INDIE NEWS BEAT July 26, 2006 Edition

Posted by radiogetswild on 2006-07-26 18:14:56 (2221 views)

* The Latest Technology To Be Used For Lollapalooza And Austin City Limits Music Festival
* Independents Call On EC To Act On Demerger Verdict In SonyBMG Case
* MusicDish Network Promotes 60's Love Child Astrella-Celeste
* WorkshopLive Named As A 2006 Finalist For The Massachusetts Technology Leadership Awards
* The Bandwidth Music & Technology Conference Announces Speakers
* GoGirlsMusic.com Announces The Launch Of GoGirls Music Records
* The World Is Set To Fall In Mad, Mad Love With Aussie Folk-pop Gypsy Lisa Richards
* Florida Hot Boy Swordz Drops Official Mixtape For Exclusive Myspace Download

The Latest Technology To Be Used For Lollapalooza And Austin City Limits Music Festival

Front Gate Solutions of Austin, TX today announced the launch of its ScanOne Access Control Solution. The application will be at the core of an extensive gate control management system that will be used at the 2006 Lollapalooza Music Festival in Chicago's Grant Park August 4-6. A similar setup will be implemented for the three-day Austin City Limits Music Festival in SeptemberÂ an event that attracted over 200,000 music fans last year.

"Counterfeiters look for opportunities to beat the system," offers Mellie Price, President and founder of Front Gate Solutions. "We have a responsibility to provide the highest level of security to our clients, which is why we are constantly developing tools like ScanOne."

Access Control Systems are used to both prevent unauthorized access to events and to monitor trends in entry activity. ScanOne has been designed to work in tandem with Front Gate Solutions' AdmitOne box office solution and Backstage event management application.

"Counterfeit tickets are a common problem in the festival business," notes Michelle Alldredge of Capital Sports & Entertainment, producers of Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits Music Festival. "We are excited to implement a solution for our upcoming festivals that will both give us real time attendance counts and keep holders of counterfeit tickets from entering our shows."

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Independents Call On EC To Act On Demerger Verdict In SonyBMG Case

Following an extra-ordinary IMPALA Board meeting earlier this week in London, the independents emphasise that the European court completely annulled the Commission's 2004 approval of SonyBMG. In a categoric judgement last Thursday, the judges found on much more than simple technicalities. The court identified fundamental problems that go to the heart of the merger and can't be readily fixed because the music market already suffers from collective dominance. The judgement vindicates the original findings of the Commission that it did indeed have the evidence to block SonyBMG. It is difficult to see how a re-application would be successful. IMPALA points out that mere fact that the SonyBMG house is already built doesn't mean it won't have to be pulled down.

The independents are also concerned that BMG publishing may be sold to another major. A trade sale of any major publisher to another would strengthen existing collective dominance in publishing and the functioning of the collective societies, online licensing and syncronisation markets. IMPALA takes the view that any such move would be unable to obtain regulatory approval.

IMPALA will put Sony, Bertlesmann and the European Commission on notice that prompt action is required and that they take the view that SonyBMG must now be demerged. The independents emphasise that this is a constructive move and offer to work with the Commission and the majors to create a viable and competitive music market.

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MusicDish Network Promotes 60's Love Child Astrella-Celeste

MusicDish, an Internet music magazine publisher and artist marketing/development firm, is proud to announce the addition of Pop/Jazz singer Astrella Celeste to the MusicDish Network roster. Combining a variety of online viral marketing strategies, the MusicDish Network will be coordinating a broad campaign in support of her debut album "Blue Star" (the Spanish translation of Astrella Celeste).

The ultimate 60's love child, Astrella-Celeste is the daughter of the 'British Bob Dylan' Donovan, who wrote 'Catch the Wind,' 'Mellow Yellow' and 'Hurdy Gurdy Man,'. Having recorded with her father and opened for him on his Beat CafÃ© tour, Astrella-Celeste is now entering the spotlight in her own right. On September 25th, she will be releasing her single 'Dream' to coincide with her debut EP "Blue Star" issued in the UK, Ireland & Internet on Donovan's new label, Donovan Discs. Astrella-Celeste wrote the album with Kevin Hunter of Sheryl Crow fame and was produced by influential music producer Yoad Nevo.

"Astrella Celeste's 'Dream' Combines a fusion of jazz, pop and country wearing such female icons as Liz Phair, Shania Twain and Natalie Merchant on her sleeves," noted June Caldwell with Bryan Farrish Radio Promotion.

The MusicDish Network will conduct an extensive saturated marketing campaign, combining PR/brand development, syndicated marketing and online street teaming. In addition, Astrella will be aggressively pushed on social networking sites such as MySpace, Live Digital and TagWorld, while promoting her single and video "Dream" through a viral distribution campaign on major file sharing networks such as eDonkey.

Having performed on stage since childhood (releasing a single in Italy aged 8 which led to the Pope asking to meet her), Astrella spent her youth in acting schools and dance troupes before working with her father providing backing vocals and touring with him. Her career has since been richly developed by working with other musicians in recording sessions, performances and/or home jams, amongst them David Gillmore, Brian Setzer, Donovan, Mark White, Happy Mondays, and Graham Nash to name but a few.

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WorkshopLive Named As A 2006 Finalist For The Massachusetts Technology Leadership Awards

WorkshopLive announced that the company has been named as a finalist for the Mass Technology Leadership Council's 2006 Leadership Awards. WorkshopLive, which produces the most dynamic and engaging music instruction content on the Web, was named at an event held at the British Consulate last week.

The only awards program to recognize outstanding achievement in both the development and implementation of information technology, the Mass Technology Leadership Awards honor Massachusetts companies and individuals who best exemplify leadership and excellence in business and technology. The awards program builds on the traditions of the Massachusetts Software Council and the New England Business and Technology Association (NEBATA), the two organizations that merged last year to form the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council.

Formally launched in December 2005, WorkshopLive provides any subscriber with a high-speed Internet connection with an ability to take guitar or keyboard lessons, whenever they want, 24/7. The student can choose from dozens of teachers, and the patent-pending student-teacher matching engine helps select the right educator and lesson plan to match the student's ability and style of learning.

"Music is as borderless as the Internet, and so is the passion to learn" said David Smolover, founder and CEO. "WorkshopLive has attracted thousands of customers for online music lessons from the United States, England, Denmark, Vietnam, the Caribbean, and many other areas of the world. Being one of just three finalists in the Consumer/Education category is a tribute to the great team that we have assembled, and my hat is off to them."

WorkshopLive has dozens of the world's top music instructors providing online guitar lessons, as well as other music lessons, which range from beginner to advanced. Hundreds of music lessons are offered in a wide variety of styles (acoustic, rock, jazz, classical, etc.).

"The Mass Technology Leadership Council is committed to fostering entrepreneurship and promoting the success of companies that develop and deploy technology across industry sectors. These awards are an important part of this effort," said Joyce Plotkin, president of the Mass Technology Leadership Council. "The finalists for this year's honors represent the spirit of innovation, the history of accomplishment and the future promise that define the Massachusetts technology community."

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The Bandwidth Music & Technology Conference Announces Speakers

The Bandwidth Conference, with a focus on the evolution and nexus of music and technology, has announced additional speakers. The conference takes place August 18 & 19, 2006 in San Francisco, and explores the evolving musical experience, with panels on marketing, fan behavior, trends and future forecasts, and an examination of the ways people discover, purchase, interact with, and are exposed to music.

The Bandwidth Conference has announced that Terry McBride, CEO of Nettwerk Music Group, will be a featured speaker. Other speakers include Tim Westergren, Founder, Pandora; Chris Anderson, Editor-In-Chief, Wired; Kevin Arnold, CEO, IODA; Maryrose Dunton, Director of Product Management, YouTube; Andrew Smith, Publisher, XLR8R; Jay Frank, Programming and Label Relations, Yahoo! Music; Jennifer Ferro, Asst. General Manager, KCRW; Andrew Jervis, A&R/Vice President, Ubiquity Records; Andy Gadiel, Founder & CEO, Jambase; Thomas Dolby, President, Lost Toy People; Tim Quirk, GM Music Content and Programming, RealNetworks; Ted Cohen, Managing Partner, TAG Strategic; Selina Lo, President & CEO, Ruckus Wireless; Marc Morgenstern, VP, Rights Holder Relations and Music, NAVIO and dozens of others.

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GoGirlsMusic.com Announces The Launch Of GoGirls Music Records

GoGirlsMusic.com announces the launch of GoGirls Music Records, an independent digital music content provider, distributor and record label. The mission is simple, get great "women in music" heard without the artist giving up their ownership or paying big bucks.

Founders Madalyn Sklar and Georgia Moncrief feel strongly that indie artists deserve a break. "When it comes to artists and their music, we are on their side," says Sklar. "We want to help them get heard. We dont want to own their songs. We don't want to screw them out of money. We offer a music download store where 50% all download sales go to the artist. It's simple, you make great music and we help you distribute it online."

GoGirls Music Records uses Weedshare, a service that makes it possible for people to share files while respecting rightsholders' rights. A weed file can be played up to three times for free on any PC. After three plays, youre asked to pay for the file. The artist always receives 50% each sale.

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The World Is Set To Fall In Mad, Mad Love With Aussie Folk-pop Gypsy Lisa Richards

The Australian-born, Texas-based songstress Lisa Richards releases her fourth album Mad Mad Love, on 1st September.

The new album confronts love in all in its guises Â as bringer of great joy along with intense pain, from the personal to the universal and the earthly to the planetary. Mad Mad Love contains two cover versions, a spellbinding rendition of Lou Reed's Satellite of Love, and a riotous take on Rags and Old Iron, an Oscar Brown Jr song most famously performed by Nina Simone.

Lisa recorded the album in New York and Austin, Texas. Brooklyn-based studio whiz and multi-instrumentalist Tim Bright (who also co-wrote several songs with Lisa) brings out the unique richness of her voice and song writing, while providing complex musical textures, utilizing slide guitar, harmonica, violin and cello. In Austin, Craig Ross (producer of Spoon and Patty Griffin) and Lisa's husband Jeff May offered stark, organic and hauntingly beautiful arrangements. Billy Masters - who toured with Suzanne Vega and Dar Williams Â produced two tracks, using loops and atmospheric, multi-layered guitars.

It is a sign of Lisa's growth as an artist and acceptance of diversity (a little clumsy I think) that she has surrounded herself with a number of esteemed musicians on this album. These include John Deley (Dido's band), Tim Luntzel (Bright Eyes) and Dan Reiser (Norah Jones' band, The Little Willies). The result is a rapturous and catchy collection of sublime love songs.

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Florida Hot Boy Swordz Drops Official Mixtape For Exclusive Myspace Download

Duval County's hottest rising hip-hop artist SWORDZ announces an exclusive MySpace download of his #1 selling Souljah Bwoy WRNR Mixtape hosted by Official Myspace DJ Bigga Rankin. For a limited time the mixtape which has sold over 6,000 copies to date will be available for a free download on SWORDZ MySpace site. The top selling mixtape includes SWORDZ signature tracks "Dope Bwoy" and "Too Florida" as well as the exclusive "Dope Bwoy" remix featuring Def Jam recording artist Rick Ross.

Also making guest appearances on the Souljah Bwoy WRNR Mixtape are Blood Raw, Shawn J of Field Mob, Louie Rankin, and Wayne Wonder and features production by D.V.US.

"I want as many people as possible to have this mixtape because it's a perfect introduction to my music and the Souljah Bwoy movement that's happening in the streets right now" said SWORDZ. "One listen and I know you'll be hooked on the game we're dropping for ya' and then you'll be ready to see the LIVE show!"

SWORDZ has been receiving increased exposure from hip-hop media lately appearing on the cover of Ozone Magazine, SOHH.com's My Spot, and being named "Yo Raps! - NEXT 2 Blow!" However, heads really began to turn when SWORDZ became the first rap artist featured on www.Kingsofar.com homepage - a website almost exclusively focused on unsigned alternative artists. The feature became the #1 commented story on KOAR's website ever!

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