In the spring of 2007, five likeminded individuals fused their talent, ideas, inspiration, and ambition to form Forward Collaborative, a venture aimed at highlighting Madison, Wisconsin as the hub of the Midwestern music scene. Their efforts were realized on September 19 and 20, 2008, when their vision, Forward Music Festival, succeeded in captivating an audience of nearly 2000 people. FMF 2009 is slated for Thursday, September 17-Saturday, September 19. Forward Collaborative hopes to build on their 2008 success by moving toward their goals for the future– donating to local arts and culture charities, offering even more Madison and Midwestern bands a chance to share the spotlight, and working in conjunction with even more members of our community by adapting an open committee structure.
“The Madison-based Forward Collective — a vibrant bunch of magazine editors, promoters, community organizers, bloggers and, above all — the mighty force that unites them in harmony — insatiable music lovers — should be pretty damn proud of itself.
For a multitude of reasons, including highlighting diverse local music, attracting regional and national attention to Madison as a vibrant arts community and supporting local music charities, this group of ordinary individuals did something extraordinary: They got a bunch of really good national bands to play at a local music festival no one’s ever heard of.” — Sept. 19, OnMilwaukee.com
“According to the blueprints, the two-day event is conceived as the Madison equivalent of such multi-band get-togethers as Austin, Texas’ South By Southwest and New York’s CMJ Music Marathon…the concept comes straight from the enterprising brain of any twenty-something music blogger: Draw together an eclectic constellation of rising music stars and noteworthy has-beens before you’ve heard of them and long after you should have.
What makes the Forward Music Festival unique — besides designating the city’s isthmus as its ground zero — is its organizers’ emphasis on celebrating the Upper Midwest’s connections to the cutting edge of modern rock and hip-hop, as well as mingling them with a healthy sampling of the local scene’s very best.” — Sept. 19, Channel3000.com
“Just when everyone thought that the finale of summer meant the end of great music festivals, one pops up with a perfect meaning for the remittance of the fall semester. This event is Wisconsin’s alternative to SXSW, the Forward Music Festival.” — September 5, UWM Leader
“As far as summer indie-music festivals in the middle of Wisconsin go, Forward Music Festival in Madison really seems to take the cake.
Yes, the inaugural DIY festival in Badgerville is jam packed with music. Aside from the above-headlined Case and recent Paste-favorite Thao with the Get Down Stay Down, the festival also hosts the harmonies of High Places, Mason Jennings, Dan Deacon and a multitude of local Wisconsin artists.” — August 18, Paste Magazine