Indie Week Announces 2021 Conference

The online event will feature Marky Ramone of the Ramones, songwriter Nat Jay, industry legend Michael Anthony Alago and more

BY Alex HudsonPublished Oct 28, 2021

Indie Week is back! The annual Canadian music conference is going online in 2021, with five days of discussions, talks, sessions, community building and more. It runs from November 9 to 13.

Some of the topics covered by the 100+ speakers and 50+ sessions include musical topics like songwriting, artist development and production, plus business-oriented matters like sync licensing, royalties and publishing. Navigating the COVID-19 pandemic will also be a key issue, as topics will include livestreams, health and wellness, and new ways to monetize music.

Some key figures appearing as part of Indie Week include:

• Marky Ramone: November 10 at 1:00 p.m. ET

The drummer will talk about his long and storied career, including the 15 years he spent with punk legends the Ramones, with whom he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

• Steve Stewart: November 10 at 2:00 p.m. ET

The CEO of Vezt, Inc., a blockchain-based app for musicians to monetize their IP, will talk about the best practices for artist development through management. He will be drawing on his years of experience working with Stone Temple Pilots.

• Margaret McGuffin: November 11 at 2:00 p.m. ET

The CEO of Music Publishers Canada will lead a panel on the Women in the Studio program, which aims to close the gender gap in music production by providing resources to female and non-binary producers across Canada.

• Michael Anthony Alago: November 12 at 4:00 p.m. ET

The longtime A&R exec who famously signed Metallica to Elektra Records will discuss his career, which has included executive-producing albums for Cyndi Lauper, Nina Simone and White Zombie. He will also discuss his battles with addiction and his AIDS diagnosis.

Rebecca Webster of the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency and songwriter Nat Jay will also participate. Full-festival passes cost just $60. Tickets are available now at IndieWeek.com.

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