ASCAP “I Create Music” Expo 2010 event review

ASCAP I Create Music Expo 2010

The following article was written by Darwin Green, who attended the ASCAP “I Create Music” Expo 2010, April 22 – 24.  It sheds some light not only on the expo itself, but also how the dreams of stardom will lead people to abandon what we here at Release List realize is one of the most insidious parts of the music biz: the business side of things.  You see, every artist is out there to make money, and so few realize how much business sense you need in order to reliably do just that.

Anyway, here’s Darwin’s article.  If you were at the ASCAP Expo and have a story to tell, or have any questions about the expo, hit us up in the comments below!

-Tim

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In order to understand where this review comes from I need to reveal something about myself, the reviewer:  I am a songwriter.  I have written songs with at least two major songwriters/artists.  At the time of this writing I have a pending publishing deal with my songwriting partner who will release several singles in the near future, all of which have my co-writing credit, under his name as an artist. I got to this point through, what seems to me, complete accident and incredible luck.

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The ASCAP Expo from the beginning seemed like ASCAP’s way of rewarding its faithful members through several days of panels, events, and constructive peer criticism.  Each panel consisted of three to four people at the top of their respective careers.  The grand setting of the Renaissance Hotel in Hollywood, nestled in the labyrinthine structure of the Hollywood and Highland megaplex, fostered a sense of enormity that would pervade the entire three days of activities.  People searched, as the case may be in all expos, for others who could advance their career or at least provide some musical expertise in a mutually beneficial arrangement.

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Walking into the hotel lobby on the first day it immediately struck me how many people showed up.  The designers of the event packed the first floor full of booths and exhibits.  Getting to any of these meant stepping on some toes or accidentally brushing into someone.  There wasn’t even room for apologies as others did the same to get by.  The whole place swarmed with the population of a typical Los Angeles afternoon. Everybody was the next Quincy Jones or the next Jay-Z or the next Rob Thomas or John Mayer.  Everybody had the next “hit” in their pocket on a demo CD or download card, waiting for the open hands of a benefactor that would propel them into stardom, immense wealth, and a certain future. Bumping into someone meant potentially bumping into the next music star or executive.

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The audience leapt for anywhere a spark of potentiality existed for some sort of progress within the music industry and smothered it with their fervor. Indeed, one could confuse the Q&A sessions for an episode of American Idol as people with questions would often sing their “hit” songs to whatever artist or producer happened to be up there.  The audience, dubbed “creators” by the event,clamored to the front of the stage after each panel ended,handing out hundreds of demos between them, which the panelists collected in stacks and most likely threw away once behind the curtain. The hosts started prefacing the panel sessions by asking the audience to stop handing out demos and to generalize their questions during the Q&A.  Nobody listened.  Somehow, in some way, someone was going to get his or her demo in to the right person, whoever it might be, no matter what they had to do to get it there.

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The panels continued well into the evening, the number of people gradually thinning out until enough people remained to fit into a bar on the highest level where somewhat mismatched artists like Stephen Bishop, Natasha Bedingfield, Phil Vassar, John Forte and others played their best and/ornewest, however old that might be in some cases. After the performance, event staff guided the still dwindling group to another level upstairs, where DJs and producers spun songs and the bar served free beer all night.  With barely enough room to stand in, the club hosts boasted about yet another after hours event.  Having arrived at 8 in the morning I had to leave because of exhaustion, but the people there still showed verve enough to hound down still any benefactor worthy of their music.

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The second day, about half the people showed up.  I guess many gave up after seeing how many people they needed to compete against.  The variety and relevancy of the panels to the hordes started dropping as well.  The second day focused more on the business aspect of the music industry rather than the creative, inspirational parts.  A good number of people showed up, but I didn’t see as many new “Kanye’s” or “Chris Martin’s.”  After attending a panel on music publishing I met with an ASCAP representative who told me to send him my demos. I gained something from the event, and for similar reasons to those who didn’t show up the second day I refrained from showing up on the third.  They got their dreams and demos to their chosen artists and talent, and I gained a contact who might help me in the future with my career.  Such is the beauty of the ASCAP “I Create Music” Expo, that within the pursuit of dreams still exists possibilities and moves toward the future that might not come elsewhere.

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