Spread over two days, with the Friday aimed at industry insiders and the Saturday aimed at a more general consumer market, the inaugural Brighton Music Conference offered a huge range of talks and demonstrations.

In the main exhibitor area at Brighton Dome, dozens of companies jostled for space and attention, representing everything from local educational courses and shops to offering the opportunity to play with the latest Roland gear.

As most of the stands were equipped with sound systems and there were a number of exhibitors with lights, lasers and smoke machines, the atmosphere was intense. The volume added to the vibrant, almost club-like feel, but didn’t make the talks on the exhibition floor particularly easy to hear.

However, in the conference room and the Founders Room seminar area, attendees listened intently to some very interesting talks, with Saturday’s History Of Electronic Music being a particular highlight. With a panel including acid house pioneer DJ Pierre, club DJ and broadcaster Dave Pearce and outspoken Funktion One founder Tony Andrews, the talk gave a unique and fascinating insight into the development of the scene.

Informative, accessible and varied, Brighton Music Conference was an essential event for anyone involved in the music industry.