A showcase is a working shift dressed as a gig. The room holds agents, promoters, festival programmers and journalists, and the point of the show is what those people do the following week.
Where they happen
Showcase festivals are the main venue: Eurosonic Noorderslag in Groningen, The Great Escape in Brighton, Reeperbahn in Hamburg, SXSW in Austin, and Amsterdam Dance Event for electronic music. Labels and export offices also book single showcase nights around a conference.
What the set looks like
- Short: 25 to 30 minutes is standard.
- Early: slots start in the afternoon, and rooms fill and empty between artists.
- Tight: there is no time for a long soundcheck, so bring less.
What it pays
Often little or nothing beyond travel and a hotel. National export offices and public funds cover part of the cost for their own artists, and most European countries have a body that does this. Budget the trip as marketing rather than income, and make sure someone with a diary is in the room to follow up while the artist is still fresh in mind.