2023 Neon Rodeo Creative Conference — Schedule

FRIDAY, 9/15

NR CREATIVE CONFERENCE KICK-OFF (ALL-AGES) @ SPY HOP KAHLERT YOUTH MEDIA ARTS CENTER

Music industry pros talk about their career paths and creative journeys

2:00 PM–6:00 PM

2 PM Registration at 900 S entrance. Meet on second-floor student lounge

Why Synth?

3 PM-4 PM

Featuring the SLC Synth Alliance - Modulated by Loud & Clear Youth Radio DJs Anthony Rivetti & Omar Romero Chris Nielson (Recording Artist/Producer, Squarewave), Dante Larae (Recording Artist), Michael Wall (Recording Artist)

Chris Nielson aka Siak Phd- is a producer and live electronic music performer. Since 2002 he’s been obsessed with using hardware instruments to make classic style electro infused with the influence of Techno and EBM/Industrial. His live sets have been heard in clubs and underground raves throughout the state. His music has been featured on Dave Clarke’s "White Noise Radio" on the BBC as well as Louisahhh and Maelstrom's "Raar Show" on Rinse FR. He’s also a founding member of the SLC Synth Alliance, a group of electronic music producers and hardware freaks. 

Michael Wall is a Composer, and Educator in Contemporary Music and Dance. Has established a reputation as one of the most innovative and impactful composers in the world of contemporary music and dance. He currently writes over 200 new commissions each year for leading dance organizations and sync projects including Flockworks, Pilobolus, Charles Anderson, Seattle Dance Collective, and the Grammy-nominated album "Spirit Song" by his mentor Kenny Barron.

Dante Lerae is a multi-talented artist that draws inspiration from a wide range of genres, including electronic, jazz, hip-hop, and progressive rock. With a deep interest in human expression and vulnerability, Dante's music is a blend of technical prowess and heartfelt emotion. His approach to electronic music combines influences from across the musical spectrum, resulting in a sound that is both familiar and his own. With each new release, Dante aims to push the boundaries of what he is capable of and captivate audiences.

Loud & Clear Youth Radio DJs Anthony Rivetti & Omar Romero are part of Utah’s ONLY weekly produced youth radio show! — Rotating youth DJ’s on air every Saturday 9PM-10PM (MST) on 90.9FM KRCL/KRCL.org

– 30min Break –

An Incomplete Guide to the Business of Selling Music

4:30 PM-5:30 PM

Hosted by Sam Cannon (Founder, 3hive Record Lounge / Co-founder, 3UP Record Co-op), Feat. Travis Kirschbaum (DJ, Producer, Beatport Head of Label Relations - US), Kari Jørgensen (Producer/Recording Artist), Ryan Condrick (Synth & Soul, online/physical record store startup)

*Music premiere ‘The Amphibian’ by Zbyszko Cracker & Mauricio throughout

Travis Kirschbaum – Anyone who spent the best years through the 90s into the early oughties in San Francisco, and the last 15 years in the LA underground knows the name TK is synonymous with inimitable dance floor-rocking expertise of the highest caliber. Whether solo in his former extended guise as TK DISKO, in collaborative formations as Split Secs along with his label Machine Limited co-founder SONNS, or readying the world for retrofuturist rave rockers as Warehouse Preservation Society with DJ Tavish, 1/3 of Second Language with Pacific Horizons, or as founding member of notorious DJ and production collective 40 Thieves, quality comes first and foremost - along with ensuring everyone sweating under the mirror ball is having a damn good time. 

Travis cut his teeth as a mainstay of legendary SF venues and happenings such as The Trocadero Transfer, DV8, Bulletproof, Sunset, and King Street Garage. He’s one of the few local SF DJs invited to guest at the legendary Wicked nights and was picked by DJ Harvey as the resident warm-up for his long-running Rx night. In addition to playing alongside some of the greatest names in the field from Jeff Mills, Tony Humphries, and Pal Joey to Idjut Boys, Optimo, and beyond, TK clocks long hours as the Head of Beatport's US Label Management team where he and his UK co-lead are responsible for over 115K record labels on-time deliveries of over 30K weekly releases. 

Kari Jorgensen produces, records, and performs music in the band Bobo.

Ryan Condrick's versatility shines through as both a DJ and a seasoned creative/marketing project manager. He has experience overseeing global product launches and marketing campaigns for local brands including Skullcandy and Traeger. More recently, he performed an all-vinyl set at Dante’s Hifi in Miami. Beyond his 9 to 5, Ryan's primary passion lies in his extensive and diverse vinyl record collection, which he shares through DJ performances and his online record store, Synth and Soul Records.

Sam Cannon Sam Cannon has been nerding out on music for as long as he can remember. Right out of college, Sam began a career in music journalism, running a music monthly called grid magazine as well as writing and editing for URB, Transworld, Raygun, CMJ, MTV, and Musician. Sam made the switch to advertising and held various creative director positions at agencies in LA, Detroit, and Chicago working on award-winning campaigns for brands such as Spotify, Jeep, Xbox, Kraft, Samsung, and Hilton. He now runs Molio, an independent ad agency based in Salt Lake City. That said, Sam’s love for discovering and sharing new music never waned. He launched one of the original music blogs, 3hive.com, with some friends in 2004. After moving to Utah in 2018, he opened 3hive Record Lounge in Provo and last year he launched Radio 3hive, a 24/7 online radio station. And he collaborated with Adam Michael Terry on 3UP Record Co-op, a summer-long pop-up in Salt Lake City with area record collectors, musicians, and DJs as vendors.

Lounge and networking till close at 6pm

SATURDAY, 9/16

NEON RODEO CREATIVE CONFERENCE & LOUNGE (21 +) @ THE MAYOR VOSS

Registration & Check-In Tents, Shop Open, Conference programming into nighttime DJs

12:00 PM–CLOSE PM

10:00 AM Registration & Check-In located back parking lot of Mayor Voss (Look for the tents), Conference Program at Noon, DJs start 6 PM-Close.

Shop is Open at FICE
12 Noon-Close

Sound Like The Records You Love

12 PM-1 PM

How perspective helps you create great sounding music with west coast producer, DJ, and Grammy Nominee Jay-J (Shifted Music, SF)

Jay-J is a Grammy Nominee, a prolific producer and collaborator spanning over 200 releases, a self-taught studio demon, inventor and ambassador of the San Francisco sound, an immensely popular and well-travelled DJ. He founded Moulton Studios, the West Coast's most influential dance music studio, had his own Coke® bottle for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, was the DJ for the 2006 MTV® AVMAs and launched two comp series for Defected Records, UK. He’s remixed artists from Jill Scott to Joss Stone and has collaborated with producers from Kaskade to Miguel Migs.

– Break w/ DJ SOUL PAUSE

In conversation with Michael “MEGA” Yabut

1:30 PM-2:30 PM

Michael “MEGA” Yabut Founder, Creative Director at BLACK SCALE, chats with Greg “GSUNO” Siratsamay, Co-Co-Co Founder of Homerunners SLC

With its mysterious aesthetic combined with dark romanticism, MEGA’s Black Scale tells a story on how to decipher the world objectively through fashion. Black Scale products are rooted from the past, present, and the future. Deciphering the true meaning of what life means in the form of street fashion. For every positive, there is a negative. For every day there is a night. It is the continual balance of energy in the universe that we materialize in the form of Black Scale.

Greg who’s known as GSUNO was born in Fresno, CA before moving to Salt Lake at age 10. He is a FICE Alumn (2010ish era), and the Co-Co-Co-Founder of HomeRunners local lifestyle brand.

– Break w/ DJ SOUL PAUSE

Individuals to Collectives, Galleries to Street, Art from SF to SLC

3 PM-4 PM

Felicia Baca (Director, Salt Lake City Arts Council) connects the dots between SF and SLC with Amanda Lynn (Bay Area based Muralist and Fine Artist), Gothsloth (Contemporary Artist), and Maru Quevedo (Visual Artists, Co-founder of SISTER)

Amanda Lynn is a Muralist and Fine Artist based in Northern California. Inspired by the feminine in all things, she depicts the subtle beauty of the natural world and humankind, through illustrated linework and decorative patterning. Her works can be found in Galleries and Streets all over the world. Amanda believes sharing the creative process with others is the key to living an inspired life.

Gothsloth is an emerging contemporary artist based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Their works are characterized by gestural strokes that carry emotional weight, inviting viewers to delve deep into the artist's psyche and connect with their own emotions. With each work, painted in an expressive style, you can see their daily experiences, inviting viewers to join them on a journey of self-discovery and collective growth. Gothsloth likes to define their art education as community taught. Instead of formal art education, their grassroots approach has given them a fresh perspective, uninhibited by the constraints of conventional training. Their willingness to experiment with different mediums, techniques, and collaborations showcases their desire for growth and evolution as an artist. By fostering relationships and engaging in open dialogue, they have successfully built a strong network of supporters, collectors, and collaborators who share their passion for art. Their work is a testament to the resilience and resourcefulness that comes from the intersection of art and community.

Maru Quevedo is a mujer migrante and artist from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Co-founder of SISTER, a collective that exists to increase the visibility of women, femmes, queer, nonbinary, and GNC artists, in her work she integrates analog photography, screenprinting, and digital illustration, exploring the relationship between her background in sociology and gender studies with visual art.

Felicia Baca is the Executive Director of the Salt Lake City Arts Council, acting as the chief arts and culture advocate for the city. She oversees the development, implementation, support, and strengthening of creative programs and policy. Baca was previously the Visual Art Program Manager with Utah Arts & Museums where she directed exhibitions, community partnerships, funding programs, and events. Baca has also served various roles at the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, Utah Museum of Fine Arts, & Tate Britain. She is currently serving on the boards for Salt Lake County art acquisitions, KRCL’s, and Envision Utah. Baca is widely admired for her commitment to arts advocacy, especially on issues of equity and inclusion. In her spare time she can be found playing in local rock bands, spending time outdoors, and traveling.

– Break w/ DJ SOUL PAUSE

Building and Preserving a Legacy of Culture

4:15 PM-4:45 PM

Neon Rodeos own organizational wizard, Sindee Savage steps into the ring and goes toe to toe with Paul Dillinger the Vice President, Head of Global Product Innovation at Levi Strauss & Co.

Paul Dillinger is VP – Head of Global Design Innovation and part of the design team at Levi Strauss & Company.  Following his passion for sustainability, Dillinger has been an integral partner with the company’s Social and Environmental Sustainability group, developing front-end methods for applied sustainability in the design process. 

Dillinger led the design team that created Levi’s WELLTHREAD® - an experimental collection focused on sustainable innovation – as a First Movers Fellow with the Aspen Institute. Paul was also responsible for the design and execution of Project Jacquard, a wearable technology collaboration between Levi’s and Google’s Advanced Technologies and Projects laboratory. 

Before joining Levi’s in 2010, Paul worked as a fashion designer and brand development specialist for 15 years at a variety of fashion houses in New York, including Calvin Klein and DKNY. Paul was appointed faculty at the Sam Fox School of Visual Arts and Design at Washington University in St. Louis and has taught at the Rhode Island School of Design and California College of the Arts.  He is currently a guest lecturer at Clark Atlanta University.

Dillinger received his BFA in fashion design from Washington University in St. Louis. After graduation, he moved to Milan, Italy as the first Fulbright Scholar in the field of fashion design where he earned a Master of Fine Arts from the Domus Academy.  Paul has lectured and exhibited internationally, and his work is in the permanent collections of The Design Museum, London, and The Cooper-Hewitt - Smithsonian Design Museum, New York City.

Sindee Savage is the Director of Community/Inclusion at V School, a vocational school helping underserved communities break into tech. She has curated and produced large-scale events across the globe for over 17 years. Sindee also sits on the University of Utah’s Bio Informatics board where she helps bridge the gap between student experience and a career in industry.

– Break w/ DJ SOUL PAUSE

Only The Hardcore Survive

5 PM-6 PM

Galen (DJ/Founder Sunset Sound System), Jared Gold (Early Rave/Club Producer, Fashion Designer of Jugular & Black Chandelier, Chocolatier), Dum Boy Sticky (DJ/Founder, ETA45MINS), and Eliana's Universe, (DJ/Founder PERRA), discuss the finer points of throwing a renegade party and why they matter with Angela H. Brown, Entrepreneur, Executive Director at Craft Lake City & Executive Editor at SLUG Magazine.

Inspired by the DIY parties of the UK and reggae soundsystem culture, Galen founded Sunset Sound System by setting up a generator and speakers at a park in Berkeley, California every Sunday to spin records for free he didn’t get a chance to play anywhere else. Word spread and soon crowds into the thousands we’re dancing and picnicking while watching the sun set behind the San Francisco skyline. Today, Sunset Sound System is on the move with incredible boat and outdoor parties as well as the annual internationally acclaimed Sunset Campout Festival. Galen developed his signature sound through these weekly jams and as well as his technically proficient yet fluid dj style. The psychedelic music scene of 90s San Francisco provided a launching point to his extensive vinyl collection that spans many genres from classic disco to post-punk to roots reggae and modern house music. His sets can travel a diverse range yet maintain a conscious groove of cohesiveness, always appropriate to the time and place. They are thoughtful, yet never pre-planned, with artfully-timed track selections that spark any dance floor, appealing to the old school just as much as the new.

Jared Gold attended his first rave in 1990 in San Francisco and became a fixture of the scene selling his freshly minted fashion label House Jugular. Eventually touring with the newly formed Lollapalooza, he distributed the dream-like furry rave massacre of his signature look across America. Organizing many infamous raves in rural Idaho led to promoting Salt Lake City's two largest nightclubs, introducing the electronic music sound to the first gay/straight mixed crowds. Jared moved to Los Angeles to study fashion design at Otis Parsons and launched his updated vision during New York City Fashion Week where he simultaneously became the darling and the terrorist of American fashion. After 9/11 he returned to Salt Lake and opened his downtown atelier to produce the Black Chandelier label and subsequently open 5 retail locations which further elaborated on Jared's Victorian punk-toned collections. In 2018 Jared produced the Sparklepark (a rave for children) bringing his work full circle by building an electronic music environment that harkened back to the glory days of early San Francisco where love really was the answer. Jared now operates an online esoteric toy store called Sutras of Delight and has recently relaunched his eponymous Black Chandelier label that continues to shadow forth.

Utah native Dum Boy Sticky is currently reshaping the underground rave scene in Salt Lake City with a new school take on old-school inspirations. "Sticky" and his ravers are supplying the underground with hardcore, gabber, breakcore, deconstructed club, and other buzzworthy genres that are seeing a revival on the worldwide dance music scene. He also heads up the label ETA45MINS which represents new producers, hosts unconventional DIY events, and is slowly introducing personal, hand-crafted rave gear to the newest generation of SLC ravers. They're working to create a foundation for up-and-coming artists to share their love and talent, while putting SLC on the map for underground hard dance.

Eliana's Universe is a queer Taíno/Afro Latin artist who was born and raised in Utah. With a passion for nurturing BIPOC talent, Eliana has been a driving force behind the SLC nightlife scene, creating inclusive platforms for artists to thrive. Most notably, she pioneered Utah’s first ever queer neo-perreo event, “PERRA!” which celebrates the freshest new wave Latin and reggaeton sounds. Eliana remains a trailblazer in Salt Lake City’s evolving music scene, dedicated to amplifying the voices of BIPOC artists and pushing the boundaries of musical expression.

Angela H. Brown has been Executive Editor & Publisher of SLUG (Salt Lake UnderGround) Magazine (winner of Best of State in Journalism in 2012), for over two decades. During that time, Brown launched slugmag.com, a bi-weekly podcast, SLUG Soundwaves, and created dozens of successful SLUG Magazine community events. The magazine’s combined digital and print circulation reaches over 65,000 readers each month. Brown manages and retains a large network of volunteer writers, editors, musicians, artists, graphic designers, and event coordinators. Brown has been the recipient of The Josephine Zimmerman Pioneer in Journalism Award from Utah’s chapter of the society of Professional Journalists. 

In 2009, Brown launched the Craft Lake City® DIY Festival®, inspired by alternative arts festivals she had attended in larger cities and Utah’s own rich crafting history and cultural background. Together with a group of committed volunteers, she worked tirelessly to bootstrap Craft Lake City from a 100% volunteer-run event into an up-and-coming nonprofit organization, employing seven part-time year-round contractors and over sixty seasonal contractors. Likewise, the DIY Festival has grown from a one-day event featuring 72 artisans to a three-day event attracting over 20,000 attendees annually and featuring more than 400 artisans, vintage vendors, craft foodies, DIY engineers, youth entrepreneurs, and performers. On Dec 2, 2011, Craft Lake City was officially recognized as a 501(c)(3) organization by the IRS, positioning Brown at the helm of one business and one nonprofit. 

Brown’s charitable organization, Craft Lake City, has a mission to educate, promote, and inspire local artisans while elevating the creative culture of the Utah arts community through science, technology, and art. It accomplishes this mission through educational programming which includes year-round artisan workshop series and STEM programs, curatorial projects, exhibitions, event outreach, the Annual Craft Lake City Holiday Market, and through its largest program of the year, the Annual Craft Lake City® DIY Festival. Last year, Craft Lake City served nearly 800,000 people through our various programs and initiatives. 

In 2018, Brown was honored as a Distinguished Alum from the Salt Lake Community College. In 2019, Brown was cited by Utah Business Magazine as one of 30 “Women To Watch” and in 2020 Brown received the Community and Culture Sego Award.

Continued…

SATURDAY, 9/16

Entertainment, stages, set times!

NEON RODEO LOUNGE @ THE MAYOR VOSS

6:00 PM–Close, 21+

6:00 SOUL PAUSE
7:30 ANDY DOORS
9:00 SPAZ
11:00 STEEZ
12:00-Close JAY-J

ANTI-CHAMBER STAGE @ FICE GALLERY, PARKING LOT

6:00 PM–Midnight, All Ages

6:00 BRASS TAX
7:00 YOU DO MATTER
8:00 DJ NITE RAID x SAUVIGNON MAMI
9:00 GIZMOE
10:30–Midnight BROWN AMY

POP-UP SHOP & LIVE ELECTRONICS SHOWCASE PRESENTED BY ROLAND LIFESTYLE @ FICE GALLERY

6:00 PM–Midnight, All Ages

6:00 TONI NEGRONI
6:30 DANTE LERAE
7:30 MOONINITE
8:30 SIAK Phd
9:30 PARRIS TAYLOR
10:30 UTA TRAX
11:30-12:30am BRAIN DETERGENT

ANALOG FREAKOUT STAGE @ JOHNNY’S ON SECOND

7:00 PM–Close, 21+ (FREE)

FISCH LOOPS
FAR OUT CASSETTE CLUB
BRUISECASTER
PERFECT TAPES

*DJs on rotation curated by FISCHLOOPS and PERFECT TAPES

RODEO MAIN STAGE @ BEER BAR

6:00 PM–Close, 21+

6:00 VI:BRA
7:00 BLESSED1
8:00 NORBZ
9:00 EASY
10:00 GALEN (SF)
11:45–Close DAVID HARNESS (SF)

THE RED ROOM @ BAR X

6:00 PM–1:00 AM, 21+

6-7:30 INTERSTATE DISCO
7:30-9 GABO b2b MANU
9-10:30 TYPEFUNK
10-11:30 MATTHEW FIT
11:30–Close MAURICIO AVILES (SF)

*ALL VINYL! Curated by SOCIAL DISCO CLUB

THE BLUE ROOM @ BAR X

7:00 PM–Close, 21+

7:00 ELIANA’S UNIVERSE
8:30 DJ GABBA
10:00 PFUZZ
11:30–Close TINKFU

RODEOCORE ALLEY

Secret Location Pop-Up Rave! Curated by ETA45MINS
8 PM–12:00 AM, All Ages (FREE)

8:00 PRYVYD
9:00 DUM BOY STICKY
10:00 MOCKED CLUB (dB STICKY b2b PLEXØS)
11:00-Close PLEXØS

SUNDAY, 9/17

OFFICIAL DAY AFTER PARTY @ T.F. BREWING

COSMIC RODEO x SLOW POUR SUNDAYS

All Vinyl DJs & Special Guests*
12:00 PM–9:00 PM, 21+ (FREE)

12:00-3:00 PM DJ PIED PARKLER’S "COSMIC RODEO"
3:00 PM EMILY THURMAN*
4:00 PM BUTTAHFLY BOI BLUES
5:00 PM ADAM MICHAEL TERRY
6:00 PM GABRIEL "G#" MITCHELL*
7:00 PM GARRETT SCOTT*
8:00 PM CONDRICK

Food Truck on site
Neon Rodeo merch table by FICE Gallery

Locations

Spy Hop – Kahlert Youth Media Arts Center

208 West Harvey Milk Blvd, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
2 PM–6 PM, (All Ages, Free for Spy Hop students)

Friday check-in time is 2pm before events start at 3pm. Registration remains open

The Mayor Voss

228 S Edison St, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
10 AM–Close, (21+)

Saturday check-in time is open at 10 AM in the parking lot behind The Mayor Voss. Panel talks begin at 12 PM. Music from 6 PM-close. Registration remains open

FICE Gallery

160 E 200 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
6 PM–12:30 AM, (All Ages)

T.F. Brewing

936 S 300 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
12 PM–9 PM, (21+, Free)

Beer Bar / Bar X

161 E 200 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
6 PM–Close, (21+)

Johnny’s on Second

161 E 200 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
6 PM–Close, (21+, Free)

Google map of locations >

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