More proof of the global strength of dance music came this week, with the announcement of two new electronic music conferences.

Madrid and San Francisco will both host major dance music meetings in the summer, based on the Miami Winter Music Conference format that has successfully attracted thousands of DJs and dance music fans for over 20 years.

The Madrid Electronic Conference (MEC) will take place from 6 – 9 July and like the WMC will be assortment of activities, workshops, discussions, and demonstrations during the day, with kick ass parties at night.

Spain and Madrid in particular has a huge market within electronic music José Domingo, Madrid Electronic Conference Discuss the globalisation of dance music

José Domingo, Communications Director of the Madrid Electronic Conference said: "Spain and Madrid in particular has a huge market within electronic music.

"However until now we did not have a conference celebrating this.

"MEC steps in to offer a high quality event filled with comprehensive day and night programmes - thus creating a platform of opportunity for people from all over the world in a hospitable and exciting city."

Tiësto will be at the MEC

Three Genre Evenings

MEC's night events will take place over three evenings, with each evening dedicated to trance, techno, or house respectively.

Dutch superstar and former No.1 DJ in the world Tiësto will play on Thursday 6 July, whilst Friday will see the likes of Dave Clarke, DJ Rush, Ben Sims, Marco Corola, and DJmag fave Umek all perform.

Erick Morillo, Sander Kleinenberg, Eric Prydz, and Francesco Farfa will fly the flag for house music on the Saturday 8 July.

Madrid's local dance music fans and DJs are especially excited about the MEC.

Spanish DJ hero Frank Trax comments: "For years I was dreaming of an event to meet the people of the real club scene in Spain, and now here it is."

San Fran's Music Conference

San Fran's own Summer Music Conference has been organised as a substitute for the mammoth

Madrid: Bullfights and Electronic Music

Loveparade, that has been pulled by
its Berlin-based organisers who want to
concentrate on the successful return of
the streetparade in Germany's capital.

Despite the name, the Summer Music Conference takes place from September 27 – October 1, and is the first digital music focused conference in the US.

Amazingly its organisers believe that digital music is so intrinsic to the future of electronic music, that they've organised a whole conference specifically to discuss the issue.

"Our intention is to bring in the most

Our intention is to bring in the most interesting, creative, irresistible presenters and vendors from around the world Jennifer Manager, Summer Music Conference

interesting, creative, irresistible presenters and vendors from around the world, giving our target market a chance to learn and share ideas that exists nowhere else," said Jennifer Manager, founder and CEO of the Summer Music Conference.

"San Francisco is the only city in America that is a hub of both digital music and cutting-edge technology, and is the natural setting to host a next-generation event like this."

Digital Music

San Francisco's Loveparade has been replaced by a dance music conference

The Summer Music Conference will consist of two days of digital music technology exhibitions, with four days and nights of electronic music events.

San Fran's newest 20,000 square foot venue – Temple – has been named as a key site of the conference.

The huge venue features the only Martin soundsystem on the West Coast.

But some cynics have suggested the Summer Music Conference is a poor substitute for the Loveparade which rocked the streets of San Francisco last year.

Madrid Electronic Conference (MEC)

When? 6-9 July

Where? Casa De Campo, Madrid

How Much? TBC

The Sales Pitch: Madrid's first electronic music conference will in no way compare to Barcelona's excellent Sonar Festival, but its commitment to the more mainstream sounds of trance, techno, and house suggests it could become a major player in the next few years.

Tiësto, Dave Clarke, and Erick Morillo will help bring Madrid's clubbers out of the woodwork.

More info: www.mecfestival.com

San Francisco Summer Music Conference

When? 27 September – 1 October

Where? San Franciso (various venues)

How Much? TBC

The Sales Pitch: San Fran's fantastic Loveparade might have made waves in the US dance scene, but its German founders have decided to pull the plug on it this year, to concentrate on their own Berlin one.

The Summer Music Conference takes its place, and although there won't be dancing on the streets, it should prove to be an important meeting for the US dance industry.

More info: www.SummerMusicConference.net