Why You Need To Stop Calling Face The Music A Conference

"It extends beyond mere semantics," Abroms explains. "A conference, in the form of Face The Music's previous iterations, carries the connotation of a top-down communication model where attendees passively soak up information from the talking heads on stage, whereas a summit is more closely aligned with our desire for a re-developed Face The Music. To be a true meeting of the minds and real-time knowledge exchange with practical and measurable outcomes for all." Unlike BIGSOUND, which Abroms says is "without question the premiere conference event", Face The Music will boast a "distinctly Melbourne flavour" to uphold its status as "Australia's music capital".

"To be a true meeting of the minds and real-time knowledge exchange with practical and measurable outcomes for all."

Having announced their first set of speakers recently - including American music vlogger Anthony Fantano (The Needle Drop), VICE's Ricki Askin and Bandcamp's Andrew Jervis - Sambrooks admits they were relieved when none of their speakers declined their invitation, as they chose a set of industry figures "who [they] think have something genuinely special to share". 

It's not just the execs from the multi-national companies we have to watch out for, Sambrooks chuckles, it's the "upcoming young folk!... Some of the new local labels popping up are super exciting and we can't wait to see where they'll take their releases & artists. Spirit Level, Neat Lawn, Night High Records, Good Manners, Solitaire and so many others are releasing incredible music."

After some probing, the pair drop a few hints as to Face The Music's pending keynote announce. "[We'll have] a one-of-a kind international emotive pop idol, the world's most forward-thinking music analytics think tank and someone who has shared stages with Kendrick Lamar and the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2016 without ever having made a sound..." they say cryptically. 

Having made a commitment to traipse "uncharted territory" this year as a summit, Abroms says they're not afraid to touch potentially contentious issues in their panels and keynotes. "Any self-respecting music summit should task itself with tackling issues on the frontier of the music business and this year at Face The Music our program incorporates a number of such areas from empowering communities through leadership, sustainability in music, social media & online data analysis, music and emotional health, creating genuine access at music events for the hearing impaired, creating safe spaces, as well as extending an olive branch to our cousins in the video gaming world, to name but a few."

With a new partnership with Melbourne Music Week this year, Abroms and Sambrooks divulge there'll be "music morning, noon and night across both days of the summit in delightfully unconventional spaces," centred around the super-secret new Melbourne Music Week Hub venue, yet to be announced.

"We're introducing more innovation, more business opportunities and a greater international focus — 'cause there's never been a better time to show the rest of the world what we've got," Sambrooks notes proudly.