While attending SXSW 2010 last week, I tweeted some notes from the conference session on China's emerging music business. The presenter was Archie Hamilton of Split Works, the largest independent promoter in China. Smart guy. But things don't sound promising there. Or maybe he just didn't want the rest of us going into business there. Here are my tweets, unedited:
Focus on cheesey pop. Little
infrastructure. No money in music biz. Mobile market is big. Wealthy are
younger there.
Parents don't want kids in
music biz. Heavy censorship (articles screened for 14 days).
Touring artists must provide
lyric translations in advance.
Festival has to hire 300 police
who then sit around smoking all day.
LiveNation were bringing Kanye
to 26k stadium. Sold 1500 tix, lost 1 million $. Similar experience with Kylie
China is worth the investment.
Important for 21st century. But not a get rich quick scheme. U must tour 3-4 x.
Phys distrib does not exist.
Find a local partner
can you guess biggest
advertiser in China?
Oil of Olay! 1 billion $ spent
last yr.
2005 1 festival in China. 2010
50 festivals expected.
DubMC.com is the brainchild of Dmitri Vietze and is
sponsored by rock
paper scissors, inc., global music publicity firm.
