The Moscone Center in San Francisco was abuzz last week as Macworld | iWorld 2013 came to town showcasing the hottest new Apple technologies, products, software, best practices, industry trends, and artists using the Apple ecosystem to innovate.
It was truly an amazing spectacle – I brushed shoulders with Macworld speakers like Ashtun Kutcher and will.i.am. I saw Damon Wayans walking the expo floor and met some of my long time musical heros like Bill Payne from Little Feat and Hank Shocklee of Public Enemy and Bomb Squad fame.
The real highlight for me, however, was representing Sonicbids at the iNDIE iNNOVATION Championships. Last October, Sonicbids and Macworld | iWorld formed a music marketing partnership to discover the best indie bands in the USA innovating with Apple technology to further their music careers.
The “iNDIE iNNOVATION” program leveraged the Sonicbids Music Marketing platform serving up an online competition highlighting nearly 400 independent artists using Apple technology in the most innovative ways. You can see how the top 25 artists are innovating by clicking here.
After several rounds of fan voting and judging from music industry experts the field was narrowed down to two finalists: Exist Elsewhere from Los Angeles, CA and Mister Loveless from Oakland, CA.
Our vision for the final round was to create an event at Macworld | iWorld where the bands would square off against each other in a final showdown to showcase their innovation and best music. We also wanted the iNDIE iNNOVATION Championships to be a place for Macworld | iWorld attendees to come and discover some of the nation’s best up-and-coming artists and see first hand how some of the nation’s best are using Apple technology in their music.
Of course winning this competition was not just about bragging rights. Sonicbids and Macworld | iWorld put some amazing incentives in place to help supercharge the careers of our finalists. This included cash prizes totaling $7500, Oil Can Guitars from Bohemian Guitars, Apple products and software (an iPad and Macbook!), and the chance for both artists to perform full sets during the event. Our runner up played in the Music Studio at Macworld | iWorld, while the eventual Champion scored an opening slot for Little Feat at the Macworld Blast party at the Mezzanine in San Francisco.
Both bands showed up ready to compete and take home the grand prize. Mister Loveless kicked things off highlighting some of the ways they have used Apple Technology. Examples included incorporating a Macbook into their performance which allowed them to trigger samples for their songs. In addition, they also showcased a clip of their recent music video for the single “Nineties Children” which was all crowd-sourced by footage shot from their fans iPhones. The band proceeded to dazzle the Macworld crowd with their unique blend of energetic rock and power-punk-pop. They were like the Pixies meeting Kings of Leon with a shot of espresso.
Exist Elsewhere followed and shocked us all. Instead of plugging into traditional instrument amps and speakers, they plugged into iPads and iPhones on stage and ran their entire rig through the devices and effects software. They walked us through their entire songwriting process, highlighting each point where Apple product and technology was used – a truly inspiring demonstration. Here was the graphic they shared showing how Apple technology is incorporated into their creative process:
A distinguished panel of industry judges – including Billy Payne (Keyboardist from Little Feat), Cameron Sears (Manager, Little Feat) and David Mash (VP. Technology & Innovation at Berklee College of Music) had a chance to question each band before placing their final votes. At the end of the session we announced the iNDIE iNNOVATION Champion: Exist Elsewhere.
Both Mister Loveless and Exist Elsewhere played amazing sets following the session, with Mister Loveless kicking things off at the Macworld | iWorld Music Studio. You would have never guessed they were the runner-up as they played their set like absolute champions – it was a pleasure to experience.
Exist Elsewhere went on to open up for Little Feat at the Mezzanine and it was a treat to see this band in their full, true form. Catchy melodies, tight beats and infectious grooves are sure to propel this band to fame in the very near future. Not to mention a welcoming stage presence and contagious vibe that had the Macworld | iWorld fans dancing from start to finish. To close the set, they showered the fans with Exist Elsewhere T-shirts, a nice touch from the Hollywood gents.
Looking back on Macworld | iWorld 2013 and the iNDIE iNNOVATION program, I’m so proud of all of the bands who competed and put in the time, dedication, and effort to highlight innovation and share how Apple products and technology have truly changed the way musicians play and create music today. Thanks to everyone involved, including our outstanding partner: Macworld | iWorld and to our finalists Mister Loveless and Exist Elsewhere. Congratulations to this year’s iNDIE iNNOVATION Champion, Exist Elsewhere!
