community + cultural info
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Megan Schmidgal
412.392.4518
MAPnight II: Share the Wealth
Music Awareness Pittsburgh unearths Pittsburgh’s diverse music resources
Music Awareness Pittsburgh—a project of the Tides Center of Western Pennsylvania—presents an evening of local music and networking opportunities on Thursday, June 12 at Club Laga in Oakland. Musical performers for MAPnight II: Share the Wealth include Strict Flow, Hill Jordan and the Hardgroove Project, Tabula Rasa and Girl Talk.
In addition to the performers, individuals from local media, record labels, music stores, promoters, nonprofit organizations, studios and other industry representatives will be on hand to present their services and answer questions from 6 – 9 pm.
The evening continues MAP’s mission to stimulate interest and appreciation for music in Pittsburgh. It also offers evidence that Pittsburgh boasts a wealth of innovative, divergent and creative musicians. And like any source of riches, it should be shared.
According to Dean Brandt, co-founder and project manager of MAP, “Pittsburgh is full of amazing talent – ranging from relative unknowns to critically and commercially successful artists. MAPnight is a forum for Pittsburgh’s eclectic community of artists and musicians to meet with like-minded entrepreneurs and fans passionate about original music – a place to exchange ideas, share experience and discover resources.”
The performers evidence a portion of the homegrown talent with a cross section of styles. Hill Jordan and the Hardgroove Project update jazz with funk backbeats while Tabula Rasa drive in with a breed of post-punk, math rock and indie. Girl Talk reinterprets top 40 hits with plunderphonics and Strict Flow imparts their nationally known hip hop to the 412.
Suggested donation for the evening is $2. “Come armed,” says Megan Schmidgal, advisory board member. “This is the place for your demos, press kits, cards, flyers. You can show what you have to offer to people who have a sincere interest and appreciation for what you’re doing.”
Confirmed attendants include radio stations ranging from college-based to the very large corporate kind, nonprofit music organizations such as Calliope and Pittsburgh Music Works, local labels, studios, and distributors as well as record stores, instrument suppliers, music websites and a variety of Pittsburgh-based publications catering to all genres.
Seeded by the Sprout Fund and a slew of supporters from the local music scene, Music Awareness is run by an all-volunteer advisory board made up of representatives from area young professional, community and music organizations as well as artists and media. MAP gathered its team in 2001 to raise the profile of Pittsburgh's musical heritage and resources related to the Pittsburgh music industry through a series of initiatives. In addition to MAPnight, MAP offers the |scene + heard| newsletter and its website as means to unite and encourage collaboration amongst Pittsburgh's diverse music community.
MAP invites all with an interest in raising awareness of local music resources to get involved with MAPnight to enable the success of Pittsburgh music professionals. To learn more about MAPnight II: Share the Wealth and Music Awareness Pittsburgh, visit http://www.MAPgh.org or call (412) 241-1139.
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