BIGSOUND will go ahead in 2020, but a month later and with a condensed programme across two days.
Once more to take place in its spiritual home, Fortitude Valley live music precinct, on 21-22 October, BIGSOUND will install official social distancing and safety protocols to protect patrons and performers alike.The 2020 event will still include a conference, live showcases, workshops, secret performances, facilitated conversations, and offical parties. . . all the fun stuff remains in place. There are contingencies in case border restrictions force a move to a virtual staging of the event.
Dominic Miller and Ruby-Jean McCabe are responsible for programming the festival and bring two-plus decades of industry experience across various roles, including managers, agents, festival programmers and venue bookers.
A bit of background info; the music industry know who you are, but the average music punter doesn't; you're at the bar chatting to a random. How do you describe your career elevator-pitch style?
We’re the Dream Team, a dynamic duo who have worked together across management, booking, programming, industry development and anything else that has come across our desks for over six years. Between us, we have over 20 years of experience in the music industry.
The mammoth task that you're about to undertake, trawling all the artist applications (900-plus this year I'm told – eek!); what's the process to whittle down the final line-up of performers (and how long will that take)? I'm imaging many, many spreadsheets and colour codes!
Our application assessment this year is multifaceted and heavily relies on strict process and criteria.
Alongside BIGSOUND 2020’s First Nations Programmer Alethea Beetson, we have created selection criteria and internal KPIs to ensure the BIGSOUND 2020 line-up is not only world-class musically, but is also diverse while catering to our domestic industry. Ruby is a Spreadsheet Queen, and yes there are a lot of colours (mostly shades of pink).
Do you both listen to all the applications; or given the size of the job, do you split it up?
We both listen to all applications. This is really important for us in order to give each and every application a fair-minded assessment. We believe we both bring differing perspectives to the table, so assessing any other way would be unfair.
With the diversity of music on offer, it must be a juggling act to cater to the different genres and remain inclusive to all?
It’s all a juggle to be honest; we have to whittle 900-plus applications down to a fraction of this number. However, we are hyper-aware of genre inclusivity and diversity, and forms a large part of how we intend to programme BIGSOUND 2020.
You must also unearth some amazing acts that have never received much, if any public attention; it must bring joy being a purveyor of fresh sounds to an eager audience looking for their next favourite band?
This is one of the true fun and joyful parts of our job as programmers; we love discovering new music and artists.
If we can facilitate this discovery process for other music lovers, then our job is done. You best believe our ‘Best of 2020’ playlists are now chock-full of songs from BIGSOUND 2020 applications!
Sometimes you need to take a leap of faith with an act and back them in with only a slither of certainty – do you rely on intuition and gut feel for certain decisions?
Absolutely! We wouldn’t have been given this job if we didn’t have some kind of instinctual understanding of who will work as a BIGSOUND artist. There’s always those spesh artists that you just know everyone is going to love.
