Manitoba Music Escapes Across the Pond for UK Industry Events

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Living Hour
Yes We Mystic

Manitoba Music is packing up and heading out across the pond this month for a slate of industry events in London, Brighton, and Liverpool

Teaming up with fellow Western Canadian music industry associations SaskMusic, Alberta Music, and Music BC, Manitoba Music will co-host a BreakOut West showcase at The Great Escape (TGE) on May 21 at Brighton’s The Green Door Store. This year’s event features a stellar Western Canadian lineup including two Manitoba acts, indie rock outfit Yes We Mystic and dream pop act Living Hour, along with We Are The City, Joe Nolan, The Velveteins, Queen City Stoop Kids, and Surf Dads.

Yes We Mystic and Living Hour will each hit the TGE stages for official showcases and will continue with other European tour stops. Living Hour has several dates in the UK and France as well as a showcase spot at Liverpool Sound City on May 29. Yes We Mystic will tour across Germany and the UK, including a spot at the BreakOut West in London event at the Forge. 

The two bands have built significant international buzz with recent album releases and touring. Yes We Mystic launched its debut full-length, Forgiver, in late April while Living Hour launched its self-titled debut album on US indie label Lefse Records in February, both to critical acclaim.    

Now celebrating its 11th year, The Great Escape is the UK’s premiere music business conference, bringing together thousands of music industry professionals for three days of talks, panels, showcases, and business-to-business events. The convention runs alongside The Great Escape festival, Europe’s leading festival for new music, which showcases 400 bands at 35 venues during its run. The UK is the largest music market in Europe and acts as a barometer for buyers, media, and music partners around the world.

Bringing Manitoba music to new geographic areas and intensifying trade activity in existing markets is a key component of Manitoba Music's trade and business development project, which is funded by Western Economic Diversification Canada. Manitoba Music's market development initiatives are also funded by Manitoba Trade & Investment and FACTOR through the financial support of the Government of Canada and Canada's private radio broadcasters. 
 
Through events like these, Manitoba Music is able to increase the level of awareness and connection between our province’s music industry and the broader national and international industry, which is vital to the career advancement of Manitoba artists and industry professionals. Over the years, Manitoba Music has presented successful showcases throughout Canada, the U.S., England, and Germany, including at major music events like South by Southwest, Reeperbahn Festival, and more.

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