The third annual POPAsheville (POP ‘A’) will be held over Martin Luther King weekend, Jan. 16-18, 2009, at three venues in Asheville, NC. Focused on building and supporting a thriving touring scene in the southeast, and supporting a very nearly sold out crowd in 2007, POP ‘A’ band submissions are being accepted from July 7 – September 5, 2008. In addition to Asheville, NC, target cities are: Nashville, TN; Knoxville, TN; Chattanooga, TN; Charleston, SC; Boone, NC; Charlotte, NC; Atlanta, GA; Athens, GA; Raleigh, NC; Chapel Hill, NC.
POPAsheville is the first venue-based music festival ever held in the musically-rich city of Asheville, NC. POP ‘A’ is a three-day, 30+ band modern music festival held at three prominent indoor music venues (2008 sites were: The Grey Eagle, Stella Blue, and The Rocket Club).
Over the last three years, POP ‘A’ has grown from a modestly attended, 5-band evening (then called IdFest) to a ravaging feast of creative pop and rock, supported by nearly 1000 music fans from Asheville and beyond. Past performers include: founding band stephaniesid, Warm in the Wake, Heypenny, If You Wannas, Speedsquare, Ruby Slippers, Kellin Watson Band, Menage, EAR PWR, Jar-e, Jen and the Juice, and more.
POPAsheville’s focus is to help create a thriving Southeast scene for touring bands in the pop/indie/rock genres. To this end, the POP ‘A’ weekend includes a music business panel discussion with industry experts, a musician’s party, and other events with the goal of facilitating gig-swaps and helping indie bands with their touring and business careers.
The POPAsheville 2009 committee will offer performance spots to 20+ of the strongest pop/indie/rock bands from Asheville, NC, and also to approximately 5-10 bands that are based in or have a strong fan base in target cities.
Band Submission Criteria and Info:
1) Bands must be from or have a strong fan base in at least one target city.
2) Bands must play original pop/indie/rock music.
3) Bands must be specifically interested in active gig-swapping with other POP ‘A’ bands in the future, and have the realistic ability to do so.
4) Bands must have a strong live performance, as evidenced in the act’s submission.
5) Bands must have recent, representative, broadcast-quality recordings (demos or EP’s are OK).
6) Bands must be actively promoting shows, album, vision, etc.
7)Bands must have a website that is updated regularly with photos, shows, working links, etc. (myspace, etc. OK).
8) Bands must submit application by September 5, 2008 (details at www.popasheville.com). There is a $5.00 application fee
WHAT IS POP/INDIE/ROCK? For POP ‘A’ purposes, it tends (not always, but often) toward original hook-and-chorus based music (often the songs have a singable or memorable section, fans likely have a “favorite song”). So this means we could conceivably book anything from punk to arty experimental to dance to creative singer-songwriter bands to instrumental, hip-hop, r & b/soul, etc. Within the general “hook-and-chorus” guideline, we are looking for genuineness and creativity.
WHO WE WILL NOT BOOK: Overly commercial, Top 40-type bands, cover bands, bands based outside of Asheville or target cities. Also, for the main stages, we are not able to effectively promote solo performers, or bands outside the pop/rock/indie genres.
For more information, or for sponsorship information, see the POPAsheville website: www.popasheville.com.
book SILVER!