Comic-Con began in 1970 when a small group of comics, movie and science fiction fans from San Diego put on an event attended by just 300 people. In 2023, about 150,000 people attended the event.
It's a dopamine overload for those who attend as fans, and a marketing bonanza for TV, film, comic book, and merchandise producers.
Podcasting needs a Comic Con. The medium already has several terrific live events that draw podcasters and fans from around the world. Podcast Movement, PodFest Expo, and On Air Fest, to name just a few
I envision Pod Con as a four-day event, with fans cosplaying as Ira Glass, Kara Swisher, Audie Cornish, or Wendy Zukerman.
Until that day, we have the On Air LA Annex that will bring together the vanguard of storytellers, audio creatives and inspired listeners who are shaping the culture of sound. The event runs from November 1 through November 4.
As the annual West Coast edition of New York City’s influential On Air Fest, this year’s event will take place at multiple locations including KCRW’s Santa Monica studio and dublab in University Park, pushing podcasting further into the future and revealing new answers to the question of "what’s next?" (WIRED). From live recordings and performances to exclusive premieres and innovative installations, the lineup will showcase both emerging and established voices across an eclectic schedule and an additional wave of headliners that are still to be announced.
Find tickets here, and more details below.
On Wednesday, November 1st at KCRW’s state-of-the-art Annenberg Performance Studio, the festival kicks off with the On Air Business Summit, a by-invitation gathering of industry leadership for urgent dialogues on growth and evolution of podcasts. Then, the doors open to everyone for an evening that features:
KCRW’s Lost Notes: A sneak preview of the revelatory series’ highly-anticipated return, unspooling the real stories behind LA’s soul music scene with co-hosts Novena Carmel (Morning Becomes Eclectic) and Michael Barnes.
Let’s Make a Horror: Part improv comedy, part horror film, and all plot twist, this interactive rendition of the acclaimed show from CBC Podcasts and Kelly&Kelly will take the stage for a brand new, spooky story right on the heels of Halloween. Comedians Ryan Bell, Maddy Kelly, and Mark Chavez will be joined by a special guest to be announced.
On Thursday, November 2nd at KCRW, the second evening of On Air Fest will shock, entice and enlighten attendees, with sessions from:
Spooked: From the creators of Snap Judgment, presented by PRX and KQED, comes Spooked. Host and Snap Studios founder Glynn Washington opens the second night of On Air Fest LA Annex with a live performance. This installment of the popular paranormal podcast will reveal a true-life tale of the supernatural. Spooked explores the Shadowlands - daring listeners to confront the unknown. Be afraid...
Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso: The revered host returns to On Air Fest for a live taping of the intimate, in-depth interview podcast that has welcomed such greats as Carol Burnett, David Byrne, Fran Lebowitz, Lorde, Oscar Isaac, Padma Lakshi, Questlove, Quinta Brunson, Tom Hanks, and many others.
On Air LA Annex will reveal more details, headliners and exclusive first-listens throughout the coming weeks, as well as the full lineup for the On Air Open House on Saturday, November 4th. Hosted at dublab, the day-long event is free, open to the public and dedicated to celebrating the talents of LA’s creator community. In addition to live radio streams and performances, a happy hour presented by ESPN 30 for 30, DJ sets and more, it will include the debut of an unprecedented exhibition. Following the introduction of On Air Fest’s first-ever, multi-room installation at the beginning of 2023, this new collection of original listening experiences will see guests moving between different stations to interact with the inaugural collection of On Air Official Selects.
Launching as part of this year’s On Air LA Annex, On Air Official Selects is an open, global call for short-form audio stories. Between now and October 4th, any creative can submit an original piece under 10 minutes in length, with an emphasis on experimentation and boundary-pushing approaches.
This feedback loop makes On Air Fest unique.
A panel of leaders, tastemakers and judges – including Alejandro Cohen (Executive Director, dublab), Gina Delvac (Head of Podcast Audience Lab, KCRW), Marshall Lewy (Chief Content Officer, Wondery), Ben Adair (Founder and Executive Producer, Western Sound), Christy Gressman (Vice President, Podcasts, Topic Studios) and more – will award 10 works with an honorarium, as well as the opportunity to showcase their piece for all the attendees of On Air Open House.
Learn more about On Air Official Selects and apply here:
https://www.onairfest.com/article/announcing-on-air-fest-official-selects-2023
Organized by work x work, - 2023’s LA Annex will continue to elevate the art form and reaffirm its place as "the Coachella of podcast festivals," as Fast Company magazine described it.
EVENT DETAILS
WHO: On Air Fest with KCRW & dublab
WHEN: November 1-4, 2023
WHERE: KCRW (1660 Stewart Street, Santa Monica, California)
dublab (1035 West 24th Street, Los Angeles, California)
WHY: A gathering place where audio makers, artists, storytellers, podcasters and listeners are inspired by the art of sound.
TICKETS: Free-$225. General Admission & VIP tickets available for single and multiple days.
MORE INFO & TICKETS: HERE at the On Air LA Annex landing page and onairfest.com
Presenting Sponsors & Program Partners: Audible, ESPN, Dolby, Simplecast, Adswizz, Subtext, KCRW, LAist, CBC, Pushkin Industries and dublab.
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