Applications open for City Showcase – Finding the Future

The search for new musical talent in New Zealand has begun with registrations now open for City Showcase, the live musical event taking place in Napier from 25-28 November 2010.

New Zealand has been selected as the first country outside of the UK to host City Showcase – the London music festival that launched superstars Amy Winehouse, Keane and Razorlight.

New and emerging musicians will be given the opportunity to perform at free gigs in and around Napier’s Art Deco city centre with the ultimate winner scoring a trip to play City Showcase in Hong Kong or London in May 2011. The winner will also perform at the Mission Winery Concert in 2011.

A judging panel made up of leaders from the New Zealand music industry will be in Napier to judge the competition and the public will also have the chance to vote.

The judging panel will include Campbell Smith (CEO of The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand Inc (RIANZ), who also has his own Management Company, CRS Music Management Limited), Ian James (Managing Director, Mushroom Music Publishing, Australia and recipient of a Midem Masters Award) and Mike Chunn (CEO of the Play It Strange Trust which implements music programmes for New Zealand school and former member of the New Zealand bands Split Enz and Citizen Band)

City Showcase – Spotlight London has been launching new musical talent in the UK since 2003. The event is widely recognised as being one of the most diverse and high profile festivals in the world with over 200 musicians performing in central London in 2009, covering a range of musical genres.

City Showcase organizer Nanette Rigg said New Zealand had a wealth of musical talent but musicians needed more high profile platforms to promote themselves. “This is a chance for talented Kiwis to perform for, not only the public, but also the leaders of the New Zealand music industry,” Ms Rigg said. “City Showcase – Spotlight New Zealand will become a key date for music lovers and industry talent spotters, and is a rare opportunity to become a star of the future,” she said.

New Zealand music industry specialist Hamish Pinkham will liaise with headline acts to support the City Showcase - Spotlight New Zealand event. “City Showcase will provide an exciting opportunity to showcase up and coming acts in NZ. Providing a stage in front of industry and public alike is something young musicians can strive for and create a goal on the way to achieving future success.”

Want to be part of City Showcase?

If you want to take part in this exciting festival, and showcase your work, please send a web link, a brief biography and a photo to City Showcase, PO Box 3217, Onekawa, Napier.

Alternatively apply through www.sonicbids.com/cityshowcasenapier. City Showcase submissions through Sonicbids are open to ALL artists, though there is one slot exclusively reserved for an artist selected through Sonicbids with a travel contribution for the selected applicant.

The deadline for applications is 1st July 2010.

For further information:
www.cityshowcase.co.uk
www.myspace.com/cityshowcase
napier@cityshowcase.co.uk