SPOT+ is the networking and conference part of SPOT Festival, where you can meet other business professionals from the Danish and international music industry. Curious to know who will be attending this year’s SPOT+? We have interviewed a number of industry professionals, that will all be part of the conference this year.
Name: John Runnels
Company: I have an original indie-folk music project called Morning Bear
Title: I am the band leader, songwriter, and basically everything else
Why are you attending SPOT+ this year?
I am from Colorado, so I’m thrilled to learn about the Danish and Nordic music industry, and I can’t wait to fall in love with the music and artists of the region!
Can you tell us a little about what the primary tasks consist of in your job?
As you might expect for an independent artist, I wear almost every hat in the business. Of course I’m a songwriter/recording artist/performer, but I act as manager, booking agent, social media manager, sync licensing agent, producer, merch manager and more! I try to keep a big slice of my time spent on actually writing, playing, practicing, and recording music.
What is the most exciting project you have worked on in your current position?
I had the incredible opportunity to help organize a music exchange between my home city of Denver, Colorado and our sister city of Brest, France in the fall of 2017, when 6 musicians from Denver visited Brest to play shows and engage in a cultural exchange. We also brought a Brestois artist to Denver!
When and how did your interest in music start?
I have been singing since before I could talk. Music is a part of my blood and soul!
Which concerts are you most looking forward to seeing at SPOT this year?
All of them. Since I’m planning to stay in Denmark for the foreseeable future, I have been asking around to my music friends for local festivals to attend. One of them suggested SPOT as a particularly good one for a newcomer, since it is focused not just on the local music, but it also includes a lot of industry knowledge! It sounded like the perfect introduction to the scene for an indie musician like myself.
SPOT+ er netværks- og konferencedelen af SPOT Festival, hvor du kan møde andre branchefolk fra den danske og internationale musikindustri. Er du nysgerrig på, hvem der deltager i dette års SPOT+? Vi har interviewet en række branchepersoner, der alle kommer til at være en del af konferencen i år.
Navn: John Runnels
Virksomhed: Jeg har et indiefolk musik projekt, der hedder Morning Bear
Titel: Jeg er band leder, sangskriver, og stort set alt andet
Hvad håber du at få ud af at deltage til SPOT+ i år?
Jeg er fra Colorado, så jeg er begejstret for at lære mere om den danske og nordiske musikindustri, og jeg kan ikke vente med at blive forelsket i regionens musik og artister!
Hvad består dine kerneopgaver i hos din virksomhed?
Som en uafhængig artist, har jeg, som du måske kan forvente, en masse forskellige hatte på. Selvfølgelig er jeg sangskriver/performer, men jeg agerer også manager, booking agent, social media manager, synk agent, producer, merchandise ansvarlig med mere! Jeg prøver at reservere en stor portion af min tid til faktisk at skrive, spille, øve og indspille musik.
Hvad er det mest spændende projekt, du har siddet med i din nuværende stilling?
Jeg havde en fantastisk mulighed for at hjælpe med at organisere en musik udveksling mellem min hjemby Denver, Colorado og vores søsterby Brest i Frankrig, i efteråret 2017, hvor seks musikere fra Denver besøgte Brest for at spille koncerter og indgå i en kulturel udveksling. Vi tog også en artist fra Brest med til Denver!
Hvornår og hvordan startede din interesse for musik?
Jeg har sunget siden før, jeg kunne tale. Musik er del af mit blod og min sjæl!
Hvilke koncerter ser du mest frem til at se på SPOT i år?
Dem alle sammen. Siden jeg regner med at blive i Danmark i den overskuelige fremtid, har jeg spurgt mine venner indenfor musikverdenen, hvilke festivaler jeg skal tage til. En af dem foreslog SPOT som en særligt god festival for nytilkomne, fordi den ikke blot fokuserer på lokal musik, men også inkluderer en hel del brancheviden! Det lød som den perfekte introduktion til musikscenen for en indie musiker som mig.
