RMC 2012: make way to electronic
In its 4th edition, the biggest electronic music event of South America will once again be part of the carioca carnival. Now, it's ten days in your schedule, and seven of just partying. What do you think?
Although the carnival in Rio is most known for the traditional parades of samba schools, by the mulattos in the avenue and their exciting street blocks, the Rio Music Conference (RMC), considered to the biggest event of electronic music in South America, makes its way and ask permission to again "mix" that party that everyone is waiting for. To answer the market demand, the 2012 edition, which will take place in the Marina of Gloria, will have a schedule of ten days (from 14/02 to 25/02), in which three days are exclusively dedicated to workshops, panels and lectures. Hold your breath Colombina!
Held since 2009, when the market already showed interest in the happening of such event, the RMC seems to be growing and consolidating with the very own increase of expertise in the scene. The three previous editions, the actual national dimension and the three additional days are factors that already prove that the lucrative encounter is very well consolidated - as the organiser Guilherme Borges points out: "Electronic music has grown, and people see that, there is more involvement. It's a industry that is no longer a music style but also a mean of production. Now, more than ever, we have to legitimate this concept."
“The idea of the conference came from the need of the market itself. All industry lack an encounter to debate issues that involve the activity of the sector. Actually, the process of becoming a professional needs critics, debate and an encounter to unite all of that, making the people involved become closer." completes Guilherme, who made its way to the electronic music by the path of business (not a DJ). With a expectancy of over than 35 thousand people and accompanied by the heat of the carioca carnival, the national edition of RMC 2012 will flow about $30 million in business, 50% more than the $20 million recorded in the previous edition, when the festival gathered 25 thousand people in its five nights.
Conferencing the conference
Precursor of new trends and able to capture large market releases of national electronic music, the Rio Music Conference is as busy as your nightlife. "There is a lot of people buying equipment, learning about the new models and software, Djs hiring, new trends being presented and getting people involved. Each region has its own needs and a national meeting is very important in this regard. The idea of 2012 edition should reflect this, since it will have an increase in the amount of professionals not only from the Rio-Sao Paulo scene, but from all over Brazil," explains the event organiser.
In its first three days, the schedule of RMC presents a series of seminaries, debates, panels and workshops, all ruled by professional inside the market. In the stand area, what gets the attention is several Dj agencies, labels, technology companies, equipment and new hardwares/softwares, the Djs shops, the online radios, the means of communication and many other products and services connected directly and indirectly to electronic music and entertainment. Ideal for "networking" as defended by the organiser, the business fair also highlights the space "Village"- an area of wi-fi, bars, restaurants and showcases, responsibility of the new talents.
Besides the companies that participate directly in the Business Fair of RMC, other companies, inside and outside the sector, are attracted by the visibility of the event, that reveals a promotional capacity of very high reach. The public involved and those interested awakens the attention of different companies from other segments, such as beverages, cars, tourism, fashion and tecnology in general. After all, it's the biggest event of electronic music in the south hemisphere happening in the middle of the carioca carnival. " There is no doubt that we count with more publicity, supports and partnerships. However, that kind of support from sponsors always existed, it's not something that started happening now", adds Guilherme Borges.
Democratic and full of stars
With seven days in the agenda, five straight nights (from the 17/02 to 21/02) and two of “Closing Events” (24 and 25/02), the nights of the national edition of RMC 2012 promise to crown the carioca carnival in a great electronic style. Presenting two simultaneous stages- Copacabana, with the biggest stars in the world's dance-floors, and Ipanema, with the main trends and vanguard artists-, RMC will present more than 64 attractions, including the "top" Djs Armin Van Buuren, Steve Angelo, Kaskade, Roger Sanchez, Fedde Le Grand, among others. But, in this edition, the line-up will not be restricted to the “Celso Portiolli Vol.
1”. Actually, one of the differentials of this year, is the sound, that beyond quality will be much more democratic.
“The line-up this year proves all the evolution of the event, also in the music part. Of course we"ll have Armin Van Buuren, but also a series of other names that couldn't be left out. The Ipanema stage, a huge success last year, will return even stronger", concludes Guilherme Borges. Uniting several highlights of different lines, the line-up of RMC 2012 will show eight attraction each night, divided by two stages. Names such as Ellen Allien, Jamie Jones and Solomun, who glow in the international scene of 2011, and who recently turned the brazilian public mad, return to dignify even more the festival. Imagine what they won't do in the middle of carnival: “ziriguidum and oba-oba” will not be enough.
"I expect a lot from Jamie Jones dj set, who was here in November and I couldn't
go. I can't remember of playing so many tracks from the same producer. Personally, he can be considered one of the best. But certainly, i'm also interested in seeing Solomun, do dOp, do The Twelves, and, of course, Guy Gerber and Ellen Allien, who I play with in the 17/02”, details DJ and producer Brunno Mello, responsible for opening the dancefloor in the first day of the festival. " I'm digging doing this deep line. I think with age your internal bpm slows down. At the same time, my commitment is with bass and groove. So, for those who arrive early, prepare to dance.... for sure", completes Brunno.
If in one hand the event mature in its sctrures, the musical part is not ahead either. Regarding the previous editions, the line up improvement in the 2012 edition is very clear, and also the balance in the division of the attraction during the nights- explains Dj Brunno Mello: "From the perspective of the music itself, the event evolved a lot, without doubt. The first two years, we had a stage for two different public: the more commercial and the underground. What pleased ones, didn't please others. Last year with the creation of a second stage (Ipanema), we were able to answer to two audiences, in fact this is being repeated this year and gets even better in this edition. There will be amazing performances that you just can't miss out".
A window to the world
The story began in a very simple way, but turn out big very quickly. In 2010, for example, the second edition of the event already had the support of several companies. However, the national festival was very restricted to the axis Rio-São Paulo. Last year, the last edition was expanded. RMC transformed itself in an actual national event. Which means, the festival gained eight mini regional editions entitled "RoadShows" and organised in different cities across Brasil. Actually, Rio Music Conference includes 10 regional encounters (one in Buenos Aires, Argentina) and a national edition.
“We organise the festival, but who really makes it happen are the people involved with the music itself. The regional edition not only add, but took Rio Music Conference to other places. The main positive aspects of these encounters is what the national edition is about, unite people across different regions and with different needs. It's the ingredient that was missing, cause the skills of the people of the south can be totally different from what a producer in nordeste needs. The more influent people of each region are present in the event and this contributes to a wide exchange, and, therefore, more effective", states Guilherme Borges.
The goal of immersing in the local scenes and meet challenges of each region, solidified the event, which already has enough support to deal properly with the artistic and methodology issues of national production. Besides narrowing relations with the regional ambassadors (supposedly the more involved in each region) and define priorities to create debates in the national edition. There is something new however the Market Yearbook, it's a retrospective of the previous year, a specie of registration of the most important facts of the last year. The yearbook also has the RMC award, with its own prize, that counts with the votes of the ambassadors to elect the "Best of the Year". In fact, it seems like carnival became small.
But why, make a electronic musical festival in the midst of the carioca carnival? "The idea was seize exactly the gigantic exposure of the carioca carnival. Rio becomes the window to the world, also it's the number one choice of destination for tourists and it will turn out to be Olimpic city. Althought some people think its strange to have this position, because of the diversity, we wanted exactly that. I think we did the right choice" , answers Guilherme. According to Brunno Mello the "intelligence"of the sector looked to the event with a bit despite. But now after three years, seeing all this conjuncture involving Rio, it's certain that everyone prefers to be here. And you, are you going?
Rio Music Conference 2012 – Marina da Glória
De 14 a 16 de fevereiro - Feira de Negócios
De 17 a 21 - Night
24 e 25 - Closing Events
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