How many bands will showcase at MECA?

Approximately 200 bands/artists to perform during the four nights of the conference.

How will bands/artists be selected?

Initially, showcase submission materials will be reviewed by ChicagoGigs.com's team of professional free-lance music journalists and staff. After showcase submission has ended, a few hundred finalists will be selected and the process will be handed off to a committee of industry professional who will make the final selections. This committee currently includes Jim Peterik, Jay Sweet, Paul Natkin, Mike Puwal (Producer/Songwriter for Insane Clown Posse, Zug Izland and Esham) and Joanne Ledesma (Audio Programming Coordinator - Disc Marketing, Inc.).

What clubs are involved?

We plan to schedule showcases at 20 quality live music rooms, all centrally located on Chicago's North side. As the MECA music conference is organized by the owners of ChicagoGigs.com, we already have established working relationships with many of Chicago's best live music rooms and expect to be confirming showcase locations over the next few months. Venues will be announced as they are confirmed.

Why is there a charge to apply for a showcase?

We charge a nominal fee to help cover the administrative costs of evaluating the applications ($20 from 9/1/03 to 10/31/03 and $35 from 11/1/03 to 12/31/03). The small fee also helps to limit applications to artists that are serious about performing at the conference.

Will my showcase application fee be refunded if I do not get a showcase?

No. There will be absolutely no refunds of showcase application fees. Each band that submits a showcase application and pays the associated fee, but is not provided with a showcase slot, will be able to apply the showcase fee to the purchase of one (1) conference registration.

When will I know if I’ve been offered a showcase?

We plan to have all notifications completed by 1/31/04. You will be told if you will be offered a showcase, put on a waiting list, or not offered a showcase. A waiting list will be set-up, and as openings occur, artists on the waiting list will be contacted.

Can I request a specific venue or contact a venue directly to schedule a showcase for my band?

No. All showcases will be scheduled by MECA in cooperation with each talent buyer. It is our philosophy that it is in everyone's best interests to book each band into a venue where the band will do well. This might be because the band has a proven track record with a particular venue or because the band's style of music is well suited for the venue and/or other artists on the bill. Please include a list of Chicago venues where your band has performed in the past as part of your bio information. We will make every effort to find the best fit for each band. However, MECA will not accept, nor can we guarantee to accommodate specific venue requests for any artist.

Can I set up my own showcase and be affiliated with the MECA Music Conference & Festival?

We encourage artists to set-up their own showcases at non-MECA venues in Chicago during the conference. However, they can only be advertised as unofficial MECA showcases. We will have special advertising rates in the official MECA booklet for this purpose.

Can I pay the showcase application fee with a check or money order, rather than using a credit card online?

Yes. Print the showcase application form and mail it to:

MECA
C/O TMG
PO Box 2419
Palatine, IL 60078-2419

Make the check payable to MECA Music Conference and Festival.