SURFACE FESTIVAL 2011 HEADS TO BRISTOL, CARDIFF AND SWANSEA
In 2011 the Surface Festival will be organising over 500 shows across 14 cities in the UK and Europe. Shows will take place in Bristol, Cardiff, Swansea, Birmingham, London, Portsmouth, Nottingham, Oxford, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow, Barcelona and Budapest.
The climax of the Festival will culminate with 21 bands playing the IndigO2 at the O2 Complex – a venue which has seen acts such as Jools Holland, Timbaland, Joss Stone and Estelle to name a few. Dominic Nicholls, music photographer, explains “Surface gives bands the chance to play the type of venues that most bands only dream of when they’ve ‘made it’ – add to the expertise Surface offers in terms of lighting and sound management, PR and exposure and you’re looking at an opportunity that’s too good to miss”.
The main focus of a band should be live performance. The sweaty, loud and beer saturated venues across Britain are where bands are born and it’s this aspect that the Surface Festival is focused on keeping alive. Other venues Surface will be using include the O2 Academy Main stage in Birmingham and Bristol, the Dome in London, the Manchester Academy and Oxford Academy. Nights are set out by genre providing opportunities for bands and artists to gain exposure from new audiences, sell merchandise, promote networking opportunities and attract new fans. For a list of testimonials from bands that have played the Surface Festival check out the website.
The Surface Festival works in association with 24 international sponsors that cover all bases for a band. “Marshall Amplification are extremely excited to be working with the Surface Festival for 2011. This event is truly inspiring for all involved” – Marshall Amplification. For a further list of sponsors see here.
With a prize pot of £100,000 including a slot at Sziget Festival 2011, bands and artists get the opportunity to progress further in the music industry. “The prizes offered for the winning band and runners up are just fantastic and the experience all the bands gain from playing larger venues is priceless” – Alex Baker; Kerrang Radio Unsigned show.
The Surface Festival Committee consists of a panel of music industry representatives who will have the privilege of seeing the very best acts from around the UK and Europe that will appear at the National Showcase at the o2. Judge Alex Baker says that “the show this year was very hard to judge; amazing stage shows, amazing songs, amazing bands – congratulations to Great Imitation who blew everyone’s minds, a much deserved win!”
Surface Festival takes bands at grass roots level and brings them through a journey culminating in an industry showcase. The quality of the sponsors, judges and management lends colossal credibility to this event and should be a breath of fresh air to all bands and artists in the UK. In an uncertain time, where longevity and sustainability is rare in today’s music industry the Surface Festival can be exemplified as a solid force for good, offering some amazing opportunities to bands. Working together with key industry bodies and organizations is paramount to developing a model that is fair for everyone – the promoters, the venues, the fans and most importantly the bands taking part and the experience and value they get from playing the live shows.
“The Surface Festival was a fantastic experience for us, an unforgettable journey through many rounds at different venues. The ultimate prize and ultimate goal was to perform at the IndigO2. The chance to play at this incredible venue gave you a real sense of achievement and a wonderful feeling that will stay with us for a long time. The Surface crew were helpful, friendly and always very supportive which made the whole experience just that little bit better. Thank you guys for an amazing opportunity.” Loaded Dice.
For more info and to sign up see www.surfacefestival.com
