Music / Bristol
Review: Sound Industry, Colston Hall
Bustling crowds of vibrant faces, with a small collective of women dropping funky beats in the rear, spring sun beaming through the glass windows. We’d arrived in Colston Hall’s foyer – the perfect location for the inaugural Sound Industry event. After grabbing a Pukka tea and eyeing up the agenda for the day featuring panels, workshops, performances and interviews with industry leaders including Eats Everything and Jamz Supernova, it was time to a get a taste for the event.
Hosted by Bristol Women In Music, the programme was curated to offer a platform for discussion and fresh ideas. After absorbing the passion from the panellists, the reaction from the audience and general surge of lively debate, it was clear that this day was going to be a success.
is needed now More than ever
“Collaboration is the way to learn” Eats Everything, Bristol legend aka Dan Pearce who has helped define an entirely new strand of forward-thinking underground music, greeted the stage for a Q&A. Spoilt with advice and inspiration, the one word that came out on top was collaboration. Used by most if not all of the panellists throughout the day, to surround yourself with people with a similar creative intention to your own, for Solomon OB is “like gold dust”.
“Learn the art of patience” was the advice given by Jamz Supernova, BBC 1Xtra DJ and 26 years young. Jamz for many of the young women in the room keen to breakthrough in the music industry, was a true inspiration. Her passion and experience filled the room with a buzz. After receiving big fat No’s four years on the trot from the BBC, Jamz stressed the importance of patience. “Enjoy being the underdog; enjoy what you’re doing now.” Answering questions about how to succeed Jamz championed authenticity, praising Brits for being confident in what we do and wanting to be different.
“Music as an art form – a communication tool, a form of expression” Gabby Chelmicka
Breaching a timely subject with Mental Health Awareness Week looming in May, the following panel turned to the subject of Music and Mind. A big part of this debate turned to our best and worst nightmare, social media. Crazy P aka Danielle Moore referred to our generations’ digital industry as an addiction. For artists social media is such a huge part to their image and brand that digital addiction can become extremely disruptive.
Panellist and artist coach Claire Scivier explained the importance of upholding different characters to minimise this – person a, who eats breakfast in the morning; and person b, the artist who performs. Crazy P does just that, with two social accounts in attempt to keep her two worlds separate. Aside from the slightly gloomier notes, the panel discussed music and its role as a healer – as a form of expression.
After a final round of Q&As the panels closed and people left the room gleaming with inspiration. My head was certainly bursting with ideas and a peculiar desire to take up DJing myself…
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