Over the years, panels have somehow become one of our favorite aspects of local music festivals. The curated selection of speakers, topics, and pointed questions makes for thought-provoking conversations among people you actually want to hear talk about stuff. There's not much that can make a well-organized panel better. Except for food, that is. Oaktopia took something we already loved and added brunch to it. Read on to find out more information on one of our most-anticipated Oaktopia events this Saturday and why you don't want to miss it.
The music scene in Denton is in flux. If you haven't read your fair share of tweets, Facebook arguments, and blog posts about what the closing of various music venues mean for the long-term value of the Denton music scene in the past six months, we envy you. That said, quite a few people have used Denton as a launch pad of sorts for their professional career in music - and of those few some have even found success. Much of Saturday's panel discussions, dubbed "Where do we go from here," will focus on the topics faced by those looking to forge a career in the music industry.
There will be three separate discussions, complete with different panelists for each. The topics include: "Lights Camera Music Placement," "From Point A to Point B: How to Launch a Music Career From Denton, Texas," and "Managing the Fearless Freaks: A Conversation with Scott Booker."
"Lights Camera Music Placement," will focus on writing music for commercials, television, and film. "From Point A to Point B: How to Launch a Music Career From Denton, Texas," will discuss industry insider tips and tricks for those looking to make the jump from the Denton music scene to the national one. "Managing the Fearless Freaks: A Conversation with Scott Booker," will focus on Booker's two decade history of managing The Flaming Lips and the successes, mistakes, and misadventures that have followed.
Panelists include (but are not limited to) Flaming Lips manager Scott Booker, McKenzie Smith of Midlake, Alan Palomo of Neon Indian, Matt Pence of the Echo Lab, and many more.
All around great dude (and soon to be Denton ex-pat) Michael Seman will be moderating each conversation. West Oak Coffee Bar will provide brunch while Domain Bousquet will be there with sangria and champagne for mimosas.
The entire session of panels is free and open to the public. Yes, even those without an Oaktopia Pass. The first panel starts at 10am on Saturday, September 24th at the Patterson-Appleton Arts Center. Panels are expected to last about an hour a piece. We'd recommend arriving for the very first panel because that's when there will be the most brunch available. Also, good conversation and stuff, too. But brunch, y'all.
More details on the event can be found in the image below.
