Last week’s second One Movement Festival announcement bolstered the artist line-up to 35. Andrew McMillen caught up with Nick O’Donnell from one of the new additions, Brisbane indie rock band 26.

Andrew: How did 26 get on the One Movement line-up?

Nick: We were shortlisted by [Queensland music industry development association] QMusic and Trade QLD. One Movement chose us and one other band from QLD - Grand Atlantic.

What does this opportunity mean for 26?

We are really grateful to get the opportunity to build on our US and European relationships as well as be able to prove ourselves live in front of the industry folk. However, One Movement is far more of an exciting experience as it’s a festival showcase rather than the tight little 150 seat rooms that most of these events are held in.

What are your goals for the One Movement Festival performance?

Simple: put on a great show for the audience and hope that will also spark some industry interest in the band. Two birds, one stone.

How valuable are these kinds of industry showcase events for indie artists?

I think it depends where you’re at as a band. If you just need some more info on how the industry works these things are great! If you are a bit more advanced, it’s all about making relationships with bands, managers, agents, sync partners, and all that stuff. I guess it just depends on the usual things: your own talent, mixed with a whole bunch of luck that you might meet the right people that ‘get’ what you do, and want to help you out. Your odds are always better when you have this many people from the industry in one place for a few days I guess; well, at least that’s what we’re banking on!

26 had a song featured on the NBC TV show Life last year. How did that come about?

It was one of those lucky things. We had our songs registered with a Brisbane sync company, Hook, Line & Sync. We hold our copyright, and they just licensed our music for a percentage. They have all our tracks registered on their site so that music directors could hear them. They also put out a little compilation disc that went around to the movie companies and television companies in the US. The people behind Life heard our song, loved it, and thought it was perfect for the show.

We got a phone call a week before it was due to air, and then we had to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. The contract had to be agreed on within that week. It was on the final episode of the show. It was as easy, quick and fluky as that! A music supervisor just happened to hear the song; it actually came from the technological ability to have those connections. It simply wouldn’t have happened without the internet.

One Movement’s tagline is “artist, industry, fan united“. What will it take for this dream of unity to become reality?

Being the first One Movement Festival, it’s all up in the air, but the organisers of the event [Sunset Events] really know what they are doing and have proved themselves before. So I just guess we have to put on a great show and leave the organising in their capable hands.

I think the dream can become reality. In the past, I think the “industry” (including artists) have patronised the audience with the way they have presented recorded and live music. So maybe it’s just a case of giving the audience the respect they deserve by presenting them with intelligent, heartfelt music in the way they want it packaged. Then we might be in with a fighting chance!

Learn more about 26 on MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and their website. 26 play the One Movement Festival on Saturday, October 17 2009.