UnConvention Brisbane by the Bloggers
Thanks to those of you who attended UnConvention Brisbane last weekend and felt inspired enough to blog about your experiences.
Here's some of the cherry-picked highlights. If you'd like to add to the conversation jump on Facebook or Twitter and let us know your feedback – we'd love to hear it.
The Good
"I had suspicions at first that it would be simply a congratulatory circle jerk but I was wrong. Having a panel discussion allowed for an array of often divergent views to focus attention on what may be good and what may be not so good about the local music scenic. Furthermore, I also got to say 'hey' to some fellow bloggers, including Bianca from Music For the Laundromat and Jodi from Plus One. It's always great to put faces to names. Congratulations to Andrew McMillen and Dave Carter for organising what was a great and badly needed conference that I hope returns next year" – Darragh, Parallel Lines for a Slow Decline
"Unconvention was fantastic. I’ve been involved in several “creative” conventions, and find that they’re not usually worth the hundreds of dollars per ticket, so at $20 including a sausage sizzle, Unconvention was the best value convention I’ve ever encountered. It was filled with smart, creative, fun, talented people, who were all super approachable, and keen to share and network" – Jaymis, Oxygen Kiosk (and UnConvention Tech Nerd)
"The weekend was an invaluable experience for me. It was enlightening to hear people’s views on the ever changing music scene in Brisbane, and it certainly gave me a more positive perspective on it. If you didn’t get to make it this year, I would highly recommend it for next year" – Bianca, Music for the Laundromat
"Undesirable questions received a Capella singing in response. Fifteen or so minutes were dedicated to stories about hair and rock stars. Tom Hall advised aspiring promoters that you could get up ‘100 posters in an hour at a good run’. Everyone ranted about the state of music in Brisbane and nobody agreed. I don’t know what happened but hell, it was good fun." – Jodi, plusonebrisbane describing the Music as Culture panel.
"I went and really enjoyed the whole thing. I learned a lot about how this music industry operates. … I can't believe the whole thing cost $20. If they have one of these things in your local area you really should go." – Brendan, Turn It Up to 10
"I have learnt a lot, but it has also affirmed my belief in punk rock, and its ability to work outside of any conventional music industry" – Matt, Papercuts Collective
"If their intention was to inspire, I would say, "mission accomplished." It really was quite an experience to realise that these people who are ingrained in the industry, and who are doing great things for independent artists, had an idea and followed through with that idea, making mistakes, grasping opportunities and making contacts along the way" – Shayne, Cowbell Music (and UnConvention panelist)
The Not So Good
"I can't speak for whether Unconvention was indeed unconventional in its otherwise pristine imitation of a Music Business Convention. Somehow I suspect not. But, um, good on them for bringing attendance prices down or something" – Everett True (UnConvention Panellist)
The Plain Weird
"Five weird things that happened to me on the weekend:
- I went to the Down Under Bar. Worse still, I dimly remember being pretty excited about it.
- Unconvention Brisbane took place for the first time. I chaired a panel on Music As Culture and during which Andrew Stafford, the author of Pig City: The Saints To Savage Garden, broke into song. Fellow panelist Everett True had decided that if we were asked a question we didn't wish to answer, we had to sing. What did I ask Andrew? Oh just something light and breezy: 'So what was the worst thing that happened to you because you wrote Pig City?' (I made Everett sing as well).
- I walked around Highgate Hill at 3am with a cocktail.
- A taxi driver told me that we should just shoot people who wish to immigrate to our country. 'Just shoot them, it doesn't cost a lot to shoot people.' And I tipped him. This morning I couldn't remember why. Then I did. I tipped him because I was scared he was going to kill me and dump my severed body parts in the river.
- Walking up Merthyr Road last night, not 15 minutes after Ted Bundy the taxi-driver, a car pulled up next to me as I walked along. The driver said 'You want a lift.' I told the driver I lived closeby so it was cool. I was eating a packet of crisps. Then the driver said 'Do you want me to suck your cock?' and I said 'Nah man, I'm good' and he drove off" – Ian, Ambrose Chapel (and UnConvention panel curator)
