Capital Idea For Capital City
ASCAP The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers
City Showcase made its debut in London last February and returned for five more rocking days in September. It presented a program of live gigs in shops, bars and restaurants during the day and spotlighted largely unsigned London-based talent covering most genres of music from indie to jazz, classical to hip-hop and blues to pop. Artists participating like Beverley, Jon Lacey, Jane Taylor, Chris Ford, Sarah Bennett and Natalie Williams attracted substantial A&R interest.
Evening gigs at the Borderline and Meanws Fiddler featured hot new emerging acts headlined by Razorlight, Amy Winehouse, The But, BooKoo Movement, The Glitterati, Rishi Rich Project and Panjabi Hit Squad with music business people mingling with the public in the audiences. All City Showcase events are entirely free to the public.
The idea for the venture came from music industry executive Nanette Rigg, formerly director general of British Music Rights, and has won backing from media organizations, radio stations, the fashion industry and several London trade associations. "There is so little opportunity for new talent to get exposure," observes Nanette. "City Showcase gives musicians a rare chance to present their work to a large audience and get the recognition they deserve from both the public and those in the industry."
Since the first City Showcase in February, three of the featured acts (including Keane) have been signed by major record labels and at least six of the acts performing in September are in discussions with record companies and music publishers. Dave Stewart, who launched his career with Annie Lennox in the 1980s, commented: "It's enormously difficult for new acts to make the breakthrough in the music business. This sort of exposure is vital to nurture new talent and keep British music at the forefront of the international industry."
City Showcase staged other events as well as the gigs. ASCAP, one of its sponsors, was involved in a series of workshops with other trade organizations including the British Academy of Composers & Songwriters, the BPI, and the Music Publishers Association. These provided guidance and advice to artists and writers, and master classes given by Guy Chambers and John Ritter were standing room only.
City Showcase also promoted new talent in fashion with names like Louis de Gama, Vera von Garrel and Lyall Hakaraia who worked with performers such as Natalie Williams, Summer and Cat Goscovitch and dressed them for their performances. These collaborations and cross promotions are continuing and City Showcase is sending an ASCAP and Active Brief-sponsored and A&R-ed CD sampler to all designers, show producers and fashion PRs to encourage them to use new London-based music in their February shows.
Next year City Showcase will take place again in London . centered on the West End from Regent Street to Covent Garden. At its heart will be the program of daytime live performances in shops, which will be continued and expanded in co-ordination with the Regent Street Festival and the Covent Garden Festival. . ASCAP Member Services Department, ASCAP Building, One Lincoln Plaza, New York, New York 10023