Young Voices Tackle The Music Business: Takeaways From Amsterdam's Inaugural FastForward Conference

“If you want to know what’s next, be the one to create what’s next.”

These are words of inspiration that we hear often in the entrepreneurship world at large, and seldom within industries whose potential for innovation is held back by decades-old legal and political institutions. Yet, these are also the words that Sammy Andrews, strategic advisor to the music industry and founder of Sabotage New Media, told an international audience of young music professionals last night, during the final panel at the inaugural FastForward Conference in Amsterdam.

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“I Can Deduct The Making Of My CD… Right?”

Every March and April, as he prepares scores of tax returns for musician clients, the question of deducting CD production costs is inevitably raised. Here's some input from CPA/drummer Alan Friedman.

This article explains travel, meal, vehicle, and equipment expenses (for both gigging and studio musicians), and helps you determine whether or not you can deduct them on your tax return.

Manchester Music Hall aims to be something for everyone

BY WALTER TUNIS

Contributing Music Writer - Lexington Herald-Leader


The longer the former home of Buster’s Billiards and Backroom remained vacant on Manchester St., the more Kaelyn Query began formulating ideas about what she would do with the space if given the opportunity.

As founder and president of LexEffect, a Lexington-based events management company, she has overseen public and private happenings around the country, including the locally produced Moontower Festival. But staging events in a set, permanent venue offered an entirely new set of possibilities.

“It was weird, because one day I had jokingly said, ‘I wish someone would buy the Buster’s space because I have all these things I want to do there,’” Query says. “At 5 o’clock that day, I got a message.”

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What It Takes to Build a Successful Music City

The Music Cities Convention, a global conference on the vital relationship between (you guessed it) cities and music, held its inaugural U.S. event last Sunday in Washington, D.C. The convention brought together policymakers, local entrepreneurs, data analysts, and musicians—all united by a common desire to improve and augment the role of music in our urban environments. Here's the full story from The Atlantic's CityLab.com
 

A Trumpet in Every Pot

As part of LAMA's ongoing and relentless movement to transform Lexington into a city where music is as common as a certain shade of blue we have a favor to ask: please check your closets, or basement, or attic, or garage or under your bed for that trombone, clarinet, flute or any other band or orchestra instrument you long ago abandoned for something more electric. We've found a home for it: http://centralmusicacademy.org/wuky-instrument-drive