Rebecca Austin
With the month of April gently knocking at our front door, downtown Jacksonville is warming up for the third annual One Spark or “The world’s largest crowdfunding festival” on April 7-12. As part of the 2015 festival, EU Jacksonville newspaper is partnering with Underbelly as the official venue for the Music Creator Showcase. This year there will be two $15,000 prize awards determined through crowd voting and a juried panel of music industry professionals.
So, what does this mean? All music creators being showcased at Underbelly will have the chance to create something magical, something worth not only being a part of but also to witness. Musicians can perform and interact with fans and rub elbows with industry insiders who are always searching for rising talent. Entry to the venue will be free for creators and the public; creator booths will be set up both inside and outside of Underbelly, giving the most exposure for the audience to learn more about who the creators are, what they do, and why they should be given a vote. All attendees will have access to watch live performances, as well as the ability to vote for the creators of their choice. Being a creator is an experience unto itself; with your talent being showcased at such a high level, the exposure can lead to endless possibilities.
Underbelly provides the whole package when it comes to live entertainment: a great stage, great sound, lights and not to forget, a full bar! Each performance will be 40 minutes in length, except the headliners which will start around midnight and end at 2am. All stage back-line equipment (drums, amps, etc.) will be provided, so all the musicians have to do is plug in and perform.
When it comes to musical talent, Jacksonville’s local musicians know how to entertain! Whether or not you have had the pleasure to come out during any one of the shows at Underbelly, during One Spark, you can hear the best music that Jacksonville has to offer~all day and well into the night. Because let’s be honest, what’s better than live music?
Underbelly has been chosen as the venue to showcase the best of Jacksonville not only because it’s the best place to watch live music, but because it lives and breathes live music. Underbelly is about giving people the chance to be themselves in a space that demonstrates creativity and dedicates everything to that one moment the audience will remember forever. Creators will take the stage at predetermined times that will be published in the April issue of EU, accompanied by profiles of various artists that will be performing.
One Spark is a great addition to Jacksonville, as it flaunts the entrepreneurial spirit of talented creators who have made it their livelihoods to do what they do: entertain. With the increasing amount of attendance from 2013 with a little over 100,000 people to last year’s estimated 260,000, One Spark may attract as many as 300,000 attendees for 2015. As the years go on, the musical talent increasingly becomes more abundant and varied. In 2015, the roster of talent will not only be impressive, but it will make you feel proud to say you live in Jacksonville. Even if you haven’t heard all of the musical talent Jacksonville has to offer, I guarantee you will leave the Creator Showcase feeling exhilarated after experiencing the amazing music that exists this beautiful city.
Being located in downtown Jacksonville, Underbelly is known as the flagship of downtown nightlife, and it is also surrounded by many other fine establishments that deserve your patronage, including Dos Gatos, 1904 Music Hall, Burro Bar, and Burrito Gallery to name a few. Events like One Spark create a festival-like atmosphere where the local businesses involved come together to help promote and better our city.
Underbelly is located at 113 E Bay Street at the intersection of Ocean and Bay, within easy walking distance from Hemming Park and the Jacksonville Landing. The venue hours during the One Spark Festival will be published in the April issue as the schedule comes together. Feel free to visit the venue’s website at www.underbellylive.com to see an easy reference of who is playing & when.
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