‘It’s The Best Job In The World’: Q’s With Lyndsey Boggis, General Manager Of The Great Escape

It’s the best job in the world – I get work with an incredible team across four days of exciting new artists, conversation and networking all in Brighton. One of my favorite things about The Great Escape is seeing the program of partners come together. Adam Ryan, our music programmer, spends a lot of time on international visits making sure we are connecting with as much of the global industry as possible. 

Over the last year we have had added Chile and Russia to those lists of partners and hope to make more new connections next year. We are home to some of the biggest media partners in the world too including UK and international radio, tv and press partners from BBC Music, 4Music, Radio X, DIY, Notion, Noisey, Loud & Quiet to name just a few. We never have any exclusive partnerships at TGE as we want to get as much exposure for the artists as possible via their vast range of channels.

 

This is my second year of TGE and it’s probably taken that long to understand every partner, venue and process we have in place. But we have changed a lot in those two years – we now have four days of conference activity, introduced a 2000 capacity festival site last year to Brighton Beach also with three venues, bars and street food stands that was a huge success for the festival. 

We added the brand new AIM house last year, which is a hub and home for the independent music community, The Association of Independent Music and TGE teamed up last year with a range of cutting-edge independent record labels and music companies to deliver a packed program of interviews, workshops, after parties, networking drinks and much more all at TGE’s favorite Queens hotel and will return again for this year.

Victor Frankowski – Idles at The Great Escape 2018
The Beach Club is one of the latest venue addition to TGE

In terms of the core program we have been working with more labels to create special moments within the core program too – and not only for emerging acts. For example, Foals are playing a Spotlight Show this year as part of the 15 years of Transgressive Records celebrations in a 500-capacity venue. This will possibly the underplay of the year. It’s one of my roles to strategically drive the team to where we see the future of the festival and what partners we think can add value to the festival, our artists and our audience. Next year with be the 15th anniversary of TGE and we are open to BIG ideas and already have some exciting conversations with key label and media partners.

 

We have a brand-new conference home for 2019 at Jurys Inn Waterfront. We are sprawled across 60 venues in Brighton for live music, conference and networking but we wanted a brand new space where delegates could network and we home all our key conference conversations and networking under one roof – a much needed new addition for TGE.

Someone recently said to me TGE is like the Christmas of the music industry, which made me laugh but it is the best event in the industry calendar to network with loads of people who you may not see again for another year. Plus, with so much amazing talent out there we try and create a cross genre of music for all areas of the industry.

We are not just an indie and grime showcase, there’s so much more to TGE and I think people should aim to seek out those areas and showcases as we have so many gems. Plus it all takes place in beautiful Brighton – what more could you ask for?

Harry McCulloch – Mahalia at Brighton
The Great Escape takes place across 60 venues in the British coastal town

 

I think we’re getting better as an industry and there are some great events to go to – we have teamed up with O2 this year for our DIY Day offering a day of insightful panels to inspire the new music generation. This is open to all festival ticket holders as we understand not everyone can afford a delegate pass, O2 Presents: DIY Academy will guide the next generation of musicians and music industry professionals through the complexities of the modern music business. It offers a unique opportunity to learn from and meet some of the music industry’s leading players, including the likes of Ditto Music, Live Nation, Sony Music, The Orchard, O2, she said.so, Atlantic Records, BBC Music Introducing, Deviate Digital and many more.

Before my time at Live nation I used to head up BBC Music Introducing so new talent in front and behind the stage is of upmost importance to me.  I was involved with my mentor Jason Carter in the creative direction behind the now hugely successful BBC Music Introducing Live which is a superb event for new musicians and talent.  

We are always thinking of ways we can help the delegates of the future. Working with so many education partners including BIMM helps the conversation to. This year’s The Great Escape sees the launch of TGE ELEVATE, a ground-breaking program funded by The National Lottery (via Arts Council England) providing professional development opportunities for a wide range of emerging industry. The core TGE ELEVATE program will provide thirty selected young delegates – including artists, managers, promoters and music educators – with an enhanced, subsidized delegate experience. This will include personally curated conference schedules, access to invite-only seminars and events, plus Q&A sessions with music industry VIPs.

Sean Carpenter – Mist performs at the Dome
Scene from last year’s TGE

Taking place on the Saturday May 11, the TGE Elevate Seminars will also be open to all festival ticket holders. The TGE Elevate seminars will take place at Jurys inn Waterfront TGE’s conference home – covering topics such as music rights, gigs, direct-to-fan, social media tricks and how young songwriters can make sure they are getting paid. Working alongside various industry bodies. TGE ELEVATE aims to provide a real insight into potential future career paths, making connections and learning from those already in key roles.

At the very heart of the TGE conference we open TGE with the music education conference, in 2018 CMU and The Great Escape put the spotlight on music education through a full-day conference that brought together music educators, music employers and the music business. It was an inspiring day that started a movement to more closely align music education and the music industry. Lots of questions were raised, and in May 2019 – based on new research from CMU Insights – we aim to provide some answers. And then, no doubt, raise more questions!

 

We thought Brexit might be high on the agenda but we will have to leave that…

Chris Cooke of CMU our conference programmer has done a superb job once again on the TGE conference and what sets us apart from other conferences as we spend a full day focused on one issue so we don’t dilute any key areas we have some incredible key notes this year from Cassandra Gracey who has revolutionized marketing at Sony Music with her 4th floor Creative team and at our Digital Dollars Conference on the Thursday, we will talk to Justin Kalifowitz, Founder and CEO of Downtown Music, the leading independent publisher who recently acquired CD Baby.

Phoebe Fox – The Go! Team
Performing at The Beach Club

We both felt we needed to dedicate Friday to music marketing, We last put the spotlight on music marketing in 2015 and boy has a lot changed since then. With the shift to streaming, the key influencers have changed and someone who used to work in radio you really see the changes and then the key messages have changed, and the campaigns are getting longer as sustained listening becomes the aim. So on the Friday of TGE We look at the changes, at best practice, at great case studies, and then debate where music marketing is headed next.

 

Music Venues are a at the heart of TGE. We have lost one of our favourite venues in Brighton this year – Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar and preventing the closure of so many incredible small venues is of the upmost importance to us. We’re proud to be working with partners such as Music Venues Trust and AIP to support these venues and new promoters in what they are doing day in day out, supporting new music in the UK.

I do think as an industry – labels included – we need to work closer with the live industry. Lots of new artists are obsessed by streaming numbers but it’s the live ticket sale that will give longevity to their career and we all have a duty to support and keep our venues running.

Mike Massaro – Jealous of the Birds performing at TGE 2018
The band was playing Jubilee Square, the festival

 

Ah this is such a hard question – can I have three? Spiritualized, The Libertines, Girls Aloud (we all need one guilty pleasure and I love xenomania!) All important to me at different times of my life. 

 

Don’t crash and burn at TGE – pace yourself there’s four days to get through. The Great Escape is all about discovering your new favorite artist & making a brand new music connection so happy hunting.