A one day event (10 May) on touring and festival opportunities in Europe

Missed Sound City last weekend? Well it isn’t quite over yet… tomorrow (Thursday 10) sees the longstanding indie music fest partner with the European Commission and the Lithuanian Embassy to host ‘Sound of Europe’: a one-day event on touring, festival opportunities and living and working in Europe - particularly with Brexit looming ever closer. 

Held as part of this week’s national Europe Day celebrations, the free afternoon takes place at District; one of Liverpool’s foremost independent venues.  

Proceedings kick off at 2.30pm with registration and a presentation by Aja Ireland of UK Young Artists, an organisation which aims to help new artists to develop their practice through cross art-form opportunities. 

2018 05 10 Sound City
Sound of Europe follows last weekend’s Sound City Soundcity.uk.com

Aja’s presentation will be followed by a panel on 'Touring in Europe': featuring acclaimed local guitarist and singer-songwriter Natalie McCool, Nicholas Otaegui of Sound City and The Tea Street Band, and Mantas Joneikis of Garbanotas Bositas, one of Lithuania’s most exciting bands.

In ‘Living and Working in Europe,’ Sound City CEO Rebecca Ayres will interview Norwegian national Kaya Herstad Carney (teacher at the Academy of Music, and part of award-winning band Science of the Lamps) and Bulgarian Veso Mihaylov (promoter at Vinyl Junkie and part of The Jackobins) on what it’s like to live and work in another European country, including tips on how to survive when carving out a career.

The panel sessions will culminate in an interview with Nerijus Damasevicius; booker of Supynes, one of the biggest electronic music festivals in the Baltics. 

2018 05 10 Kaya Herstad Carney
Kaya Herstad Carney moved from to the UK in 1999. She performs both as a soloist and with her band Kayamusic.com

After that, it’s time for some music with Seafoam Green - the brainchild of Dublin-born troubadour Dave O’Grady, whose music Clash magazine have described as ‘gutsy Americana with a heart of gold’.

Liverpool’s Jessica Ray follows with her signature blend of soulful blues and energetic pop and rock, before some musical storytelling with Science of the Lamps and the punchy hooks of Hungary’s Papaver Cousins.

Sound City headliners Garbanotas Bositas (literally ‘curly bass player’) bring the afternoon to a close, one week after their triumphant showcase at District, with their dreamy neo-kraut-psychedelia.

Sound of Europe takes place on from 2.30pm on Thursday 10 May at District - free registration via Facebook