Festival Fever: Hudson Valley Songfest & Music Expo, 5/21-23

The fifth annual Hudson Valley Songfest & Music Expo takes place in Hudson this weekend, sponsored by the Columbia Arts Team, and there’s a lot going on.

It all kicks off on Friday evening with the Best New Artists Showcase at Wunderbar in Hudson. The festivities begin at 7pm, and the scheduled performers include Addie Bronlee, Jennifer Zulli, Lunic, Simon Spire, Cielle, Anna Rose, Tamara Hey, Happy Balky & the Good Livin’, Dawn Iulg and others. Admission is $10, and the audience will help select the grand prize winners.

The Songfest continues from 10am-4pm on Saturday with a series of panel discussions, seminars and workshops geared toward helping you move your music career to the next level.

Among the featured topics will be publishing, performing rights organizations and copyrights (publishers and music lawyers discuss the issues that songwriters and artists need to deal with to get their music protected, heard and paid for); getting your music in film and TV (TV is the new radio, and in the new music business, the music supervisor and music library is an important resource for exposure and royalties); how to get paid on the internet (getting airplay on internet radio? Now get paid for it); agents, managers and bookings (want to be a working musician? Here’s what – and who – you need to know);
recording (how to cut costs on producing professional recordings and demos).

Some of the music biz experts who’ll be participating in the panels and seminars include Peter Tork (songwriter, musician, ex-Monkee), Steve Gordon (music biz attorney), Debra Russell (music biz coach), Suzanne Hilleary (music publisher), Jeff Zahn (music supervisor), Paul Rapp (music attorney, musician), John Miller (Broadway music contractor), Linda Lorence (vice president at SESAC), Danny Bernini (recording engineer and studio owner) Jess Brown (country hit songwriter).

Admission to the Songfest panels and seminars is $50, which also entitles you to a free booth at Saturday’s Music Expo, where you can set up a listening booth and sell your CDs and merchandise. Admission to the Music Expo is free to the general public.

Both the Songfest and Music Expo take place at Columbia Greene Community College in Hudson, where Saturday’s festivities will be capped off with a concert by singer-songwriter Ellis Paul. Andy Pratt will also share the stage, and the winner of Friday night’s Best New Artist Showcase will open the show. Tix are $20.

The Songfest continues from 12noon-4pm on Sunday with the New Artists Showcase & Critiques at Photographic Solutions in Hudson. Bands and soloists will perform in an open-mic format. Music biz pros will offer critiques and one-on-one reviews for performers. Admission is free.

PREVIOUS FESTIVAL FEVER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Lunchapalooza! @ Four Corners Luncheonette, Delmar, 5/22
GottaGetGon @ Saratoga County Fairgrounds, Ballston Spa, 5/28-30
Mountain Jam @ Hunter Mountain, Hunter, 6/4-6
Rhythm On the Ridge @ Maple Ski Ridge, Rotterdam, 6/12
Clearwater Great Hudson River Revival @ Croton Point Park, Croton-on-Hudson, 6/19-20
The Old Songs Festival @ Altamont Fairgrounds, Altamont, 6/25-27
Beacon Riverfest @ Riverfront Park, Beacon, 6/26
Freihofer’s Jazz Festival @ SPAC, Saratoga Springs, 6/26-27
The WGNA Countryfest @ Altamont Fairgrounds, Altamont, 7/10
The Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival @ Walsh Farm, Oak Hill, 7/15-18
The Green River Festival @ Greenfield Community College, Greenfield, Mass. 7/16-18
The Solid Sound Festival @ MASS MoCA, North Adams, Mass., 8/13-15
moe.down @ Gelston Castle Estate, Mohawk, 9/3-5
Lake George Jazz Weekend @ Shepard Park, Lake George, 9/18-19/10