MEOWCon- the Film: Mini-doc covering Women in Music Conference in Austin

Last month, we traveled to Austin to showcase at MEOWCon, an action-packed conference for women in music. Amid the showcases and panels and networking, Kwame and I were interviewed for this mini-documentary of the MEOW experience. Check it out! You'll also catch Suzi Quatro, Patti Quatro, Kathy Valentine, Jennifer Batten, Mia D'Bruzzi, Paula Boggs, Sara Skinner, Rain Perry, Kim Bingham, Leanne Summers, Hether Wagner Reed, The Better Halves, Theresa Jenkins, Allie Shaw, Chelsea Schwartz, Diana Finlay Hendricks, Julie Christensen, Susan Arbuckle, Amber Saxon, Nancy Quatro Glass, Sue Young, Neeta Ragoowansi,  Tony Scalzo, Rick Carney, Carla DeSantis Black, Margaret Moser, Jody Denberg, Derek Woodgate, Jane Boxall, Rachael Sage and more. MEOW Con is seeking sponsors for the 2014 edition. Visit www.meowcon.com or www.meowonline.org for more info.

Austin Never Sleeps: MEOWCon Recap

Playing Cedar St. photo by Katie Garibaldi

We had another great time in Austin, playing at MEOWCon13 and getting completely inspired by all the other artists (hello Leni Stern African Trio*, Bluebonnets & Suzi Quatro), while catching up with new and old friends (Katie Garibaldi, Sue Quigley, Willow &The Embers) with gigs at The Driskill and Cedar St Courtyard to bookend the conference experience. Along with the live shows, there were several films that screened during MEOWCon. We met Seattle filmmaker Kay D. Ray on the shuttle to the hotel and were very happy we made a point of seeing her 'director's cut' of Lady Be Good: Instrumental Women In Jazz. Containing extraordinary footage of, and interviews with, pioneering women musicians from the 1920s to the 1970s, it's a deep, inspiring, troubling and enlightening film all at the same time. In other words, make sure you see it. You can find out more and support it's release at Kay's site.
Very big bow of appreciation to Carla DeSantis Black, who rounded up an extraordinary mix of women in music that was the inaugural MEOWCon. Here's to many more!

And thanks to Austin itself, which doesn't seem to get much rest. Between MEOWCon, the Austin Film Fest, the Austin Ironman and The Texas Book Fair (as well as a bunch of stuff we didn't know about) going on at the same time, the city was constantly buzzing. Ole! 

MEOW Showcase, photo by Jo Wymer

MEOW Con 2013

*We were especially blown away by Leni Stern, a masterful and transcendent guitarist whose trio brought the conference to an entirely new level. Bay Area residents take note: She's bringing her act to Oakland, November 2 @ Restaurant Duende & Bodega

MEOW Con in Austin, TX Oct. 24-26

It's almost time for MEOWCon!  I'm excited to head to Austin on Thursday to take part in @MEOWCon13, a action and music-packed conference for Women in Music! Thanks MEOW (Musicians for Equal Opportunities for Women) and found Carla DeSantis Black for putting it all together. I play Saturday night at 7pm and am in great company: there are nearly 100 performances by female artists in all styles of music, including hip hop, punk, country, pop, singer-songwriter and everything in between. 

Check out the full schedule here http://meowcon.com/sched/showcases/ …

Other highlights include:

*  The Woman of Valor Dinner on Thursday night - Oct 24th - honoring Suzi and Margaret Moser of the Austin Chronicle and the Austin Music Awards. These are two of the most formidable women in the music business and there will be lots of wonderful anecdotes, great food and even a performance by the queen of rock herself!

* Keynote speeches by Suzi (Friday) and the amazing Kathy Valentine (profiled today in the Austin American Statesman) who spent 30 years as a Go-Go = the most successful all-female band of all time!

* Panel discussions on topics like: Where are the Festival Headliners? Sexism, Blogs and Online Journalism, Guitar Heroes, Licensing to Film and TV, Britney to Miley: Why Do Good Girls Go Bad?, I Am Metal (And So Can You), Women, Music and Mental Health, Relatively Speaking: When your Family is in the Band and many, many more.

* One on One interviews with Jennifer Batten, Frightwig, Linda Chorney, Patricia Kennealy-Morrison.

* Workshops on the art of screaming, busking, taking care of your $, the legacy of Marian McPartland.

* Book readings by Evelyn McDonnell (Queens of Noise); Laina Dawes (What Are You Doing Here?)

and so much more!

Don't miss this LAST CHANCE to be a part of this historic event.

Full schedule available at www.meowcon.com
 Brought to you by Musicians for Equal Opportunities for Women (MEOW)
Tickets on sale now at www.meowcon.eventbrite.com