SPH Music Masters
The SPH Music Masters (until 2019: SPH Band Contest) are a band competition founded in 2008 that takes place all over Germany , Austria and Switzerland . There are around 2000 band applications, 1000 performing bands and 500 concerts per season as part of the competition (as of 01/2019). The SPH band contest is the largest of its kind for young musicians in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
The participating artists and bands have to pay their own participation fee, but receive a share in the tickets sold by the bands themselves (not in the total sales). There are various prizes to be won for all participants, and there is also a chance to win the annual Best Artist Awards for the best musicians. The SPH Music Masters take place annually in several selection rounds in around 50 German cities, and since 2015 in ten cities in Austria. The competition is sponsored by the national music industry and relevant associations.
The SPH Music Masters are organized by the Montabaur-based SPH Music Group and do not receive any state subsidies. Funding from private individuals and music initiatives is invested in bands worth promoting. The SPH Music Master also invests in expanding the prizes and the competition area, band projects, live concerts, clubs and initiatives that are worth preserving.
history
The first SPH band contest took place in January 2009 in Montabaur . The competition was started by the founders Robin Müller and Bernd Kopin as a project by musicians for musicians to promote bands and performance opportunities, live experiences and networking opportunities. The young talent competition found its origin in the dissatisfaction with the possibilities and manners at other band competitions. At the SPH Music Master, values such as a sense of community, helpfulness, friendship and the pursuit of a common goal of promoters and bands, namely sustainable work with young talent as well as performance and concert experience, play a role. To date, the SPH Music Master is organized exclusively by students and musicians from a wide variety of disciplines (more than 200 people annually). The SPH Music Master was an exclusively West German band competition until 2012. In 2013, the offer was expanded to include 250 artists in 38 cities across Germany (including Berlin , Hamburg , Leipzig, Bremen and Munich ). For the 2015 season, the competition area was expanded to include other cities in Germany, as well as the first cities in Austria and Switzerland, and the bands were given a direct share of the ticketing income in the preliminary rounds.
The term SPH originally stood for “ Ska / Punk / Hardcore ”, but the abbreviation is now just a brand name, as the competition is open to a wide variety of genres, ages and styles of music. The Germany finals will take place in the town hall of Montabaur in the Westerwald, which can hold around 1000 people .
Mode and vote
The participants of the SPH band contest play in various selection rounds up to the Germany finals. There is an expert jury from the first round. The votes of the audience and the assessment of the expert jury are each weighted 50%. The system was developed with various players in the music business and other industrial partners who also support the SPH band contest as jury members and visitors. Other jury members can also be former participants, local radio reporters, audio technicians, music students or journalists.
Prices
Each participating band receives a so-called support package in which various support services are bundled. In addition, for the most successful bands in the competition u. a. Win coaching, performance opportunities, CD productions, music videos and other services. In addition, the best musicians in the competition in the categories of vocals, guitar, bass and drums are honored annually with the Best Artist Awards and receive corresponding material prizes.
criticism
Participants complained about the participation fee of 50 euros. The organizer advertises worthless advertising material as the "equivalent". With the “pay-to-play” concept, the SPH band contest is of no use to young bands.
Winning bands
- 2018
- 1st place: O'Bros
- 2nd place: Senti Metal
- 3rd place: Etienne Eben and Band
- 2017
- 1st place: BK & The Trailblazers
- 2nd place: Crazy Pain
- 3rd place: Nope, thanks
- 2016
- 1st place: The Fat Cat
- 2nd place: Quiet Cowtone
- 3rd place: Blue House
- 2015
- 1st place: Indian whisper
- 2nd place: Penguin Suicide
- 3rd place: GranDuca
- 2014
- 1st place: NeverKnow
- 2nd place: Subito
- 3rd place: State of Mind
- 2013
- 1st place: The Cash Crops
- 2nd place: Kyle's Tolone
- 3rd place: Dread Burden
- 2012
- 1st place: Unique Control
- 2nd place: Nexus Loose
- 3rd place: The Gribaldies
- 2011
- 1st place: Famous for a Cutie
- 2nd place: Five Days and Farewell
- 3rd place: Naked in a Penthouse
- 2010
- 1st place: Awaiting Crunch
- 2nd place: 3 days of tape
- 3rd place: As Seconds Become Centuries
- 2009
- 1st place: Tough Nut to Crack
- 2nd place: Cardiac Casper
- 3rd place: autodidact
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Interview with SPH band contest: "By musicians for musicians" ( Memento from July 28, 2014 in the Internet Archive ), interview with Session Music
- ↑ a b c article in newcomer scene SPH band contest now all over Germany ( Memento from July 28, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Invictus's EP release party is taking place in the old waiting room nw.de
- ↑ SPH Band Contest swp.de
- ↑ Münsterlandzeitung: ( page no longer available , search in web archives: SPH band contest: Ahauser band reaches the final round )
- ↑ a b c Interview with Fuzzbuzz Show of hands vs. Ballot - SPH Band Contest ( Memento from July 26, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ FAQ www.sph-bandcontest.de/faq
- ↑ Article in Rhein Zeitung http://www.rhein-zeitung.de/region/lokales/westerwald_artikel,-Bandcontest-lockt-wieder-1000-Musikfans-an-_arid,1075248.html
- ↑ Interview with Robin Müller https://www.backstagepro.de/thema/ Zwischen-idealismus-und-nachhaltigkeit- interview-mit-robin- mueller-vom-sph-bandcontest-2018-02-13- lbbqTSd0kR
- ↑ Tom Neumann: In front of almost a thousand fans: Never know wins a band contest. In: Rhein-Zeitung January 11, 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
- ↑ Tom Neumann: Band contest attracts 1000 music fans again. In: Rhein-Zeitung December 1, 2013. Retrieved June 26, 2014.