Launching in 2024, the annual Low Four Soundcheck music conference will examine the health of Manchester’s vibrant music scenes, including it’s recording and live economies, as well as an assessment of commercial, charitable and governmental support networks.
Produced in partnership with the University of Salford and UK Research and Innovation, the below pilot conference was recorded in 2022 and consisted of four panels featuring industry professionals, experts and musicians debating pressing issues faced by Manchester's music community.
What is the future of Livestreaming?
Musician and broadcaster Jenna G asks what the future of livestreaming might be in a post-COVID Greater Manchester and beyond. Her guests include Marie-Claire Daly, Cultural Policy Lead for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, who enjoyed considerable success with the United We Stream project during lockdown. Dr. Brendan Williams (Low Four and University of Salford) and Chris Croft (SoundON) give their perspectives running emerging live-steaming platforms based upon differing business models. Natasha Maximova (Reform Radio) and Joanne Karcheva (Manchester Collective) each market and manage online content for their respective organisations and discuss how they responded to the pandemic, and what will they be taking forward.
Is Manchester a supportive city for musicians?
Professor Alan Williams (University of Salford) discusses the panel’s experiences of navigating Manchester's music support infrastructures and economies. Sophie Bee is a well known and established project manager who has worked across a huge range of events. She is the panels only native Mancunian, where others have migrated to the city to pursue musical-based careers. Egg is a member of Porij, an electronic-pop band formed at the Royal Northern College of Music and currently recording their highly anticipated debut album. Raheel Khan is a sound artist who is currently a creative fellow with Manchester International Festival. Originally heralding from Transylania, Ottilia Ördög is founder of Beat Bizarre and is the education programme leader of the Manchester Hip Hop Archive. Alex Tadros is one-third of Sour Grapes Records, the world's only tape only record label, operating out of Mars Tapes in Afflecks Palace, again potentially the world's tape only music shop. Finally, Dave Burch works for the Manchester based think-tank, Centre for Local Economic Strategies, as well running influential electronic music label Ad-hoc Records.
Is Manchester a world class music city?
Sarie Mairs Slee (Northern Place and Culture Partnership) chairs the discussion on whether we might be able to consider Manchester a world-class music city? Joining Sarie is Debra King, Chief Executive of Brighter Sound and the Lead for the Manchester Music City project. Promoter, Chris Horkan (Hey! Manchester) brings touring folk, roots and alternative artists to the city from all around the world, whilst Riv Burns is Festival Director for Salford’s Sound from the Other City. KSR is an emerging neo-soul artist making wwaves. Dj, journalist and author Dave Haslam completes the line-up along with Oliver Wilson, who this October will be launching Beyond the Music, a new four-day music conference.
Are our music venues in crisis?
In this panel, Jay Taylor (Music Venue Trust) asks guests from the local live music industry to review and reflect upon their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic; what have they learned and what might the future hold? His guests include venue managers Simon Butcher (The Albert Hall), Fran Healey (The Stoller Hall) and Ruth Hemmingfield (Yes), Well established Manchester promoters Balraj Samrai (Swing Ting) and Simon Catling (Grey Lantern) give their perspective whilst Jane Beese is the new Director of Music for the Manchester International Festival and The Factory. Finally, Gareth Worthington is the Night Time Economy Advisor for CityCo, supporting the city over a particularly unprecedented and turbulent time.
