundation.org/npmt
(Editor’s Note: Bart Mendoza is a member of the San Diego Music Foundation, but did not take part in booking this event.)
