Dennis RomeroBBC Radio 1's Pete Tong is the Jason Bentley of the rest of the world — perhaps the most influential DJ in global electronic dance music.
And he's bringing Skrillex, Diplo, Russell Simmons, and Lady Gaga's manager, Troy Carter, along with several other notables, to his first International Music Summit, called IMS Engage, in Los Angeles April 17.
It's an exclusive event. Only 250 slots are available to movers-and-shakers who want to see Sony electronic music chief Patrick Moxey converse with Russell Simmons, Diplo take on Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom, or Swedish House Mafia's manager (Amy Thomson) chat it up with Gaga's manager.
Tong, who's DJing at Avalon Hollywood Saturday, says what others have been claiming too — that L.A. has become the American if not worldwide epicenter of EDM:
Los Angeles is now a major business hub (if not the biggest) for electronic music. The agencies , the labels, the management companies, the promoters , the content creation and the proximity to Las Vegas makes it a natural and vital choice.
Dance music has exploded in America in the last few years, with big money chasing the scene.
SFX Entertainment (represented at IMS by Shelly Finkel) recently bought online music retailer Beatport for $50 million, L.A.'s HARD festival was sold to Live Nation for an undisclosed amount last year, and there's rumored corporate interest in L.A.'s Insomniac, which organizes Electric Daisy Carnival.
As such, Tong tells the Weekly, the time is right for such a confab:
The electronic music story has never been bigger in the USA … I don't think EDM is big business to the ticket buyer at Ultra or EDC, or someone going to Sound in LA for the first time to see Seth Troxler play … Behind the scenes yes, the electronic music business is now interacting with big corporations. … IMS Engage is all about showing how far dance & electronic music has progressed.
The event happens all day Wednesday, April 17 at the W Hollywood. Info. Accommodations.
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