Brisbane music conference BIGSOUND has launched its 2013 program with its most impressive announcement yet.
Held from September 11-13, BIGSOUND is one of the biggest music industry get-togethers in the southern hemisphere — and this year will be bigger than ever, with news that UK legend Billy Bragg, US crowdfunding guru Amanda Palmer and Aussie queen of country Kasey Chambers will head up the speaker's list.
The first dozen live artists have also been announced. Xavier Rudd, Megan Washington, The John Steel Singers, Stonefield, Bleeding Knees Club, The Jungle Giants, Spit Syndicate, Dune Rats, Clubfeet, Thelma Plum, Citizen Kay and Little Bastard are the first of 120 artists from Australia, New Zealand and Canada that will play over twelve venues at the gathering.
First confirmed industry players include the UK's Simon Raymonde from indie label Bella Union, Nashville producer Brad Jones, CMJ's Matt McDonald and NYC venue booker Billy Jones. Australian speakers include Eleven's John Watson, Woodford's Chloe Goodyear, RIP Society's Nic Warnock and Brisbane icons Regurgitator. Also on board? The first speaker in BIGSOUND history from Iceland, festival booker Grimur Atlason, making this a truly global mixer.
"BIGSOUND 2013 is already the biggest we've ever hosted and it's only the first announcement," said veteran programmer Graham Ashton. "The tribe is growing from all corners of the world as BIGSOUND quickly becomes the Southern Hemisphere's gathering for music-lovers and industry wanting the experience of seeing tomorrow's big artists before they break."
BIGSOUND already has a history of breaking new talent — the likes of Flume, The Temper Trap, Kimbra, Seth Sentry, The Naked And Famous, Ball Park Music, Bertie Blackman, Emma Louise and Last Dinosaurs all passed through the conference on their way to stardom.
