Above The Noise, a music industry conference and showcase for the West of England, has announced more speakers for its 2026 edition.
Members of the independent music company, Finesse Forever, will host a ‘meet the team’ keynote session curated by Above The Noise’s official partner, AIM. The drill-focused label will close out the one-day conference, which is held at Bristol Beacon on Thursday, April 2.
The conference’s second edition will also see 2025 Ivor Novello Best Album award-winner, Berwyn, in conversation with Dr Jill Thomas of the Ivors Academy about his creative processes.
Winners of the 2025 MOBO Award for Best Alternative Music Act, Alt Blk Era, will join David Martin, CEO, Featured Artist Coalition (FAC) and Westley Holdsworth, grants and programmes manager, PRS Foundation, to dissect the opportunities and challenges within today’s touring and export landscape.
Other speakers on the day include: Paul Jones, A&R manager, Rough Trade Records; Alice Boeglin, manager of Bristol band, Getdown Services; Laura ‘Hyperfrank’ Brosnan, executive editor, Trench Magazine; Carlos de los Santos, head of A&R, Submarine Cat Records, and Rhiannon Bramley, senior A&R, Bucks Music Group.
These guests will speak in AIM’s specially curated discussions, including demystifying A&R, and how to start and scale an independent music business.
The West of England deserves a music industry event like this and we hope to establish Above The Noise in the annual calendar
Owen Parry
Above The Noise, which held its inaugural conference last year, is additionally supported by the Music Managers Forum, Music Venue Trust, FAC, PRS Foundation and UD Music.
Owen Parry, creative producer, Bristol Beacon, said: “After the success of last year’s launch of Above The Noise, we have been really encouraged by all the positive feedback we received from attendees, guest speakers and the industry organisations that contributed to making it a fantastic first event.
“This solidified our vision that the West of England deserves a music industry event like this and we hope to establish Above The Noise in the annual calendar, continuing to support the regional ecosystem by providing access to vital professional development in complex career pathways.”
Gee Davy, CEO, Association of Independent Music (AIM), added: “We are delighted to continue to bring AIM’s expertise and network to maximise the value for local artists, music professionals and businesses. Events such as Above The Noise are vital to shaping a more inclusive and sustainable future for music in the UK, actively helping to rebalance the industry by driving growth and visibility beyond London.
“Our continued partnership with Bristol Beacon allows us to ensure that we succeed in our mission to help the independent music sector thrive in every part of the country and level the industry playing field, by supporting the development of local talent and infrastructure. We’re proud to be part of an initiative that’s making real, long-term change for the West of England.”
