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WAVES VIENNA FESTIVAL Looking back on the second edition of Vienna’s club and showcase festival and capturing the highlights of the 2012 event in the form of gig reviews and the festival photographers’ best shots. WAVES MUSIC CONFERENCE True to the motto “East Meets West”, the Waves Music Conference 2012 featured Poland and France as guest countries. Find out which topics the delegates were discussing in our conference recap. #02 PHOTO Armin Rudelstorfer 03. 06. 10. 2013 W W W . W A V E S V I E N N A . C O M W W W . W A V E S V I E N N A . C O M W W W . W A V E S V I E N N A . C O M

Waves Magazine #02

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With Waves Vienna 2012 still fresh in our minds, the club and showcase festival’s third edition is already being planned.

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Page 1: Waves Magazine #02

Waves vienna FestivalLooking back on the second edition of Vienna’s club and showcase festival and capturing the highlights of the 2012 event in the form of gig reviews and the festival photographers’ best shots.

Waves Music conFerenceTrue to the motto “East Meets West”, the Waves Music Conference 2012 featured Poland and France as guest countries. Find out which topics the delegates were discussing in our conference recap.

#02

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in Rudelstorfer

03. – 06. 10. 2013ww

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aves

vienna.com • www.wavesv

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Eurosonic Noorderslag is the key exchange

and networking platform for European

music, European artists, international music

industry professionals and organizations.

PREVIOUS EDITION IN NUMBERS:Total visitors Eurosonic Noorderslag

(sold out) • 33,000

Visitors Conference (sold out) • 3,150

Nationalities • 41

Acts • 293

Media and journalists • 404

EBU radio stations • 28

ETEP festivals • 70

International festivals • 413

Number of stages Eurosonic • 34

Number of stages Noorderslag • 11

THE EUROPEAN MUSIC CONFERENCE AND SHOWCASE FESTIVALWWW.EUROSONIC-NOORDERSLAG.NL

9 10 11 12 JANUARY 2013 GRONINGEN, THE NETHERLANDS

REGISTER NOW!

EUROSONIC NOORDERSLAG IS ORGANIZED BY

NOORDERSLAG STICHTING

IN COOPERATION WITH

MAIN SPONSORSEUROSONIC NOORDERSLAG IS ORGANIZED BY

NOORDERSLAG STICHTING

IN COOPERATION WITH

MAIN SPONSORS

Eurosonic Noorderslag is the key exchange

and networking platform for European

music, European artists, international music

industry professionals and organizations.

PREVIOUS EDITION IN NUMBERS:Total visitors Eurosonic Noorderslag

(sold out) • 33,000

Visitors Conference (sold out) • 3,150

Nationalities • 41

Acts • 293

Media and journalists • 404

EBU radio stations • 28

ETEP festivals • 70

International festivals • 413

Number of stages Eurosonic • 34

Number of stages Noorderslag • 11

THE EUROPEAN MUSIC CONFERENCE AND SHOWCASE FESTIVALWWW.EUROSONIC-NOORDERSLAG.NL

9 10 11 12 JANUARY 2013 GRONINGEN, THE NETHERLANDS

REGISTER NOW!

EUROSONIC NOORDERSLAG IS ORGANIZED BY

NOORDERSLAG STICHTING

IN COOPERATION WITH

MAIN SPONSORSEUROSONIC NOORDERSLAG IS ORGANIZED BY

NOORDERSLAG STICHTING

IN COOPERATION WITH

MAIN SPONSORS

Eurosonic Noorderslag is the key exchange

and networking platform for European

music, European artists, international music

industry professionals and organizations.

PREVIOUS EDITION IN NUMBERS:Total visitors Eurosonic Noorderslag

(sold out) • 33,000

Visitors Conference (sold out) • 3,150

Nationalities • 41

Acts • 293

Media and journalists • 404

EBU radio stations • 28

ETEP festivals • 70

International festivals • 413

Number of stages Eurosonic • 34

Number of stages Noorderslag • 11

THE EUROPEAN MUSIC CONFERENCE AND SHOWCASE FESTIVALWWW.EUROSONIC-NOORDERSLAG.NL

9 10 11 12 JANUARY 2013 GRONINGEN, THE NETHERLANDS

REGISTER NOW!

EUROSONIC NOORDERSLAG IS ORGANIZED BY

NOORDERSLAG STICHTING

IN COOPERATION WITH

MAIN SPONSORSEUROSONIC NOORDERSLAG IS ORGANIZED BY

NOORDERSLAG STICHTING

IN COOPERATION WITH

MAIN SPONSORS

Page 3: Waves Magazine #02

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04 – 07Waves Music ConferenceFind out what industry representatives from all over the world were discussing in Vienna as we review some of the highlights of 2012’s conference programme.

08Concert reviewsAt Waves Vienna 2012, magic music moments provided for an enthusiastic audience. Our editorial team is looking back on some of the festival’s most enthralling concerts.

10 – 14The festival in picturesSoak up some of Waves Vienna’s atmosphere and get yourself in the mood for next year’s event with our photographers’ best shots from 2012’s concert programme.

Waves Vienna 2012 lies behind us – and we had a blast! With more than 10,000 visitors and 500 dele­gates from 30 different countries, the music programme as well as the Waves Music Conference were even bet­ter – and more internationally – attended than in the event’s first year.

The 139 participating bands and DJs, too, came from almost all over the globe, with music from Eastern Europe (23 acts in total, nine of which hailing from Waves Vienna’s guest country Po­land) building a strong foundation for the line­up – true to the festival’s motto “East Meets West”. Another important aspect of the concert pro­gramme: the high number of Austrian artists tak­ing the opportunity to play in front of represen­tatives of the international music industry.

The wonderful feedback we received from con­ference delegates, media representatives, artists, and the audience only adds to the positive atmos­phere that is still in the air in Waves Vienna’s of­fices a couple of weeks after the festival. Thanks to all of you for making this possible!

So, what’s up for 2013? We will of course be working on getting the festival’s motto “East Meets West” to the next level – with a couple of ideas close to finalisation and Wavesnet, the or­ganisational framework for an hopefully vivid exchange, taking shape.

Last but not least, we are happy to announce that the festival’s third edition will be held from Thursday, October 3rd to Sunday, October 6th 2013, with the Waves Music Conference taking place on Thursday and Friday. Hope to see you there!

— www.wavesvienna.com

MASTHEAD IMPRESSUM — PUblISHER HERAUSgEbER Thomas Heher cHIEf EDIToR cHEfREDAKTEUR manuel Fronhofer EDIToRS REDAKTIon Benjamin agostini, Jana Lapper, eva Zimmermann TRAnSlATIon ÜbERSETzUng steve Gander, isabella Reichl lAyoUT lAyoUT manuel Fronhofer PUblISHIng HoUSE MEDIEn InHAbER / VERlAg monopol medien GmbH cEo gEScHäfTSlEITUng martin mühl ADDRESS ADRESSE Favoritenstraße 4 – 6 / iii, 1040 vienna, austria E-MAIl E-MAIl [email protected] WEb WEb www.wavesvienna.com PRInT DRUcK Print Group styria PlAcE of PUblIcATIon ERScHEInUngSoRT vienna, austria PUblISHER’S PoST offIcE VERlAgSPoSTAMT 1040 vienna.

Any views expressed by named authors are solely the responsibility of those authors. Printing errors and mis­takes reserved. Namentlich gekennzeichnete Beiträge spiegeln nicht unbedingt die Meinung des Medienin habers wider. Druckfehler und Irrtümer vorbehalten.

supported by

With Waves Vienna 2012 still fresh in our minds, the club and showcase festival’s third edition is already being planned.

editorial03. – 06. 10. 2013

ww

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avesvienna.com • ww

w.w

avesv

ienna.com • www.wavesvie

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With the Waves Music Conference, Vienna is developing into a business hub between Eastern and Western European music markets and into a meeting point of industry representatives from all over the world. Find out what the delegates were discussing in 2012, as we look back on some of the highlights of this year’s conference programme.

talking business

guest country: Poland

Three consecutive panels were held on the music business in Poland. Experts from the fields of new media, marketing, and the music scene not only discussed about possible ways to open the market for the “West”, but also about its status quo.

The socialist past was a recurrent theme during the talks. Due to the censorship, a strong underground scene evolved, which is especially evident in the flourishing music piracy. In the early 1990s, with the fall of the Iron Curtain as a new start for the former Eastern countries, the market boomed with self­taped cassettes.

It ensured that the Poles did not only know how to make censored music accessible for each other, but also even today know how to escape paying fees with illegal means of file sharing. According to Paula Bialski (musician, Paula & Karol; pl/ca), this may be, on the one hand, due to the common practice of free concerts in the 1990s and, on the other hand, music files, mainly legal downloads, having no significance for music listeners. In short, why pay for something that has no physical “body”?

But not only the black market developed. Jarek Szubrycht (Electronic Beats Festival; pl) especially emphasised the variety of musical genres and the significantly associated segmentation of the market. A variety of genres in a country with nearly 40 million inhabitants is not unusual, but according to Malgorzata Halber (Journalist; pl), Polish music fans are distinguished through their “special interests” and the loyalty to a certain genre.

Rock, metal, hip­hop and a form of “Schlager” called “disco polo”, are especially popular, but do not count as the Polish mainstream. These extreme contrasts define the musical taste in a country that can only call about five mainstream artists their “own”.

In order to understand this genre diversity, you have to take the Polish independent labels into consideration. These are created by the coalition of similar sounding bands that perform in certain clubs. This is how Michal Hajduk (Adam Mickiewicz Institute; pl) explains the fact that many bands of different categories know nothing about each other and in this sense do not have respective networks.

guest country: France

In the course of the Waves Music Conference, not only the Polish music scene was put under the microscope. International music experts also shared their opinions and expertise on the French market. After a very detailed presentation on French music history by Emmanuel Legrand (Legrand Network; fr), the panel participants spoke about the development of this dynamic and complex market.

One of the greatest curiosities that Legrand highlighted is probably that Serge Gainsbourg is somehow involved in every imaginable genre that developed over the years. He also established the profession of a singer­songwriter. Legrand especially underlines the point that in chansons the melodies and lyrics were “borrowed” from singers. The dividing line between producers and performers was not austere, but it was not usual to combine the two talents.

The respect for the producers, i.e. composers, grew with the music scene. They were particularly skilled in composing timeless melodies without the need of percussion. Legrand explains that this is because the French language does not harmonise with an upbeat tempo nor with fast rhythms. This is also reflected in the small number of French­speaking rock and roll bands. On the contrary, in the late 1980s French musicians from suburban areas of large cities discovered hip­hop – its beats are perfectly suited for the language.

However, the largest “export products” were always the chansons. Legrand demonstrated three examples of the restructuring of a French song into a worldwide hit. “My Way” made Frank Sinatra famous, earlier Paul Anka cobbled it from “Comme d’habitude”. “La mer” was moulted to “Beyond the Sea”, as well as “Et maintenant” to Elvis Presley’s “My Love”.

Although many, including the French, do not know the stories behind these songs, the money for the music rights still flows into the income of the music export. According to Daniel Winkel (bureauxexport; fr), the music export is doing pretty well, even though French artists have always had a difficulty with the idea of leaving the country with an outlook on financial success.

One could assume naivety behind this, but it is a much more complex idea and has a lot to do with the music import. Even if commercial

On top of that, there is seldom the chance that new music gets to the recipient, because when it comes to the indie genre neither radio stations nor magazines are bestowed with longevity.

More and more bookers and labels have experienced that their protégés are competing in Polish talent shows, not only to win, but to present themselves in prime time television and to collect a few “likes”.

Even if the upper observations may be referred to as rather pessimistic, the Polish market has developed its own way to keep everything running. Nick Hobbs (Charmenko; uk) makes an interesting breakdown of funding possibilities. Besides the classic commercial promotion through sponsorship, there is strong support from various communities who have discovered the potential of cultural activities. There is also a hybrid version, which not only includes a mixture of different cultural activities such as music, dance, and film, but also a mixture of sponsorship and community funds.

To open the market successfully, work has to be done on the distribution and promotion for musicians. Especially the recipient has to “learn” that it is worthwhile to pay for culture. That can be a difficult task because of the long tradition of the black market and also turning away from old habits is always a tricky thing. However, in the course of the discussion and at the end of an intense afternoon, it was clear to all the experts that the Polish music market not only has potential, but is already on the right track.

Panel: Music of PolandHost: Martin Riedl (The Gap; at)Speakers: Michal Hajduk (Adam Mickiewicz Institute; pl), Malgorzata Halber (Jounrnalist; pl), Jarek Szubrycht (Electronic Beats Festival; pl)

Panel: The Polish Music MarketHost: Martin Riedl (The Gap; at)Speakers: Krzysztof Bialkowski (independent music marketing specialist; pl), Michal Brzozowski (1500 m2, Roxy fm; pl), Arek Marczyński (Antena Krzyku; pl)

Panel: How to Enter the Polish Market?Host: Nick Hobbs (Charmenko; uk)Speakers: Magdalena Jensen (European Music Fair; pl/us), Elke Kuhlen (2Bild; de), Mat Schulz (Unsound; pl), Ian Smith (Frusion; uk/at)

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media reports on international mainstream stars, it remains difficult for foreign independent musicians to find access to the French market. Christof Ellinghaus (City Slang; de) describes this matter with the example of the German band The Notwist. The label City Slang wanted to introduce the band to France in 2002 and, relying on the band’s international sound, never thought it could be that complicated. However, without the personal involvement of the French label’s boss, this would have been a difficult procedure.

Stef Coninx (Flanders Music Centre; be) also agrees that the nepotism is more distinctive in France than elsewhere. It goes without saying that one hand washes the other, and marketing is synonymous with promotion. To overcome these hurdles, you have to succeed against the centralised organisation of music. It often happens that foreign artists only get the opportunity to play in Paris, but not to tour the whole of France, which would of course make a difference in the artist’s popularity.

It is almost as if there is a natural scepticism against foreign artists, but not on a personal level, it is rather a mistaken belief that the public would not like or be interested in these artists.

Of course it’s hard to overcome this attitude, which is why Emmanuel Legrand also suggests to try the markets of the uk or Belgium. And even if the conditions are harsh, the French music industry has not only produced great artists, but is still one of the most influential.

Panel: Music of FranceHost: Daniel Winkel ( bureauxexport; fr)Speaker: Emmanuel Legrand (Legrand Network; fr)

Panel: The French Music MarketHost: Stefan Niederwieser (The Gap; at)

Speakers: Aziliz Benech (MaMA Event; fr), Guillaume Benfeghoul (Daka Tour; fr), Emmanuel Legrand (Legrand Network; fr), Daniel Winkel ( bureauxexport; fr)

Panel: How to Enter the French MarketHost: Emmanuel Legrand (Legrand Network; fr)Speakers: Stef Coninx (Flanders Music Centre; be), Christof Ellinghaus (City Slang; de), Patrick Printz (Wallonie Bruxelles Musiques; be), Olivier Toth (Rockhal; lu)

Panel: connecting cee and austria

True to the festival and conference motto “East Meets West”, the panel “Connecting cee and Austria” explored possibilities for better collabo­rations between the cee countries and the Aus­trian music industry.

To understand why the communication between these respective countries is not so dazzling, you have to take a closer look at the history of the former “Eastern Block”. Mateja Koren (Slovenian Music Week; sl) sees the crux in the time of the turn. At that point, there was a keen interest in music from the East, because it had something exotic. But eventually the “hype” faded and the bands had a difficult time to survive in their home country. In those times, cooperations with neighboring countries seemed to be the most feasible.

There are many reasons for the fall of interest. Zebo Adam (musician; at) insists particularly on the fact that the – not only – Austrian media are simply ignorant of Eastern European music. They support the prejudice of the “Balkanisation”, but the existence of sophisticated independent bands is not made public. According to Adam, the vicious

circle begins here and despite internet platforms and streaming sites, people continue to rely on someone to point out what is “good”. And there are only very few that inform themselves about music from cee without having specific reasons, such as their own roots or by coincidence.

Another problem lies in the bands themselves. Hanka Vojtechova (Indies Production; cz) says many musicians still have old borders in their heads, which do not allow them to see prospects for success outside their home country. According to Tibor Holoda (Wilsonic; sk), this misconception leads to the loss of hope and faith in their own abilities. The resulting self­fulfilling prophecy can not be any clearer.

It is especially sad that some singing languages, such as English, French, and also German are accepted almost everywhere. Eastern languages however are still connected to stereotypes that have a “foreign” sound – and this can not be changed overnight.

The four experts agree that a lot has to be done by traditional media, since these are important opinion leaders. A lot of the problems also happen on a personal level and it is always difficult to shake off deep­set prejudices. However, there are steps being made in the right direction. Waves Vienna and the Slovenian Music Week are just two of several events that are giving the cee region a voice. And the most beautiful statement of this panel puts it in a nutshell: “There are no borders in music.”

Panel: Connecting cee and AustriaHost: Tatjana Domany (Austrian Music Fund, Austrian Music Export; at)Speakers: Zebo Adam (musician; at), Tibor Holoda (Wilsonic; sk), Mateja Koren (Slovenian Music Week; sl), Hanka Vojtechova (Indies Production; cz)

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Panel: Music of Poland Emmanuel Legrand

Aziliz Benech

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Panel: coPyrigHt

Various issues of the music industry were explored at the Waves Music Conference. The debate on copyright was not only held on a factual, but also on a personal level. The panel participants spoke about their viewpoints as music creators, but also tried to take the positions of music consumers into consideration.

Above all, it is particularly important to define the term. Panel host Rainer Praschak (mica – music austria; at) divides copyright into the basic categories of personality rights and exploitation rights. Personality rights involve the name of the artist and the protection against distortions and adaptions of the artist’s work. In turn, exploitation rights can be sectioned into two subcategories that deal on the one hand with reproduction and distribution, and on the other hand with communication to the public.

It is generally agreed that “anti­copyright” campaigns still exist because there is no pro­found knowledge on the proper definition and its meaning. Instead there is only a circulating vague idea, which hardly involves the true needs of music creators. Bernhard Kern (Siluh Records; at) emphasises that there is especially a lack of awareness in the area of music production. It is obvious that albums do not grow on trees, but the production costs are underestimated by the audience.

Christof Ellinghaus (City Slang; de) takes a stand for a modernisation of copyright law. His idea refers to the anonymity of YouTube users that highlight their videos with music from others and put them online. Technically, the licenses and sync rights should be checked during the synchronisation process of image and sound, but in the case of YouTube there is no consensus on these matters.

Ellinghaus argues that in most cases personal data has to be specified in other internet applications. This should also be introduced for users of video platforms, in order to ensure that no money is being made with the illegal use of music and that it is only restricted to private use. However, in the way of this stands the issue of data privacy and security.

According to Kern, streaming platforms are a step in the right direction. In this sense, music is accessible for daily use, but the listener can not “own” the music. The experts acknowledge that the use of file sharing sites is slowly decreasing

and the incentive to actually buy music is growing. As positive as these small steps on the long road may be, certain institutions are still lagging behind.

In particular, the akm, the Austrian Society of Authors, Composers and Music Publishers, was criticised. Not only the three panel speakers, but also words from the audience confirm that a backward system is a liability to a much needed change.

One of the major problems of the akm is the data management. For example, instead of a clear description of how many times a song is played on the radio, the bill is split down to the smallest detail, which results in incomplete data. In addition, the transition to the streaming application Spotify has not yet been realised. In order to be registered by the akm as an artist that is played on Spotify, there have to be at least 1,000 plays of a song.

No matter if pro or anti, the campaigns are not capable of changing the system of the akm alone. The generation of today’s young people and children has to be educated about what it means to download music and share it via phone or self­burned cds. The habit of owning music without paying for it has to be changed.

Panel: CopyrightHost: Rainer Praschak (mica – music austria; at)Speakers: Christof Ellinghaus (City Slang; de), Bernhard Fleischmann (musician; at), Bernhard Kern (Siluh Records; at)

Panel: sync rigHts

One of the panels of the Waves Music Conference was devoted to an important issue in the music business: sync rights are not only relevant for agencies and studios, but also for music creators.

Bernd Jungmair (Cosmix Media; at) em­phasises that young musicians can not only depend on sales and fees from performances. Particularly in the early stages of a career, starting capital is important. Thus, it is highly beneficial to work with the film and commercial music market. Wolfgang Schlögl (musician, I­Wolf, Sofa Surfers; at) supports this viewpoint as a musician. In his opinion, licensing allows you to gain money for other projects and especially helps to establish your own image.

It is important to know who to contact and how you are represented. In this case, all panel participants are unanimous that a collaboration with a music publisher only pays off if it gives you an advance that would not be gained from royalties. According to Jungmair, many young talents fall into the cession trap. This means that the publisher determines a certain sum of money, which is redeemed by parts of the band’s revenues – meaning not only revenues made with the licensed songs.

All the participants agree that money is not everything. However, it is often not only the bands that are poorly financially secured, this also applies to the film and advertising agencies. Of course it depends on whether you are referring to a company on national level or a company that buys international insertions. Although usually the lowest part of the budget is calculated for the music – especially concerning film productions –, the expectations are high. Equally, the expectations of music creators are high when asked about a song.

Curbing these expectations on both sides is difficult, according to Jungmair. The agencies want to have the rights for well­known songs that are currently in the charts, but the licenses are usually too expensive. Alternatives, such as composing around the song, have become a dangerous ven­ture. The legal effects of obviously connecting the theme of a newly composed song with another song will not end well for the respective agency.

With her agency, Lisa Humann (Swimming Pool; at) attempts to find reasonable ways out of such situations. Instead of representing inter­nationally known artists, Swimming Pool works on a local level, which gives Austrian acts the chance to assert themselves. In order to qualify, it is useful to record an instrumental version of the song, which can be further processed.

In the end, it is still all about the relevance of licensing. There are possibilities to limit yourself to certain areas of advertising and to decline others, if they are not in accordance to your disposition. All panel speakers agree that commercials are not “evil” per se. They should be recognised as a decent source of income, which music creators should not be ashamed of.

Panel: Sync RightsHost: Rainer Praschak (mica – music austria; at)Speakers: Lisa Humann (Swimming Pool; at), Bernd Jungmair (Cosmix Media; at), Wolfgang Schlögl (musician, I-Wolf, Sofa Surfers; at)

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Panel: diy labels

At the Waves Music Conference, four experts discussed the differences of diy labels compared to independent as well as major labels.

Benjamin­Zsolt Zombori (musician, Bensh; at), owner of a diy label, breaks down the distinction on a personal level. It is about the will to take everything into your own hands and to have a vision in which direction you want to go with the project. It takes a lot of responsibility, discipline, and – above all – a realistic view of your own capabilities.

Of course musicians of an indie label have to know what they are getting themselves into and what they want from their career. Nevertheless, according to Thomas Morr (Morr Music; de), it is easier to build a network with a label. Nuri Nurbachsch (brand manager, Warner Music Austria; at) sees the great advantage of a label in the possibility of also being able to work and tour internationally, which is hard to accomplish alone without any support.

Morr also states that it was much easier in the early 2000s to exist in the market as an independent label. Not only were there larger sums of support, the market itself was not as crowded as today. Nowadays, much more work is needed in pr to receive attention. Zombori can also underline this point. There are the same difficulties in the diy area, but due to online social platforms it has become easier to assert yourself as a self­made label.

In conclusion, all agree that there has to be a tremendous self­fulfilling drive to entirely devote yourself to your project, so to speak, to go “all in”. And this instinct will not be lost, nor intimidated by any obstacles. In the end, even the smallest successes can cause a feeling of exhilaration.

Panel: diy LabelsHost: Stefan Trischler aka Trishes (Radio fm4; at)Speakers: Ilias Dahimène (Seayou Records; at), Thomas Morr (Morr Music; de), Nuri Nurbachsch (brand manager, Warner Music Austria; at), Benjamin-Zsolt Zombori (musician, Bensh; at)

Feedback listening sessions

When do you get the opportunity to introduce homegrown music to internationally renowned experts in the music world and immediately get their honest feedback? Exactly, not very often. Waves Music Conference gave a few, mainly Austrian acts, the opportunity to face the judgement of recognised music business representatives. In two Feedback Listening Sessions, organised in collaboration with mica ­ music austria and wienXtra­soundbase, the given music examples were carefully examined and received a straightforward expert opinion.

In the course of the Feedback Listening Sessions, it became quite clear that the tastes among the experts are significantly different, but this of course was not used as a criterion. Instead, after listening to each track, the main factor was to question its potential impact. How is it produced, does it spark something, what are its strengths and weaknesses, how authentic does it come across, what can be changed to make it interesting for a specific market, for which radio format, for which festival would it be suitable, does it reflect the zeitgeist, or not, etc.

In addition, the “judges” also made clear which tracks can stand a chance on an international level and what exactly musicians need to succeed outside their home countries. The music business

is characterised by very hard competition, as an artist you really need to be special to be able to make it. In markets like the us or the uk, the number of acts is much higher, too. That definitely intensifies the whole venture.

James Minor (sxsw; us), Martin Elbourne (The Great Escape; uk), Thomas Morr (Morr Music; de), Stefan Reichmann (Haldern Pop; de), Stephan Thanscheidt (Southside Festival & Hurricane Festival; de), and Thomas Zsifkovits (Nova Music; at) took up the task of listening to the selected pop and rock songs and sharing their opinions. The selected tracks came from the bands Cassious Clay (at), Eloui (at), Famp (at), Freytag (at), Neonstream (at), Paula & Karol (pl), and Philipp Szalay (at). The judges definitely did not beat about the bush. There were some tracks that were liked, some more, some less.

Likewise, in the second part of the Feedback Listening Sessions, Herwig Bauer (Poolbar; at), Ralph Christoph (c/o Pop; de), Anna Kopaniarz (Tauron Nowa Muzyka; pl), Adam Ryan (Mean Fiddler; uk), Shain Shapiro (Canadian Independent Music Association & Canadian Blast; ca), and Paul Cheetham (New Music Office & ssc Management; de) were the judges and analysed songs from the fields of electronic and hip­hop music. The songs came from Bottled in England (dk), D!ese Gute (at), EsRaP (at), Konea Ra (at), Skwerl (at), Tombo (at), and Wrongkong (de).

All in all, probably not every musician got to hear what they might have wanted to hear, but that was the whole point of the Feedback Listening Sessions – receiving an honest expert opinion on your chances in the music market.

Reviews reproduced by kind permission of mica – music austria; written by Anne-Marie Darok and Michael Ternai, translated by Steve Gander.

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Panel: DIY LabelsBernd Jungmair

Lisa Humann and Wolfgang Schlögl

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Paula & karol (pl)

Already on the first day of Waves Vienna, the guest country Poland reveals its great musical potential. Oscillating between euphoric indie pop melodies and playful, diversely orchestrat­ed folk sounds, the sextet Paula & Karol demon­strates that it is possible to dance to accordion and violin tunes – if they are performed in the winning combination with a usual band set­up. Right from the beginning, the audience at Club­schiff is obviously excited about the perform­ance and lets itself get carried away by the cheer­ful songs – what a wonderful festival start!

text Eva Zimmermann

tu FaWning (us)

A miniature apocalypse in the hot abyss of Clubschiff. Beauty highlighted by dissonances. Madness collides with virtuosity and, some­where, someone lets out a piercing scream. Like hardly any other band, Tu Fawning know how to turn the ugly into something so fantastic. Driv­ing drums swirl around tender vocals and gui­tars – as vague and menacing as the devil himself – cloak the hymnal lamentations. After this con­cert, everyone needs an exorcist.

text Benjamin Agostini

dillon (de)

Dillon is standing behind her piano, an almost floor­length black robe covers her body. The light is dancing around her, only the musician herself remains hidden in the dark. Roaring basses are resounding through the Odeon theatre – a hall which, with its dramatic atmosphere, is the per­fect location for Dillon’s performance. And when her voice mingles with the massive tones of her sound tinkerer, the whole thing becomes really exciting. Whether girlish or strangely frighten­ing – she definitely sent chills down the audi­ence’s spines. text Jana Lapper

tHe soundtrack oF our lives (se)

“We are the ones that never die”, they sing. With their guitars hanging low, The Soundtrack of Our Lives play themselves on to the Olym­pus of rock – and the Waves Vienna audience

was crown witness. Although a certain farewell mood is evident in the band, one forgets about that in the course of the concert.

What remains quite obvious, however, is that the 70s made a lasting impression on the Swedes. From a distance, the audience seemed a little motionless – but if you looked closely, you saw many open mouths.

text Benjamin Agostini

vinnie WHo (dk)

If abba would still make music today, they would sound like Vinnie Who – or at least they would try to. The Danish band is so good at com­bining 70s disco sounds and glam pop without seeming ridiculous, that they manage to trans­form music deemed old­fashioned into won­derful hits which are not in the least awkward. In addition, singer Niels Magge Hansen mas­terfully plays with the audience – he embodies both the daredevil and the androgynous heart throb and turns in a fantastic live show includ­ing dance numbers. text Eva Zimmermann

sun glitters (lu)

The visual aesthetics of the Luxembourgian producer Victor Ferreira alias Sun Glitters is the first thing that catches your eye. On the screen at the background of the Badeschiff’s cargo hold, backlit shots of urban scenes underline the powerful post dubstep soundscapes and cre­ate a unique, homogeneous audio­visual world. Warm bass melodies meet compact drum beats – at times leaning more towards downtempo, at times more towards chillwave.

text Eva Zimmermann

b. FleiscHMann (at)

Impulsive roaring and fervent singing blast out of the Fluc. The Viennese artist B. Fleis­chmann, whose music has been internationally celebrated for many years, presented his latest piece “I’m Not Ready for the Grave Yet”.

Experimental just like life itself; Fleischmann masterfully oscillates between gloomy bass and touching guitar sounds. The audience listens ea­gerly to what the man has to say about life and leaves the concert with smiling faces: “Have a great evening and an even greater life.”

text Jana Lapper

Over 130 acts from 27 different countries performed at Waves Vienna in 2012. More than enough to provide for magic music moments and an enthusiastic audience. A few select concerts reviewed by the festival’s editorial team.

oF oPen MoutHs

stranded Horse (fr)

On the last evening of Waves Vienna, the guest country France demonstrated that it has a few musical surprises up its sleeve. A small group of eager fans cudd led up at Café Dogenhof in or­der to watch Yann Tanbour aka Stranded Horse in an intimate setting. Whether the Frenchman reached for exotic instruments such as the West African kora or for the classic guitar – he captivat­ed the entire audience with his music. The kind of gem one is hoping for at Waves Vienna.

text Jana Lapper

PantHa du Prince (de)

Unlike any other musician, Hendrik Weber aka Pantha du Prince knows how to make icebergs melt with his sound. At Flex, he once again took the audience on a trip through the vast realm of sound. Unusual objects from nature, chimes, clear treble, and deep bass accompanied the journey and transported the ecstatic crowd to spheres outside this world. And in the end you are wondering where the time has gone.

text Jana Lapper

Mile Me deaF (at)

The mood was boisterous at the Siluh Label Night at Fluc. Mile Me Deaf, celebrated in the media and in indie clubs alike, proved their fans right when they fired up the audience with catchy songs and an obvious passion for music. Whether experimental arrangements or shoegaze passages – they always stick to their charming diy attitude. Mouth organ, keyboard, and melodic guitar tunes lend a unique style to the cranky indie noise­pop anthems. Definitely one of the highlights of the festival! text Eva Zimmermann

gravenHurst (uk)

A touch of melancholia. Nick Talbot aka Gra­ven hurst, the last act at the Odeon theatre, knows exactly how to silence the audience and how to fill the hall with a somewhat sullen but beautiful atmosphere with his breathy voice. His haunting songs tell of ghosts, murderers, and of course love. There is no better way to close a festival, even though the concert leaves us with a slightly sor­rowful feeling. text Benjamin Agostini

Page 9: Waves Magazine #02

Wie gut ist die österreichische Politsphäre in Social Media unterwegs? Der Politometer wird jede Woche mit Werten aus Google+, Foursquare, Twitter und Facebook aktualisiert.

Page 10: Waves Magazine #02

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Twelve venues and far more than 100 acts meant busy nights for Waves Vienna’s festival photographers. Get yourself in the mood for the third edition of the showcase event with the best pictures from 2012’s music programme.

Picture tHis

day 1 tHu, october 4tH

Ghostpoet

Rustie

Paula & Karol

Einar StrayThe Wedding Present

Miloopa

1984

Dillon

PHo

tos A

rmin R

udelstorfer, Sascha Osaka (4), M

ona Herm

ann, David Avazzadeh, Patrick M

ünnich, Richard Taylor

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Der neue MOKKA

Steil.Mit intelligentem 4x4 Allradantrieb.

Schon ab € 17.990,–

Mehr Informationen bei Ihrem Opel Partner oder unter www.opel.at

Verbrauch gesamt in l / 100 km: 4,7 – 6,5; CO2-Emission in g / km: 124 –153

OP 06_12 MOKKA_Anz_Waves_232x350 LWC.indd 1 14.11.12 09:59

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day 2 frI, october 5tH

Gold Panda

Fenster

Sera CahooneMujuice

Lucy Rose

Kavinsky

Toy

PHo

tos R

ichard Taylor (4), Patrick Münnich, D

avid Avazzadeh (2), Simone Eilm

steiner, Mona H

ermann (2)

The Soundtrack of Our Lives

Hal Flavin

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day 3 sat, october 6tH

Pantha du Prince

Heineken Music Train

Violetta Parisini

Dena

Nova Heart

Charlie Straight

Friedrich & Ludwig

Bunny Lake Mopedrock

PHo

tos R

ichard Taylor (2), Mona H

ermann, Patrick M

ünnich (2), Reiner K

apeller, Sascha Osaka (2), A

rmin R

udelstorfer

Page 15: Waves Magazine #02

Die Stadt gehört Dir.

Jetzt haben Sie allen Grund zum Feiern: Eintrittskarten für viele Veranstaltungen in Wien gelten gleichzeitig als Netzkarten für alle öffentlichen Verkehrsmittel. Zwei Stunden vor bis sechs Stunden nach Beginn. www.wienerlinien.at

EintrittskartE = fahrschEin.

Page 16: Waves Magazine #02

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Inserat disturbances 232x350mm Satzspiegel RZ.indd 1 10.10.12 17:29