Multi-Day Conference The Exchange Returns for Online Edition

In the peri and post-COVID19 age, live music faces big challenges and India is no different. Spotlighting the issues that can and are cropping up as the country’s lockdown is likely to be extended, Submerge has announced a virtual edition of their two-day conference The Exchange on April 29th and 30th. The panel discussions will be livestreamed, followed by online concerts on May 1st.

The panel discussions will be pre-recorded on Zoom and once packaged, set for live premiere on The Exchange’s Facebook page, as well as the Submerge page and other partner accounts. Director and co-founder Hermit Sethi says the original plan was to host an on-ground edition in February which didn’t pan out. It will likely serve as an open platform for discussing concerns and the way ahead. “We can talk about what are they [music industry stakeholders] doing and will do once the lockdown opens up,” Sethi says.

Featuring talks on the lockdown’s impact on artists, nightlife, the importance of online presence, the future of streaming and music festivals, plus event production, The Exchange features 20 to 30 minute sessions inviting everyone from Impresario Handmade Restaurants CEO Riyaaz Amlani (who runs Social and antiSOCIAL outlets across the country), music management companies such as UnMute’s Dev Bhatia, Third Culture’s Tej Brar and 4/4 Experiences’ Nikhil Udupa. Vh1 Supersonic’s curator Nikhil Chinapa and singer-songwriter Ankur Tewari also join the discussion, speaking about the future importance of social distancing.

The music lineup on May 1st will feature digital concert sets by DJ-producers like Axl Stace, Roan Sable, techno veteran Ankytrixx and American techno and tech-house artist Enamour. Sethi stresses on the importance of airing different views even in the face of a lack of answers and staring at uncertainty over the gradual end of the pandemic. Organized within two weeks, Sethi says since The Exchange has always been a free to attend event, it made sense to carry it into the virtual sphere.

By his own predictions, Sethi says the next six months will be “rough” but considering Submerge’s survival for the last 15 years, he’s confident they’ll stick through. “Adaptations happen and this crisis will bring new changes in our industry,” he says.

Tune into the Exchange 2020 on their Facebook page. Check out the schedule below.