5 Reasons To Attend Off The Record Edinburgh!
Ahead of the next Off The Record event in Edinburgh this Saturday, organiser and artist manager Michael Lambert explains the five main reasons anyone aged 14-25 and interested in a career in music should attend...
When we set up Off The Record a few years ago, the aim was to help make it as easy as possible for emerging bands and those who want to work in the industry to get to where they want to be. The music industry can be a bit of a minefield, and knowing what to do next can be really tricky.
So, in no particular order, here are my five main reasons you should come along on Saturday:
1. LEARN REALLY USEFUL STUFF MOST OTHER PEOPLE DON'T KNOW
It kind of goes without saying, but if you attend Off The Record, you're going to be given a lot of very useful info from some people who really know what they're on about! From advice on how to approach promoters for gigs and journalists for press, to tips for social media, releasing your music online and making money from music.
2. MEET NEW PEOPLE
The music industry is built upon relationships, so knowing as many people as possible is an absolute must. This doesn't just apply to people working in the industry - but also to other bands and musicians. So, come along, introduce yourself to other attendees and make some new friends.
3. GET YOUR MUSIC TO PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP
As well as meeting other musicians and likeminded folks, Off The Record gives you a pretty valuable opportunity to get your music into the hands of people who can help you. This might be a promoter (such as James Bruce, Nicky Carder or Chris Beltran), a journalist (like Craig Gornall from Alive and Amplified), a radio producer (Amy Ferguson from BBC Radio Scotland) or an A&R Scout (such as Chris Beltran from Atlantic Records).
If you have music to share, make sure you bring along a CD, download card or pen drive to hand out. Oh, and MAKE sure your band name & contact details are noted somewhere so they can get in touch with you!
4. FIND OUT HOW TO MAKE SOME MONEY $$$
We have a couple of sessions lined up that will tell you how to make some money from music! I'll be hosting a quick-fire presentation on the collection societies, and there is also a panel dedicated to working in music which will give you advice on getting experience and internships, and might even flag up some jobs you didn't even know existed in the music business.
5. GET A FREE DIGTAL RELEASE WORTH £25!
Our friends at EmuBands (Scotland's best digital distribution company) are offering every single attendee a free single release via their platform. This normally costs £25, and means you'll be able to get your next single on iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music and all the other digital stores.
... Oh, and did we mention free lunch?
Tickets for Off The Record are £2, and available to anyone aged 14-25. Tickets can be bought online, or in person from Tickets Scotland on Rose St, or the North Edinburgh Arts Centre.
For full information on the event, click here.