Philly Music Conference (PMC) showcase fee debate

[kudyba]

On another e-list I subscribe to, there's been a huge debate over conference fees, especially for showcasing bands/artists. PMC is charging (a reduced rate of) $100 per band member (I believe there's a cap or group rate if you have a "big" band) if you are chosen to play during an afternoon of the show in the conference area. The reasoning is that the musician's in the band will then have access to the conference, panels, exhibits & workshops. Is this an example of pay-to-play?

 

Here's a letter from the conference executive director, Brian Bricklin, offering an explanation:

 

Subject: The Philadelphia Music Conference 2001 Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2001

From: Brian Bricklin

 

Hello,

 

I am aware of the discussions that have been taking place regarding procedures and policies of The Philadelphia Music Conference. I want to

personally respond to some of the confusion regarding how and why we administrate the conference the way we do. First let me address the processing fee. The $25 ($15 "early bird") fee that is associated with submitting to the conference is just what we call it, a PROCESSING fee. We

received over 1500 submissions for nighttime showcases for PMC 2001. We need to properly catalogue and archive these packets, enter multiple information per submission into our data base. schedule and facilitate the

listening sessions, book qualified judges, then assimilate and tally all judges' scoring, then, and only then, can we attempt to slot the 200 available nighttime showcase slots. Even for our qualified office manager, showcase director and staff, it is a mammoth and time consuming task.

 

Regarding the reduced registration rate for Daytime showcasing artists. We choose the top 200 scoring acts who are awarded Nighttime Showcases. The next 200 scores are eligible, if they register (at a significantly reduced rate) to attend the conference, to perform a Daytime Showcase at the host hotel. The rate for this is $135/person, or $100/person if over 4 people

register. WHY, some of you have asked, do we charge any fee for this? The reason starts with the fact these daytime showcases take place at the hotel, in the body of the conference area. The daytime showcasing artists have access to all that the PMC has to offer; 35 Panels featuring top level industry executives, mentoring sessions, clinics, informative workshops, this year Keynote addresses from the President of Roadrunner Records and the Executive Vice President of Arista Records, not to mention a Trade show featuring 50 exhibitors from all facets of the music industry. Secondly, I

don't know how many of you know this, but, the expenses associated with an event of our size are astronomical! The hotel rental fees are exorbitant.

 

We provide backline at all, not just the Daytime, but all artist showcases. We provide quality Sound and Production for all of our showcases including technical personal. We spend thousands on advertising these showcases and conference events. For those of you thinking the PMC is raking in cash and some fat cat is banking a bundle, you are WRONG. We are a small office of 4

fulltime and 2 part time employees, our salaries are meager, especially considering the time and effort we put in. In fact, the PMC relies on additional sponsorship from within the industry in order to present the conference. Processing and registration fees alone are not enough to put on our event.

 

In the end, the decision to attend our, or any conference, is up to each individual. Personally, as a songwriter and artist who has been signed two times to major record labels, I know how dedicated you have to be to get noticed, even a little. My intention for the PMC is to be an opportunity for all musicians, artists, and industry people, at whatever level, to network, learn, have fun, get noticed, and most importantly, feel that they had a positive experience for their investment. It is my intention that you

have that type of quality experience participating at the PMC 2001.

 

I hope my response at least clarifies some of the questions regarding fees for our conference. We look forward to seeing and hearing many of you at our event, Good luck with your careers, we wish you the best.

 

Sincerely,

Brian Bricklin

Executive Director, The Philadelphia Music Conference

 

Philadelphia Music Conference

P.O. Box 30288

Philadelphia, PA 19103

215-587-9550 Voice

215-587-9552 Fax

info@gopmc.com

www.gopmc.com

[Eric Worthington]

I'm putting on a big festival this summer. It's gonna be BIG, and EVERYONE will be there. But these things are not cheap; I've got expenses for this, that and the other. Hey man, no one's getting rich off this, OK?

 

So, in order to do this right, man, I'm gonna have to charge each band if they want to perform. But, hey, you get access to all the backstage food and beer, and all the other stuff going on in the festival grounds.

 

So it's a good deal......right?

[alphajerk]

funk that toe cheese.

[stanner]

i have been paid to play and i have not been paid to play but *i* will never pay to play.

[Curve Dominant]

Well, as y'all know, I live in Philly.

 

So what do I think of the PMC? Well...ummm...it's there.

 

Is there a "there" there? Well...ummm...

 

Uhh...

 

curvedominant

[alphajerk]

are music conferences [band showcase related] all having problems like this? i heard some complaints on the SXSW as well, not pay to play but the over commercialization and moving away from what it initially set out to do kinda things.

 

its always a good reason to get out of town and party but has it all come down to pay to play? well if they feel the need to gamble with success, WTF go ahead. their money.

[D. Gauss]

pay to play?...never! if i'm putting up money , then i can book my own show, at my own hall. SXSW? it's become a joke.... the biggest bands that play there are already signed! so what's the point? big business up to no good again i'm afraid....

 

-.d. gauss

[MusicWorkz]

Ideally, efforts like this should be industry-supported. The record labels should be the ones underwriting the sound and stage since THEY will be the ones benfitting from only having to travel to one place for their new artist talent scouting. I understand expenses, but something doesn't sit quite right...