'Appetite For Disruption': New Music Seminar 2012 Day One

After six weeks of planning, writing, editing and working toward the opening of the 2012 New Music Seminar in New York, the day at last dawned Sunday, June 17 (at left, the Mayor's Proclamation for New Music Week in NYC).

Packed into the event: some 160 speakers and panelists, 900 registrants and more than three dozen panels and tutorials guiding the industry away from a record business that no longer functions and into the future with an "Appetite for Disruption."

Following are pix from opening day and the wondrously raucous Opening Night Party. Meanwhile, following day one, all I want to do is soak my feet (in gin, of course). Stand by for tons more pics, conference coverage and perspective on the burgeoning new music business. Change is a'coming... at last. *

 Load-in and build-up of the canopy for the Opening Party Red Carpet.

Cracked me up... hiding in a corner... Webster's Hall's massive disco ball.

Evening act Alek Sandar & Yozmit preps the "performance art" aspect of its Opening Party spectacle.

Sound check in the Grand Ballroom.
Attendees line up for 2 p.m. registration. Let the games begin.

First session of the day, including massive hit songwriters Claude Kelly and Desmond Child (pictured), along with Eric Bazilian and Jodi Marr.
And a packed room for the session... standing room only. Off to a good start.
The big bosses: Tom Silverman, Founder, New Music Seminar & Founder, Tommy Boy Entertainment (left) and NMS 2012 Executive Director Dave Lory... who had the wisdom to hire a meticulously detailed Editor for the New Music Seminar... Uh, that would be me.
Awesome moment as Tom Silverman told attendees that the most value they're going to get from the gathering is schmoozing. He had everyone at the official welcome turn and meet whomever was next to them.  Reminded me of church in the South as a kid.

The Opening Party begins after Sunday's first three sessions... featuring Evan Shinners, who brings an electronica punch to classical Bach and Beethoven compositions.

Alek Sandar & Yozmit's fucking bat-shit crazy performance, which began with a two-tiered 12-foot-tall Yozmit, followed by a troupe of carnival performers, as Sandar sang... peaking with...

...Yozmit descending into the audience and spreading his "gown" across the entire ballroom.

And here they are on the red carpet before the performance... Below, a collection of the scariest characters at the Opening Night Party.
To come Monday: the business of the New Music Seminar, with a massive 23 Movements and Intensives, all with the function of helping new artists understand the burgeoning business of a new era in music.

More to come tomorrow! *