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| Independent Bands Go High-Tech To Realize The Dream Of Making Music For A Living | ||||||
As a former talent agent, founder/CEO Panos Panay understood the challenge that artists faced having to create bulky, paper press kits and mailing them individually to clubs and festivals; and the similar challenge that talent buyers, booking agents, and event organizers faced in having to sort through piles of press kits and CDs, much of which did not fit their criteria. Panay started Sonicbids five years ago with the goal of making communication between artists, talent buyers, booking agents, and event organizers easier. Using a simple online interface and web-based Electronic Press Kits (EPK™), he created a way to move the entire submission processes online, allowing all parties to share information in real-time with the click of a mouse. With Sonicbids’ service, bands can set up their web-based EPK (complete with biography, tour calendar, pictures, and audio clips) using a simple online tutorial, and immediately start browsing the hundreds of opportunities listed on Sonicbids’ website. After finding an opportunity they are interested in, bands can simply submit their EPK with a click of the mouse to special event or promoter “Drop Boxes” that are set up for various events, clubs, paying gigs, and festivals. Within minutes, a band with loads of talent but very little resources or fanfare can submit music to some of the biggest events and contests in the world, leveling the playing field for any independent band in America. Recently, Sonicbids introduced the Supersonic EPK™ that allows bands to include high-resolution photos, up to 10 minutes of streaming video, a PDF version of their stage plot, and twice as many songs – giving them the chance to make a greater impression and showcase their live performance. On the flipside, Sonicbids is quickly becoming the standard way that some of the biggest events and festivals choose to receive information about performers as music promoters, talent buyers, and corporate marketers find it much easier to sort through, identify and attract the right talent. When these companies or events become members, Sonicbids sets them up with a customized account and virtual “Drop Box” where they can easily add event and opportunity listings, and including specific criteria about what types of music or talent they are looking for. In just five years, Sonicbids’ online submission platform and web-based EPKs have not only become popular, but are becoming the standard way that bands and promoters, talent scouts, and club owners communicate. Sonicbids membership now includes over 33,000 active bands from over 100 different countries, and they expect this number to double by the same time next year. In May alone, over 900 bands and solo artists that submitted a press kit through Sonicbids got a chosen for a paying gig or festival spot (some for multiple events or opportunities). In addition, Sonicbids now handles submissions – many exclusively - for over 3,000 regional, national and international events and festivals, including some of the biggest names in the industry (CMJ New Music Festival, the Virgin College Mega Tour, the Zippo Hot Tour, Milwaukee’s Summerfest, MIDEM, and the John Lennon Songwriting Contest), and has negotiated deals with dozens of international events and tours, giving bands from the smallest towns in America the chance to showcase their talents across the globe in countries like Ireland, France, England, Australia, and China. For more information: www.sonicbids.com |
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