• Home
  • News
  • Tech News
  • Tech Tutorials
  • Tech Spotlight
  • Featured
  • Freebies
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

IDM Mag

Electronic Dance Music News, DJ Gear & Tech, South Africa

  • Home
  • News
  • Tech News
  • Tech Tutorials
  • Tech Spotlight
  • Featured
  • Freebies
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
You are here: Home / Tech Corner / Gear & Software Reviews / 5 Must Attend Music Conferences from around the globe

5 Must Attend Music Conferences from around the globe

July 22, 2015 By IDM Reports

5 Must Attend Music Conferences

Here are 5 Must Attend Music Conferences around the world that are all well worth visiting if you are serious about forging any sort of career in the electronic music business. Whether you’re a DJ, a producer, label owner, promoter, VJ, lighting and FX artist, decor artist, PR and media or any other cog in the wheel that makes the music biz spin, music conferences are an excellent way to network, gather information, participate and learn.

They’re also good fun because at the end of the day, most of us involved in the electronic music biz also like to have a good time and get down and boogie and they all end with a good party!

Inspired by Cape Town Music Week in September,  we’ve put together 5 Must Attend Music Conferences from around the globe that have a South African connection.

  1. Breathe Sunshine African Music Conference  (BSAMC)

5 Must Attend Music Conferences

Why not start in your own backyard?

Number one on our list is South Africa’s very own homegrown Breathe Sunshine African Music Conference. This two day conference is held in Cape Town, South Africa and is now in its third year, although this will technically be the fourth official conference. The first two years were hosted at the Cape Town City Hall, one of the mother city’s iconic buildings, in April ’13 and February ’14 respectively.

Last year in October they also hosted #BSEngage at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg.

This year BSAMC takes place at the Protea Fire & Ice Hotel from September 30 – 1 October and forms part of the week long Cape Town Music week which leads up to the conference and finishes just ahead of one of the city’s biggest music festivals, Rocking the Daisies.

A lot goes on over the 2 day event. There is a daily roster of keynote speakers, panel discussions, on the couch interviews, indabas, technical workshops.

BSAMC hosts some of the most important players in the South African music industry each year but also boasts an impressive list of international guests since its inception. Terry  Weerasinghe (Beatport Vice President), German reggae artist – Gentleman, The Presets and the head of Amsterdam Dance Event, Richard Zijlma have all participated.

The South African Connection:

It’s a proudly South African event which addresses both local and global issues in the music industry. It takes place in SA’s most cosmopolitan city, Cape Town!

Best reason to go:

Breathe Sunshine Music Conference is a must for anybody who really wants to be a part of the South African and indeed global music business. The knowledge you will acquire from the panel discussions, the motivation you will reap from some of the on-the-couch interviews and the tips you can pick up from the tech workshops are reason enough to attend.

But the biggest reason should be the networking opportunities and the socialising that will take place at the Fire & Ice hotel over those two days. Remember it comes at the end of Cape Town Music week so there will be loads of events taking place beforehand too.

The added bonus is that you if you are in the industry you can buy a Rocking the Daisies/BSAMC combo ticket which enables you to hang out for two days rubbing shoulders with other industry players, then head of to Daisies for a good old ‘S’effrican skop’ in the bush.

Buy a specially priced Rocking the Daisies/BSAMC combo ticket
  1. Winter Music Conference (WMC) 

    5 Must Attend Music Conferences

    SA artists heading to WMC in 2012

The Winter Music Conference (WMC) is a weeklong music conference and it takes place in Miami beach Florida, USA every March. WMC has been going since 1985 and has been the go-to destination for many SA house music industry buffs for many years. Attendees range from DJs, record label owners, producers, promoters, media and every other conceivable player in the electronic music biz. Although it takes place in winter there are outdoor beach parties, club events and a whole lot of conferencing going down.

Although most of the delegates hail from the USA, there is always a strong presence of international attendees, mainly music professionals and artists. With the recent EDM boom in the states it has become more and more international each year.

The South African Connection:

WMC has been a favourite destination for SA house music artists and label representatives for networking and to market SA house music. DJ Fresh and Euphonik, Shimza, Black Motion, Black Coffee  and many more have attended and for the past few years there has always been a South African Miami Invasion party held during that week. This year Oskido, Heavy K and Glen Lewis all performed.

Read our Shimza interview on his new album

Best reason to go:

Whilst EDM may seem like the big boom on the surface, deep soulful house is embedded in the very fabric of American dance music and WMC is an opportunity to rub shoulders in one of the biggest music markets globally.

  1.  International Music Summit (IMS) 

The International Music Summit  is hosted in Ibiza. Need we say much more? As the electronic music party capital of the world it makes perfect sense to host an annual summit here. Known as IMS it is a 3 daylong conference and is held just before the official opening weekend of party season on the island.

Compared to ADE or WMC it is a lot smaller, and has only been going since 2008. IMS has had some pretty heavyweight artists such as Jean Michelle Jarre, Leftfield’s Neil Barnes and Richie Hawtin deliver keynote speeches and in 2014 a conference report by the International Music Summit estimated the EDM industry market to be worth $6.2 billion a year.

5 Must Attend Music Conferences

The South African Connection:

South Africa was a big focus at IMS 2015. A panel discussion facilitated by Electronic Association Music advisory board member Nic Burger included Shaun Duvet from Ultra Music SA, Goldfish’s manager Raymond Bloom, Black Coffee, Spiro Damaskinos from Sony, Renzo Puccini from Seed Experiences and Harael Salkow from Soul Candi.

Best reason to go:

Despite taking place on the party island, the 3 day summit is quite a serious industry event which tackles some real global issues in the electronic music industry. Since it takes place just before party season kicks off it is the ideal networking and knowledge conference to attend as you can end it all off with a [long] weekend of partying at all the opening nights on the island. 

   4. ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event) 

5 Must Attend Music Conferences

The Amsterdam Dance Event takes place over 5 days in October in Amsterdam. It is both a music conference and a music festival with as many as 115 clubs and venues participating. There are around 450 events held at this time and the entire city is covered in ADE posters and signage. Over 2,000 artists perform and it is without doubt the go-to event to both network with electronic music professionals and also to catch many of the world’s cutting edge acts.

There are daily panel discussions, conferences, tech demos, lighting displays and all kinds of dance music activities on the go.

The South African Connection:

Many South African DJs and artists have performed over the five days. Black Coffee is a regular, as are Jullian Gomes and Culoe De Song. Goldfish launched their album, Three Second Memory, in 2013 at and ADE event and in the same year a panel called Meet the South Africans was also held.

Best reason to go:

It’s Amsterdam! One of the coolest cities in the world! From coffee shops to 5 days of partying to some of the world’s cutting edge artists to listening to some of those same cutting edge artists talk at the conference to networking with others in the global electronic music community, ADE is a must-attend event.

  1. BPM DJ & Electronic Music Production Event  5 Must Attend Music Conferences

We’ve thrown in the BPM DJ & electronic music production event held in Birmingham, UK each September as a bonus event as it is slightly different to the others. Whilst BPM also hosts showcases, panel discussions and is a great networking platform, the main focus is actually a tech exhibition. 2014 hosted more than 100 exhibiting companies all dedicated to DJing, music production, sound and lighting. It’s a veritable smorgasbord of electronic music goodness spread across 11,000 square metres of tech to drool over. It brings out the tech geek in us!

The South African Connection:

There isn’t one, unless you count them using the name of our legendary BPM magazine that changed lives for 10 years in South Africa!

Best reason to go:

A tech exhibition dedicated to electronic dance music and DJing/producing is not something you find in too many places. Whilst it’s maybe not the type of event you’ll specifically fly over for, like one maybe would for Musikmesse or Namm, if you’re in the UK in September, its well worth popping in to see all the latest tech on offer.

Tagged With: ade, Amsterdam Dance Event, BPM DJ event, breathe sunshine music conference, BSAMC, IMS, International Music Summit, music conferences, Winter Music Conference, WMC Filed Under: Gear & Software Reviews

Contact

info[at]idmmag.com

Tel: +27 84 2090168

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM

idmmag

South Africa's definitive online electronic music publication ⬇️ #idmmag

IDM Mag
"I love diversity in music, and I think that most "I love diversity in music, and I think that most successful artists aim to have a lot of variety in their productions.”

Psytrance extraordinaire, @zozofenface sat down with @genetrick_music to chat about his otherworldly debut album 'Starseed' - Out now on @ibogarecords 💫

Read the full interview here ➡ 🔗 in bio!

#idmmag #Genetrick #ibogarecords #progtrance #progressivetrance #psytrance #PsytranceMusic #PsyTranceFamily #psychedelictrance #interview
Tag a DJ who brings a USB to every party! 😁😂 Tag a DJ who brings a USB to every party! 😁😂

#electronicdancemusic #dancefloor #party #festival #psytrance #techno #housemusic
@goldfishlive having a blast at @burningman! 😎 @goldfishlive having a blast at @burningman! 😎

5.30am sunrise sets in the desert. 🎷

#electronicdancemusic #dancefloor #party #festival #psytrance #techno #housemusic
@therealmurgs bringing the vibes with a scintillat @therealmurgs bringing the vibes with a scintillating new remix of @alexliteraturamusic & @ian_ludvig's ‘Invisible’! 🎶

It’s got dancefloor anthem written all over it! 😍

#electronicdancemusic #dancefloor #party #festival #psytrance #techno #housemusic
The weekend is right here, right now! 😉 📽 @ The weekend is right here, right now! 😉

📽 @jameshype 

#electronicdancemusic #dancefloor #party #festival #psytrance #techno #housemusic
Accurate?! 🤣🤣🤣 📽 @troysheperds #idmm Accurate?! 🤣🤣🤣

📽 @troysheperds

#idmmag #amapiano #electronicmusic #festival #techno #house #music #afrohouse #techhouse
"I see my music as a tiny window of opportunity fo "I see my music as a tiny window of opportunity for people to escape daily life. A place for people to go, to feel embraced by melodies and ambiences." 

@zozofenface chats to @audiodact to get the scoop on his debut album 'Reveries' - Out now on @ibogarecords!

Read the full interview here ➡ 🔗 in bio!

#idmmag #Antinomy #ibogarecords #progtrance #progressivetrance #psytrance #PsytranceMusic #PsyTranceFamily #psychedelictrance #interview
Crazy vibes from @maksimdarkofficial at @temporary Crazy vibes from @maksimdarkofficial at @temporary_events last weekend 🔥 

📽: @deliriant_music

#idmmag #electronicmusic #festival #techno #house #music #afrohouse #techhouse
Happy weekend! 🎶🥳 #idmmag #electronicmusic Happy weekend! 🎶🥳

#idmmag #electronicmusic #festival #techno #house #music #afrohouse #techhouse
Who can relate? 😂 📹 @lil_machine6 #idmmag Who can relate? 😂

📹 @lil_machine6 

#idmmag #electronicmusic #festival #techno #house #music #afrohouse #techhouse
What are your thoughts on popular rock n roll lyri What are your thoughts on popular rock n roll lyrics incorporated into dance music? 😊
 
📽: @taleofus at @afterlife_ofc 

Track: @ericprydz VS Pink Floyd - 'Proper Education' 

#idmmag #electronicmusic #festival #techno #house #music #afrohouse #techhouse
Soundtrack for the weekend! 😉 @eitan_reiter's Soundtrack for the weekend! 😉 

@eitan_reiter's full set from @boomfestivalofficial 2022's Alchemy Circle is up on his YouTube! 🔥

🎶 Listen now 🎶

#idmmag #electronicmusic #festival #techno #house #music #afrohouse #techhouse
@iamzlatanibrahimovic vibing on stage with @stroxl @iamzlatanibrahimovic vibing on stage with @stroxler is one of the coolest things you’ll see today! 🤝 

#idmmag #electronicmusic #festival #techno #house #music #afrohouse #techhouse
@davidguetta has remixed @bennybenassi’s ‘Sati @davidguetta has remixed @bennybenassi’s ‘Satisfaction’ in honour of its 20th anniversary! 🔥

What do you think of his fresh take? 🎶

#idmmag #electronicmusic #festival #techno #house #music #afrohouse #techhouse
The visuals at the @ericprydz 'Holo' show in Amste The visuals at the @ericprydz 'Holo' show in Amsterdam looked ridiculous! 🤿🤿🐋🌊

#idmmag #electronicmusic #festival #techno #house #music #afrohouse #techhouse
Tag your producer friends! 😂 📽 @kylewatsonm Tag your producer friends! 😂

📽 @kylewatsonmusic 

#producer #musicproducer #productionlife #djlife #techhouse #techno #newmusic #producers
Groovy beats and juicy rhythms to start the day. 🍋

📽 @Giorgia_Angiuli

#idmmag #electronicmusic #festival #techno #house #music #afrohouse #techhouse
#FestivalFriday!⏰ @coyote.duo laying it down th #FestivalFriday!⏰

@coyote.duo laying it down thick at @baziquefestival 2022! ⚡️

#idmmag #electronicmusic #festival #techno #house #music #afrohouse #techhouse
This is scarily true 😂 📽: @musicbylukas #i This is scarily true 😂

📽: @musicbylukas

#idmmag #electronicmusic #festival #techno #house #music #afrohouse #techhouse #flstudio #flgang #musicproducer #producermeme
@astralprojection opening the @ozorafestivaloffici @astralprojection opening the @ozorafestivalofficial 2022 stage looked crazy!  The energy on the dancefloor is 🔥📽 @Regan_nano  #Ozorafestival #Psytrance
Happy 60th birthday to legend that is @carlcoxoffi Happy 60th birthday to legend that is @carlcoxofficial ! 👑

#idmmag #electronicmusic #festival #techno #house #music #afrohouse #techhouse
View from the dancefloor during @astrixofficial li View from the dancefloor during @astrixofficial live at @boomfestivalofficial 2022 🔥

🎥 Vídeo: Lixeira do Trance

#electronicdancemusic #dancefloor #party #festival #psytrance #techno #housemusic
Music is like sunshine for the soul ☀️ 📽 @ Music is like sunshine for the soul ☀️

📽 @desiree_rsa

#idmmag #electronicmusic #festival #techno #house #music #afrohouse #techhouse
@boomfestivalofficial starts today! 😍 Any Saff @boomfestivalofficial starts today! 😍

Any Saffa's heading through to the ultimate psychedelic experience in Portugal!? 🇵🇹 🇿🇦

📽: @djtristanofficial 

#electronicdancemusic #dancefloor #party #festival #psytrance #techno #housemusic
“I think for dub music, the dirty noise and crac “I think for dub music, the dirty noise and crackles that come from a record make this kind of genre even more magical on wax.” 🔥

Don’t forget to check out our interview with Ace Ventura about his latest LP ‘Ace Ventura in Dub’! ➡ 🔗 in bio!

#idmmag #djaceventura #ibogarecords #dub #lowfi #electronica #progtrance #progressivetrance #psytrance #PsytranceMusic
This is ICONIC 🏆 @champagnepapi with all the l This is ICONIC 🏆

@champagnepapi with all the love for @realblackcoffee at @hiibizaofficial 🔥

#idmmag #champagnepapi #blackcoffee #realblackcoffee #housemusic #hiibiza #techno #electronicdancemusic
On your way to work on a Friday like... 😎😂 E On your way to work on a Friday like... 😎😂 Everyone's in the mood for the weekend! 

📽: @suatism 

#idmmag #electronicmusic #festival #techno #house #music #afrohouse #techhouse
"I aimed for a timeless release that would be list "I aimed for a timeless release that would be listenable at any state, whether casually in the car or at home, or as a deep after party dive, and I’m really happy with how it all turned out.” 

@davemac77 chats to @dj_aceventura about his recently released eleven track compilation 'Ace Ventura in Dub'. - out now on @ibogarecords 🔥

Read the full interview here ➡ 🔗 in bio!

#idmmag #djaceventura #ibogarecords #dub #lowfi #electronica #progtrance #progressivetrance #psytrance #PsytranceMusic #PsyTranceFamily #psychedelictrance #interview
This is so dope! 😎 Creating an Amapiano Beat w This is so dope! 😎

Creating an Amapiano Beat with her voice 🙏🏽

📽: @killorbeezbeatz 

#idmmag #Killorbeezbeatz #imaliAmapiano #instagramreels #reels #fyp #fy #trending #amapiano
Just pure vibes from @followthefishtv x @declanric Just pure vibes from @followthefishtv x @declanrice & @jackgrealish 🔥

#idmmag #electronicmusic #festival #techno #house #music #afrohouse #techhouse
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Tweet to @idmmag

IDMMAG.COM Follow

IDM Mag is South Africa's definitive publication for electronic music and is the brainchild of Dave Mac, ex-editor of the now defunct BPM Magazine.

Avatar
Avatar METROFM SABC @metrofmsa ·
3h

#WakeUpOnMETROFM coming to you LIVE from Forest View Primary School in Durban this morning #KidsGiveTheBestAnswers #BackToSchoolTour

Reply on Twitter 1623155295525474306 Retweet on Twitter 1623155295525474306 6 Like on Twitter 1623155295525474306 14 Twitter 1623155295525474306
Avatar DJ Mag @djmag ·
3h

The new EP from @FatimaAlQadiri on @Hyperdub follows her 'Medieval Femme' LP for the London label back in 2021 https://dj-m.ag/3RIdjV9

Reply on Twitter 1623155157511950337 Retweet on Twitter 1623155157511950337 1 Like on Twitter 1623155157511950337 3 Twitter 1623155157511950337
Avatar #vutha @djnaves ·
3h

It’s 5-am like a crack addict here I am

Masandawana Fan Vlog @MSFCfanVlog

Coach Rhulani Mokwena’s post match presser | Mamelodi Sundowns 3-2 Richa... https://youtu.be/1_3AmXwQx4E

Reply on Twitter 1623154970336821249 Retweet on Twitter 1623154970336821249 Like on Twitter 1623154970336821249 2 Twitter 1623154970336821249
Avatar Y @yfm ·
3h

Your fave uncle, @DJAnkletap and @kandiskardash are on the airwaves, giving you the latest in music, news and chats to charge up your morning.

Let’s get this day on the road on #YMornings

Reply on Twitter 1623154496112033792 Retweet on Twitter 1623154496112033792 3 Like on Twitter 1623154496112033792 8 Twitter 1623154496112033792
Avatar Samsung Mobile @samsungmobile ·
3h

See how easy it is to use the new #SmartThingsStation. You can conveniently control smart home devices, run preset routines and find missing items. You can also charge your phone with 15W Super Fast Charging.

Learn more: http://smsng.co/SmartThingsStation

Reply on Twitter 1623152134546984963 Retweet on Twitter 1623152134546984963 10 Like on Twitter 1623152134546984963 77 Twitter 1623152134546984963
Load More...

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK

This message is only visible to admins.
Problem displaying Facebook posts. Backup cache in use.
Click to show error
Error: Error validating access token: The session has been invalidated because the user changed their password or Facebook has changed the session for security reasons. Type: OAuthException
IDM Mag

4 months ago

IDM Mag
"I love diversity in music, and I think that most successful artists aim to have a lot of variety in their productions.”Psytrance extraordinaire, Zoë Fenner sat down with GENETRICK to chat about his otherworldly debut album 'Starseed' - Out now on Iboga Records 💫 ... See MoreSee Less

Get galactic as Genetrick presents Starseed, his debut album out on Iboga Records

idmmag.com

Genetrick presents Starseed, his debut album that is out now via Iboga Records. Get galactic with us as we explore his mind.
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

IDM Mag

5 months ago

IDM Mag
GoldFish having a blast at Burning Man Project! 😎5.30am sunrise sets in the desert. 🎷#electronicdancemusic ... See MoreSee Less

Video

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

© 2023 IDM Mag. All Rights Reserved

Website by Terri Love Designs


Return To Top
MENU
  • Home
  • News
  • Tech News
  • Tech Tutorials
  • Tech Spotlight
  • Featured
  • Freebies
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram