2026 pROGRAMMING

DAY 1 — FIELD DAY

Concord Music Hall
2047 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
November 20, 2026

12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Catering Included | Cash Bar

An immersive marketplace experience built for working artists. Spend the day getting hands-on with activations designed to sharpen your sound, build your brand, and put real opportunities in front of you.

Demo Drop | Sponsored by IK Multimedia
Have your tracks heard by top A&Rs, legendary artists, and music industry insiders, and get the direct feedback you need to know if your music is ready to sign. Multiple industry leaders will be available throughout the day. First come, first served.


Collab Lab | Presented by BPM Supreme x Final Final
Get hands-on with new software built to make producer collaboration seamless and test it out in real time with other artists in the room. Tracks will be started on site, feedback will be collected throughout the day, and a winning track will be selected by the end of the event.

Headshots | By CV Creative
Walk in and walk out with professional photos ready for your EPK, press kit, and socials. These focused mini sessions are designed to refresh your visual assets in one appointment. $65 package paid directly to the photographer on site.

Multicam Experience | Sponsored by Crossfader
Submit your mix for a chance to win a 15-minute multicam set recorded live on the Concord Music Hall stage. Six winners will be selected, each receiving their full set, a Crossfader course bundle, and a marketing package from EDM Identity. Submission window opens September 2026 via Crossfader's platform.

Office Hours
Sit down with industry insiders for focused one-on-one sessions built around the questions you actually need answered.

Artist Money Clinic | With GM Wealth Partners
Get real answers about the financial side of your music career. From setting your rates to understanding what to set aside for taxes, this is the session that turns what you earn into what you keep.

Get Booked
Sit down with a booking industry insider and get a real roadmap for landing your next gig. Whether you are trying to break into your local market or start touring regionally, this session gives you a specific plan to start getting booked.

Brand Lab | with Zack Miskie, Taylrd Media
Your music has a vision. This session helps ensure your visuals, identity, and overall brand communicate your message clearly. Work one-on-one with a branding expert to identify what is working, what is missing, and what to fix.

Find Your Story | With John Cameron, EDM Identity
Everyone in music is passionate. The ones who stand out know how to tell their story. John will sit down with you one-on-one to help you identify the angle that makes your project impossible to ignore and leave you with a clear answer to the question "So What?"

The Fitting Room | With Camille Ries, CR Studio
Shop directly from independent designers, then work with an on-site stylist to start building a look that matches your sound. Your music has a vibe. Your image should too.


More Activations Coming
Additional activations from Green Room Network, Laylo, and more will be announced as we continue to build out the Field Day experience. Check back for updates.

DAY 2 — CONFERENCE DAY

The Joinery
2533 West Homer Street, Chicago, IL 60647
November 21, 2026 | 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Catering Included | Open Bar
2047 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
November 20, 2026

12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Catering Included | Cash Bar

An immersive marketplace experience built for working artists. Spend the day getting hands-on with activations designed to sharpen your sound, build your brand, and put real opportunities in front of you.

Back at the venue where it all started. A full day of panels and workshops led by the agents, A&Rs, managers, and artists who are actively shaping the industry.

Panelists

Laidback Luke - DJ/Producer, Multi-Chart Topping Recording Artist

Bijou - DJ/Producer, Label Boss - DND Records

Linney - DJ/Producer, Singer/Songwriter

Goshfather - DJ/Producer

Lorne Padman- Grammy Nominated Producer, Artist Manager/Truestep Productions

Mike Weiss - DJ, President - Nervous Records

Rach Brosman- Artist Manager, Founder - Support Women DJs

Alex Hilburn- Managing Partner - Surge Social

Terry Hunter - Grammy Nominated Artist, DJ/Producer

Jake Shore - DJ/Producer

+MORE TBA!

Borrowed Strategies: House vs Bass

What if the secret to your next breakthrough is sitting in a genre you've never fully explored?

House artists have groove, restraint, and a decades-deep blueprint for keeping a crowd moving for hours. Bass artists have intensity, sound design, and a fanbase that goes absolutely feral for a drop. This panel breaks down exactly what each side can steal from the other and why the artists winning in 2026 are not the ones staying in a lane. They are the ones who understand multiple lanes.

Key Topics:

  • The core differences in house vs. bass culture, energy, and crowd expectations

  • Why genre purism is fading and what's replacing it

  • What house artists can learn from bass music's sound design and intensity

  • What bass artists can learn from house music's groove, restraint, and longevity

  • How to test genre crossover in your sets without losing the crowd

  • Building sets that create emotional range, not just peak moments

  • Marketing to multiple audiences without confusing your brand

  • Collaborations across genres: what works and what doesn't

  • How festivals and promoters are programming genre crossover in 2026

  • How To Get Your Music Signed

  • Every artist wants a label release.

  • Most don't understand what labels are actually looking for.

This panel breaks down the real process behind getting signed, from what makes a track stand out in a crowded inbox to how A&Rs evaluate artists beyond just one record. We'll talk about timing, branding, relationships, and why "just sending a demo" isn't a strategy.

Key Topics:

  • What A&Rs actually listen for in the first 30 seconds of a demo

  • The biggest mistakes artists make when submitting music

  • Why branding, consistency, and identity matter as much as the track itself

  • How to choose the right label instead of chasing the biggest one

  • Building relationships with labels before you ever send a demo

  • When to go independent vs. when a label makes sense

  • What happens after you get signed (marketing, rollout, expectations)

  • How to stand out in a world where every artist has access to distribution

  • Leveraging early releases to build long-term momentum

  • Social Media Secrets for Creators

We're bringing this popular panel back with an all-new lineup because the conversation is far from over.

The rules have changed. Independent artists are building cult followings and sustaining real careers without label backing, major budgets, or viral moments. Just sharp strategy and a deep understanding of their audience. Meanwhile, a new wave of companies is completely rewriting how events and artists activate fans, from ambassador networks that turn everyday fans into street-level hype machines, to fan CRM platforms that convert a social post into a sold-out show.

This panel brings together the people actually doing it to break down what's working right now.

Key Topics:

  • How independent artists are building cult followings and personal brands that last

  • Turning followers into a mobilized fanbase that shows up, online and at the door

  • The new infrastructure behind fan activation and how smart teams are using it

  • Converting social engagement into ticket sales and real revenue

  • Storytelling that keeps fans emotionally invested in your journey

  • Platform-specific tactics that actually move the needle in 2026

  • Monetizing your influence without compromising what makes you, you.