FREE on Saturday

WMSE’s 2nd annual Radio Summer Camp was, by most estimations, a rousing success full of killer shows showcasing the city’s best. How does the venerable non-profit station follow up a weekend of raising awareness of the city’s already awesome music scene? By trying to make it better.

At least, that’s sort of the point of WMSE’s Radio Summer Camp Musician’s Symposium, happening this Saturday from 9:30-6 at MSOE’s Student Life and Campus Center, 1025 N Broadway. In the press release for the event, WMSE Promotions Director Ryan Schleicher is quoted as saying, “There’s just no blueprint for bands. We have almost 30 years of being closely tied to the music community and believe it’s important for the station to use the resources we’ve built to help bands in any way we can. I’d even go so far as to say it’s our duty.”

So what’s on the agenda for Saturday? How about a seminar (SEMINARS!) on how to get gigs delivered by Pabst Theater Group’s Marc Solheim and Summerfest’s Scott Ziel? Or maybe some tips on how to find health care assistance for musicians from Alex Maiolo, founder of Health Insurance Navigation Tool (he’ll be speaking via SKYPE. Technology!)? The full schedule of panel discussions is available at wmse.org.

Now, I know what some of our readers might be thinking: “who the hell needs a panel to teach us how to get gigs? I have friends with a basement.” As off-puttingly “industry” the idea of a symposium about the music biz may sound, we are talking about WMSE here. The panelists they’ve gathered aren’t just industry d-bags—some of them are people with serious “indie cred,” if that matters. Solheim has years of helping local bands under his belt as former promoter at the Globe East; “This is Where I Belong” (how to make music your career) panelist Scott Schoenbeck did time in local legends Alligator Gun and The Promise Ring before his current gig in, er, Dashboard Confessional. These guys know plenty about every step from the basement to the Big Indie Label; this ain’t no out of touch Hollywood “how to be a rock star” doucheposium.

Attendance at the symposium is absolutely FREE, by the by. Pre-register at wmse.org and answer the question “what do you hope to learn from this symposium?” Then head to 1025 N Broadway and get ta schmoozin’.