Who can write articles?

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

What we publish

Interviews

Interview a 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; and
• what they think about the local scene.

You can also include up to three photographs.

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; and
• why people should go to see them.

You can also include up to three photographs.

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; and
• what they do for the local scene.

You can also include up to three photograhs.

News

Tell us about:

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

Gigs aren't news but they are automatically added to the gig guide.

Photo galleries

You can include:

• up to 12 photographs of an act or event; and
• optionally, a description.

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. Most pub 'stages' have dim lighting so you'll probably need to use a digital SLR rather than a mobile phone.

How to get started

Use the contact form to get in touch.

We'll get you registered and tell you more about writing for Hot Music Live.