BBC Music Introducing LIVE | Tobacco Dock

BBC Music Introducing is the nation’s favourite and most trusted platform for discovering the best of British new music, with prominent festival appearances and monthly London showcases. But now, it’s branched out to nurturing the future of the music business too, launching the first BBC Music Introducing Live – a three-day conference event in East London’s Tobacco Dock (last year the concept debuted with BBC Introducing Amplify).

The event saw three days of panels from speakers as high profile as major label presidents to Radio 1 DJs like Huw Stephens himself – the king of BBC Introducing. It was an opportunity for all to learn about the nitty gritty of the industry, like recording contracts or social media marketing. And admirably, there was also a focus on well being, with numerous panels on mental health, diversity, and more topics in the music industry often avoided, with Help Musicians UK, the leading mental health charity for the music industry, having their own room the whole weekend too.

Not only was it business executives, but artists themselves had a chance to speak, giving their perspective on the business and to emerging artists. From emerging acts like Jerry Williams speaking on being a DIY artist to Tom Grennan taking part in a Q&A about breaking in to the mainstream in the Spotify House, it was an event where every aspiring artist or executive could find a place in.

Dotted around were spaces like the independent label market, the AWAL Lounge, or the sentric music bandstand stages seeing the likes of Lauran Hibberd and Billy Lockett play, providing a constant stream of opportunities to discover live music.

Thursday evening saw a sold out gig with Ben Howard, Marika Hackman, and Matt Maltese; major artists selling thousands of tickets who had been previously supported by BBC Introducing on their uprise, coming back home. Huw Stephens curated a night too with The Sherlocks, Souer and Dylan Cartlidge, which was a free gig for all who attended the panels too.

But it wasn’t just an indie pop focus. BBC Introducng has always done a good job of showcasing all typed of music, and the weekend nights saw a heavy electronic focus. Friday night saw the idolic Annie Mac hosting Rave Lounge with Deadmau5 and Duke Dumont, and Satuday had the 1xtra takeover with DJ Target, Chronixx and NAO (Lady Leshurr was due to perform but was ill).

Make sure to keep tabs on BBC Introducing as they increase their outreach, and of course, to discover the future of music first!

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