Guilty? The People versus The Music Industry

• 13th May 2009

TROUBLED TIMES PROMPT MUSIC INDUSTRY COURT APPEARANCE

THE TRIAL

A courtroom investigation into the business of music

Witnesses include the industry insiders behind White Lies, Elbow, Rolo Tomassi, and White Denim, MTV, Kerrang!, NME and Guitar Hero with an exclusive courtroom performance by Billy Bragg

VENUE: Crown Court, St Georges Hall, Liverpool
Workshops – Friday 22nd May
The Trial – Saturday 23rd May

As part of Liverpool SoundCity

In the first event of its kind, an inquiry team led by music industry lawyer Adam Greenup and arts agitators British Underground will scrutinise and examine the modern music business with the help of a jury of young music makers in the old Victorian law courts of Liverpool’s St Georges Hall.

Today’s audiences need real engagement and interactivity. The Trial is a fresh way to address a complex and often mysterious industry and will be a catalyst for new ways of thinking about music and examining the opportunities it offers young people.

Experts including the insiders behind hit acts such as White Lies, Rolo Tomassi and Elbow plus media and digital tastemakers like MTV, Kerrang! and EA Games will be called to the witness box to discuss their roles.

A series of workshops will open The Trial proceedings on Friday 22nd May. These will include master-classes in photography and creative writing incorporating an exclusive Q&A and live music performance from songwriter and campaigner Billy Bragg.

The main inquiry begins on Saturday 23rd May punctuated with live courtroom performances from bands playing at the SoundCity convention. During the investigation audio and video evidence will be submitted to the court and there will be plenty of interaction with the hand picked jury and the public gallery made up of delegates, students and local residents.

The transcripts and findings from the investigation will be collated in a specially commissioned report and delivered to No. 10 Downing Street to inform future policy on young people and the creative industries.