BECKY AYRES ON ORGANISING SOUND CITY AND ATTENDEE ADVICE
INTERVIEW | BECKY AYRES – SOUND CITY by Morgan Hermiston
I was fortunate enough to catch Sound City‘s Managing Director, Becky Ayres, for a quick chat after Kate Nash’s conference panel. We had a discussion about how she got into organising events like Sound City, highlights from previous years, and advice for this year’s, as well as future, attendees.
Becky’s Role in Sound City
We started off by talking about how log Becky had been working for Sound City. “I’ve been working for Sound City since 2009, so 17 years, which is a very long time“. I then asked her how she got into event organising, and actually beginning to work for Sound City. “When I was younger, I just wanted to work in music,” she began, “and I really didn’t know how because I didn’t have any connections…a lot of people don’t“.
Becky continued, “what I did was, I started working in advertising because I just learned how to sell after uni…and then I was always looking for a way to get into music after that“. “Then an opportunity popped up to work on a music conference that was in London…I was selling sponsorship and delegate classes to the events“. When Sound City started in 2008, Becky said she met Dave Pichilingi, “on a trade mission in Japan“. She added, “I just said to him that I can sell, I can help you make money. And he was like ‘okay’, and he gave me a job…it was the perfect opportunity. That year we had Calvin Harris and The Zutons, The Wombats“.
Highlights and Looking Forward
Following on from the names already mentioned, I wanted to know what some of the major highlights were from previous years. “So many,” she started, “I think some of the big highlights have been Ed Sheeran playing in a 300-cap venue, it’s such a legendary thing now, Stormzy playing in a tiny tent when it was on the Bramley Moore Dock, the 1975 playing in a 200-cap venue, Florence + The Machine playing in a 150-cap venue“. More recently, she added, “Fontaines D.C. played to about 100 people in 2018, Sam Fender did as well in that same year“.
We spoke about things Becky was looking forward to this year too. “I think what’s really exciting about this year is that we’ve got Kate Nash as our afternoon headliner on Sunday. She talked in the conference and she said she’s actually a household name, but she’s someone that people don’t always recognise but she is someone that…has had such a great career, is also so loved, and I think having her as our afternoon headliner on Sunday is really really special“. She also mentioned that she would be attending Nash’s set too.
I asked Becky if there was anyone else she was keen to catch play as well. “There’s so many,” she said, “there’s so many every year“. Continuing, “I’m really excited for Gurriers because they’ve massively blown up in the last few months. There’s Bleech 9:3 as well, that’s going to be absolutely locked out of Heebie Jeebies. There’s an artist from Georgia called Nini Iris, who’s playing on Sunday in Tunnel as well“.
New York Representatives
We also had a chat about the New York representatives that were coming over to Liverpool that weekend. I asked her if she could explain this a bit more, and the importance of this. “That’s a really good point, because that’s the really special thing about this year as well. This year, it’s the first time that Liverpool is hosting Music Month, which is the whole of May. So Liverpool is focusing on music, and the whole city is getting involved with music, starting with Sound City this weekend“.
Becky continued, “so Shira Gans, who works for the mayor’s office in New York, has come over and she runs New York Music Month. New York is so happy that Liverpool is doing the same and hosting a music month here because they’re really, really excited that Liverpool and New York share such a special relationship. Shira from New York is here to just talk about how they do it in New York, and just really to collaborate with what goes on in Liverpool“.
We also spoke about how there is a lot of linking Liverpool to New York. There’s a lot of acts that come out of either side of the water that have similar sounds, and attitudes.
Attendee Advice
My final question for Becky was what she would advise this year’s attendees, as well as those coming to future events. “If you’re coming to the conference, I would always say just go and see as much as you can. Just ask people questions as well, whether it’s someone that you’re seeing on a panel or just at our networking events, just talk to people because anyone that’s at these events is there because they want to meet new people, and want to have those connections. So I’d say always just make the most of that“.
In terms of the musical performance side, “when you’re going to see artists, don’t just go to see who’s on your wish list. Walk into venues and just come across different things, because that’s how you’ll discover your next favourite act“.
I couldn’t agree more with that advice, with such diversity at Sound City, and events like it, it’s all about discovery. This was such an insightful chat with Becky, and I am always thankful for the opportunity to see a different perspective of the industry.
With early bird tickets available already for next year’s event (1-2 May 2027), and it’s 20th edition, it’s bound to be yet another unforgettable weekend. Tickets on sale here.
