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How to Apply To Play Music Festivals & Events Across the World

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How to Apply To Play Music Festivals & Events Across the World

I found this great article on Di++O website with links to current UK and overseas opportunities. It's really useful and very informative, as it is up to date and also has direct links to the festival or event where you can apply - so super helpful.

Remember, before you apply to perform at any of these music festivals and events, be sure to read the application instructions and conditions carefully for the best chance of success. Some events may only accept submissions from artists of certain styles and genres, so make sure your act fits the bill before submitting your application.

CURRENT UK & EUROPE OPPORTUNITIES

Are You Listening? Festival | April 2020 | Reading, UK | Apply here

Live at Leeds | May 2020 | Leeds, UK | Apply here

Hanwell Hootie | May 2020 | London, UK | Apply here

Mello Festival | May 2020 | Worcestershire, UK | Apply here

Elderflower Fields | May 2020 | East Sussex, UK | Apply here

The Great Escape | May 2020 | Brighton, UK |Apply here

Sound City | May 2020 | Liverpool, UK | Apply here

Leestock | May 2020 | Suffolk, UK | Apply here

Wychwood Festival | May 2020 | Cheltenham, UK | Apply here

Camden Rocks | May 2020 | London, UK | Apply here

Long Division Festival | June 2020 | Wakefield, UK | Apply here

Sweden Rock | June 2020 | Sölvesborg, Sweden | Apply here

Eden Festival | June 2020 | Dumfries, Scotland | Apply here

Isle of Wight Festival | June 2020 | Isle of Wight | Apply here

Beacon Festival | June 2020 | Oxford, UK | Apply here

Sea Sessions | June 2020 | Donegal, Ireland | Apply here

Leigh Folk Festival | June 2020 | Essex, UK | Apply here

Black Deer Festival | June 2020 | Kent, UK | Apply here

Kendal Calling | July 2020 | Kendal, UK | Apply here

Y Not? Festival | July 2020 | Derbyshire, UK | Apply here

Ampthill Festival | July 2020 | Bedfordshire, UK | Apply here

EskFest | July 2020 | Cumbria, UK | Apply here

Nibley | July 2020 | Cotswolds, UK | Apply here

Daxonbury Festival | July 2020 | North Bedfordshire, UK | Apply here

Techfest | July 2020 | Nottinghamshire, UK | Apply here

El Dorado | July 2020 | Herefordshire, UK | Apply here

Ipswich Music Day | July 2020 | Ipswich, UK | Apply here

Barn On The Farm | July 2020 | Gloucester, UK | Apply here

Brainchild Festival | July 2020 | East Sussex, UK | Apply here

Not a Cult Festival | July 2020 | Worcestershire, UK | Apply here

Nass Festival | July 2020 | Somerset, UK | Apply here

Beat-Herder | July 2020 | Lancashire, UK | Apply here

Ashford Festival in the Park | July 2020 | Kent, UK | Apply here

Shankra Festival | July 2020 | Lostallo, Switzerland | Apply here

Nozstock | July 2020 | Herefordshire, UK | Apply here

Boomtown | August 2020 | Hampshire, UK | Apply here

110 Above | August 2020 | Leicestershire, UK | Apply here

Off Festival | August 2020 | Katowice, Poland | Apply here

Humber Street Sesh | August 2020 | Hull, UK | Apply here

Beyond the Woods | August 2020 | Lincolnshire, UK | Apply here

Farmer Phil’s Music Festival | August 2020 | Shrewsbury, UK | Apply here

Arctangent | August 2020 | Bristol, UK | Apply here

Green Man | August 2020 | Brecon, UK | Apply here

Beautiful Days | August 2020 | Devon, UK | Apply here

Weyfest | August 2020 | Surrey, UK | Apply here

Victorious | August 2020 | Portsmouth, UK | Apply here

Valley Fest | August 2020 | Bristol, UK | Apply here

Phoenix Festival | August 2020 | Cotswolds, UK | Apply here

Cambridge Folk Festival | August 2020 | Cambridge, UK | Apply here

Off The Tracks Festival | August 2020 | Leicestershire, UK | Apply here

End of the Road | September 2020 | Dorset, UK | Apply here

Illusive Festival | September 2020 | Northamptonshire, UK | Apply here

Worcester Music Festival | September 2020 | Worcester, UK | Apply here

Euroblast | September 2020 | Cologne, Germany | Apply here

Live at Heart | September 2020 |Örebro, Sweden | Apply here

Reeperbahn Festival | September 2020 | Hamburg, Germany | Apply here

Equinox Festival | September 2020 | Lincolnshire, UK | Apply here

Waves Vienna | September 2020 | Vienna, Austria | Apply here

Moseley Folk Festival | September 2020 | Birmingham | Apply here

Mercat de Musica | September 2020 | Barcelona, Spain | Apply here

Iceland Airwaves | November 2020 | Reykjavik, Iceland | Apply here

CURRENT USA, CANADA & SOUTH AMERICA OPPORTUNITIES

Tiny Lights Festival | June 2020 | Ymir, Canada | Apply here

Blue Ox Festival | June 2020 | Eau Claire, Wisconsin | Apply here

NXNE | June 2020 | Toronto, Canada | Apply here

Nelsonville Festival | June 2020 | Nelsonville, Ohio | Apply here

Epicenter Festival | May 2020 | Charlotte, North Carolina | Apply here

Music at the View | May 2020 | Tonasket, Washington | Apply here

Texas Music Showcase | July 2020 | San Antonio, Texas | Apply here

Red, White & Bluegrass Festival | July 2020 | Beaver Creek, Ohio | Apply here

Hopscotch | September 2020 | Raleigh, North Carolina | Apply here

Arise Music Festival | August 2020 | Loveland, Colarado | Apply here

Springfield Indie Soul Fest | August 2020 | Springfield, Massachusetts | Apply here

Rock al Parque | August 2020 | Bogota, Colombia | Apply here

Americanafest | September 2020 | Nashville, Tennesee | Apply here

Deadwood Jam | September 2020 | Deadwood, South Dakota | Apply here

Strawberry Music Festival | Spring/Fall Annually | California | Apply here

Joshua Tree Music Festival | Spring/Fall Annually | Joshua Tree, California | Apply here

CURRENT AUSTRALIA, AFRICA & ASIA OPPORTUNITIES

Bali Spirit Festival | April 2020 | Bali, Indonesia | Apply here

Cape Town Coffee Festival | May 2020 | Cape Town, South Africa | Apply here

Bayimba International Festival | August 2020 | Uganda | Apply here

Winter Fest | August 2020 | Lesotho | Apply here

Music Matters | September 2020 | Singapore | Apply here

Maldon Folk Festival | October 2020 | Maldon, VIC, Australia | Apply here

Mushroom Valley | October 2020 | Yalboroo, QLD, Australia | Apply here

Tablelands Folk Festival | October 2020 | Yungaburra, QLD, Australia | Apply here

Queenscliff Music Festival | November 2020 | Queenscliff, Vic, Australia | Apply here

Thanks Di++O Team for such a great article, we have sent links to your website so that our members can find out more. https://www.dittomusic.com/

Our next blog will pinpoint what you need to consider once you have applied and been accepted to play. We are going to create a check-list that our members can actually use. Best of luck and let us know how you got on.

12
Mar

Podcasts to Boost Your Playlist Game

Whether your music listening is via online platforms, vinyl or even cassette, you can use podcasts to boost your playlist game. Get the commentary on the industry, its insiders and how they craft their tracks from a vast library on offer. Or, explore new genres, find the tracks that resonate and then get drawn into their backstory. There are decades of music history to be found, listened to and deciphered, from the BBC's 'Desert Island Discs' to the huge hit 'Song Exploder' which due to its success, has now become a Netflix series. Below is a list of a few of the best, to get your lug-holes tuned into and feed your music curiosity. SONG EXPLODER Listen Here - Song Exploder Hosted and produced by Hrishikesh Hirway since 2014, his podcast guests are invited to take apart their songs piece by piece and tell the story of how they were created. The journey involves breaking down the sounds and ideas involved in the writing and recording. Recent guests have included Yusuf/Cat Stevens and Grammy award winner PJ Morton. SWITCHED ON POP Listen Here - Switched On Pop We've all had good and bad 'Ear Worms' sending us loco at some point and there's no denying certain tracks get stuck in your head! If you are interested in why certain songs have these hooks which draw you in or you can't shake, musicologist Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding are here to explain. Recent treats include The Weeknd ' Blinding Lights' and Adrian Younge's new project. DISSECT Listen Here - Dissect Something to really get your teeth into, podcast Dissect is a mix up of episodes and mini-series podcasts that explore individual albums, track by track. Series can run up to 12-13 episodes and the track detail takes in comparisons and history. Recents featured artists have included Kendrick Lamar, Lauren Hill and Frank Ocean. The current series is diving into Beyonce's 'Black is King'. ROLLING STONE: MUSIC NOW Listen Here - Rolling Stone: Music Now When is comes to pedigree and heritage, Rolling Stone is up there. If you are a music legend, there are a handful of publications you will bother to get out of bed for. Rolling Stone, is certainly one of them. Taking you inside the biggest stories in the industry and securing interviews with all the top artists of music history, from Rock 'n' Roll to Hip-Hop, not stone left unturned. ALL SONGS CONSIDERED Listen Here - All Songs Considered The various hosts of All Songs Considered, include Bob Boilen and Rob Hilton, giving you their personal recommendations for your listening pleasure. The experience compares to chatting at the pub, and swapping ideas with your best friends. Laid back and charming the focus is on new music and brings interviews with emerging artists and musing over historical figures from the industry. QUESTLOVE SUPREME Listen Here - Questlove Supreme This podcast series is about secrets, passions and personal projects. The themes drive the conversation for the fabulous Questlove and Team Supreme. Using fun and irreverence to entertain and educate their audience, the episodes are a joy of easy listening. They can certainly draw the names, and have put their interview skills to the likes of Michelle Obama, Chris Rock, Chaka Khan and Steve Miller. LOST NOTES - 1980 Listen Here - Lost Notes - 1980 A collection of the greatest music stories never told. This season the poet and cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib resides over the podcast and explores a single year: 1980 - the brilliant, awkward and sometimes heartbreaking opening to a monumental decade in popular music. David Bowie got divorced. Lou Reed got married. Ian Curtis died before Joy Division got to touch down for a U.S. Tour. By the end of the year, John Lennon’s death would signal the end of a rock n’ roll era.  This gripping series includes the work of Stevie Wonder, Ian Curtis and Grace Jones. THE THISTLE & SHAMROCK Listen Here - The Thistle and Shamrock If your tastes are more on the Folk or Celtic tip, Fiona Richie is your gal. Her podcast show takes you through the history of the genre whilst indulging you in performances and personal playlists. Music from old favourites and new comers are entwined with spoken word artists and interviews with acclaimed authors and award winning composers. DESERT ISLAND DISCS Listen Here - Desert Island Discs The original music podcast, and still arguably the best. Created during World War 2 by Roy Plumley, the show has interviewed heads of state, music and acting legends, world renowned scientists, plus sporting and every-day heroes. The archive is vast and awash with choices, which are easy to source in the 'Collections' area. The format is simple – a guest is invited to choose eight discs, a book and a luxury to take with them as they’re castaway on a mythical desert island. They’re given the complete works of Shakespeare and the Bible or religious book of their choice. During the interview, guests explain their choices and discuss key moments in their lives, people and events that have influenced and inspired them and brought them to where they are today. www.jeeni.com

09
Nov

Respite Alt-Rock band from Glasgow

Respite are an Alt-rock quintet hailing from Glasgow, Scotland. The band blends elements of punk, post-hardcore and pop music, with lyrics and vocals heavily inspired by pop-punk and emo. Influenced by bands such as Don Broco, Mallory Knox and A Day To Remember, Respite deliver catchy and energetic earworms with a subtle depth. Having supported acts such as Hawthorne Heights, Trophy Eyes and Like Pacific, the band released their first single, “Chemical Sleep” on the 3rd of October. Soon after following with their debut EP “Vol. 1” on the 29th of October which features five original tracks, and is available to stream everywhere right now! Respite will also be headling Audio Glasgow on November 26th in celebration of their debut EP, joined by aOHNOVA, WRTHLESS Swallows. Find out more about the event here How can Jeeni support artists like Respite? JEENI is a multi-channel platform for original entertainment on demand. We’re a direct service between creatives and the global audience. • We give creatives, independent artists and performers a showcase for their talent and services. And they keep 100% of everything they make.• We empower our audience and reward them every step of the way.• We promise to treat our members ethically, fairly, honestly and with respect. Check out Respite's showcase on Jeeni - Respite | Showcase | JEENI

19
Jan

Artist Focus: Respite

This compelling five-piece formed from an amalgamation of previous bands, mindsets and connections and arose in 2020 as a formidable and commanding alt-rock/pop-punk force known newly as ‘Respite’.   Respite joined forces with Jeeni earlier this year and since then, Jeeni has been hard at work trying to elevate, uplift and support this fantastic group by providing an ethical worldwide platform for their hard-hitting and refreshing craft. Respite is: Andrew Vaughan & Euan Macqueen as guitarists, Ross Crawford on the bass, Reiss Mcleod on the drums and Sam Nicholson on the vocals.  Hailing from Glasgow, the group once known as ‘Finding Argyle’ committed to a brave yet necessary brand change as their sound and creative habits organically shifted and evolved over the major lockdown in 2020. The group formed as the five-piece they’re known as now back in 2015 as a result of recurring opportunities and coincidences and so, the band’s current synergy took shape as a perfect act of fate.  Their days as ‘Finding Argyle’ were decidedly grittier with tracks like ‘Spit’ and ‘Love Like Violence’. Their newer form, ‘Respite’ made a subtle, yet noticeable adjustment in their tone. The lightheartedness was slightly increased as a result of the more melodic and pop-punk inspirations for writing choruses. Vocalist Sam Nicholson is the primary conveyor of their new-found catchiness, held mostly in the anthemic choruses that parade accross most of their spirited songs. The change in vocal style is at times, reminiscent of the much more pop influenced rock style of ‘Deaf Havana’.  Although Respite generally embraces slightly less dark style of songwriting and performing, that doesn’t account for exceptions such as the deeply compelling and hard-hitting ‘Chemical Sleep’.  The music video for which is simple, yet genius; contained in a cramped, red room, the group’s performance energy is barely contained and fills the space to the brim, matching the mood and vigor of the piece to a tee.  Another noticeable and welcome advance in style came from the increased use of synthesis, thanks to guitarist, producer and mastering engineer, Andrew Vaughan. Sam Nicholson put it simply yet aptly that Vaughan is “quite the wunderkind”. On top of mixing and mastering the tracks, Andrew also manages all of the recordings for the group, effectively doing the work of about 6-10 people when compared to a standard studio set-up.   Speaking of, the sound achieved from Respite really is that of a fully-fledged studio arrangement. Clear, concise and tight to a fault, the production and overall contribution from Vaughan is nothing other than remarkable.  As a Glaswegian act, I was interested in the band’s opinion on how the impressive lineup of Scottish rock groups break the mould when compared to that of English or American rock efforts. After conferring with the other members, Sam told me that “I think there's something about the vocals which usually sets them apart, whether that is just the accent, or the way it hits the ear, it does stand out more often than not.” As obvious as it might sound that the iconic Scottish voice plays a major role in differentiating this specific Celtic brand of the same genre from others, it’s nevertheless a profound point that voices from different tribes will react with the ear in different ways. It implies a fascinating discussion about how different ethnicity's natural voices can induce different subconscious responses in listeners. Sam also voiced a tentative concern with lumping acts into the non-genre of Scottish rock and how it can at times be presumptuous, “I personally sometimes wonder if it's too easy to be lumped into "Scottish Rock" and then you're trapped there. It's a double-edged blade though, because, who wouldn't want their name next to bands like Biffy and Fatherson?” It certainly is an under-considered issue of generalising and connecting Scottish acts purely for being Scottish. It unintentionally strips individuality from these fantastic acts like Respite. Although, as Sam points out, it’s not exactly a bad thing to be mentioned among the greats of Scotland. A double-edged blade indeed.  Careful not to mention something the group isn’t ready to divulge just yet, Sam did allude to the future of Respite, “We're currently planning our second EP after a great response to the new tracks, and we're hoping to follow that up with a tour of Scotland, and potentially head down south.”  How can Jeeni support artists like Respite?   JEENI is a multi-channel platform for original entertainment on demand. We’re a direct service between creatives and the global audience.   • We give creatives, independent artists and performers a showcase for their talent and services. And they keep 100% of everything they make.  • We empower our audience and reward them every step of the way.  • We promise to treat our members ethically, fairly, honestly and with respect.  • Access to artist liaison and a supportive marketing team.  Check out Respite’s Jeeni showcase here: https://jeeni.com/showcase/respite-band/