Writing for Hot Music Live

Who can write articles?

We welcome articles and photography from local musos interested in sharing their passion for the local scene and citizen journalism.

Community guidelines

You'll need to agree to our community guidelines for relevance, quality, '-isms' and length. In a nutshell, it needs to be concise, relevant and constructive. We're not grammar Nazis but a spell check never hurts.

Of course, if you want to flog bogus Raybans or get snarky about local musicians, there are better places :-).

You don't need to be Annie Leibowitz but the acts we've talked to do like photographs to be properly exposed and focused without too much digital noise. Of course, brilliant composition and timing would be a bonus.

How to get started

Simply click the 'Add articles and photos' menu option above and register. You'll receive an automated email from us with a link that you follow to confirm your registration details. Once logged in, you will be able to write and submit articles (for our approval) and edit/delete your user 'profile'.

If you encounter any difficulties at any stage, get in touch with us via the contact form and we'll try to help you out directly.

What we publish

Note: Each of the following article types can be accompanied by up to 12 photographs

News

Tell us about:

  • bands/acts
  • management and recording deals
  • gigs and festivals
  • new regular sessions
  • new venues (and venues who no longer support live music)
  • new local services for musicians

Interviews

Interview a local act to find out:

  • where they're gigging - bars, festivals and tours
  • who their influences are and what they're trying to achieve
  • recent recordings and videos
  • any interesting deals with promoters and managers
  • new material and arrangements
  • any lineup changes and how this affects their sound
  • which other local bands they dig
  • what they think about the local scene.

Event reviews

For example, you could tell us about:

  • the act's style, set list and line up
  • their attitude, performance and audience rapport
  • the experience of being there
  • any highlights such as great vocals, solos and arrangements
  • other similar local acts
  • why people should go to see them

Venue reviews

Tell us about:

  • the atmosphere and crowd
  • sound
  • visibility
  • seating
  • drinks and food on offer
  • how friendly and helpful staff are
  • parking and access
  • what they do for the local scene

Feature

Enlighten/remind us about:

  • acts and their achievements
  • venues and their history
  • information that doesn't fall under any of the above categories

Photo galleries

You can include:

  • up to 12 photographs
  • optionally, a description