About

Darryl Hurs has a 25-year history in the music business ranging from branding/marketing for Live Nation, retail buyer at HMV, booker for one of Toronto’s top live music venues (The Rivoli), and owning and producing one of Canada’s largest indie music festival + conference, Indie Week. 

Over his career, Darryl has either worked with or booked shows for Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols), Tommy Ramone (The Ramones), John Densmore (drummer for The Doors), Mike Clink (producer Guns n Roses, Metallica), Nigel Grainge (signed Thin Lizzy, Sinead O’Connor, Boomtown Rats), Mike Joyce (The Smiths), Martin Atkins (Nine Inch Nails), Phil X (Bon Jovi), Jason Hook (Five Finger Death Punch), Hozier, Young the Giant, DJ LD (Sublime with Rome)  and many more.

After attending Grant MacEwan Community College in Edmonton for music, he hit the road in various bands eventually landing in Canada’s music industry capital, Toronto. He was working as a buyer at HMV when he decided to become self-employed and work on his career full-time. After a course in graphic design and publishing he worked on being a freelance graphics artist, working for known companies such as Canadian Tire, Cadillac Fairview, Visa, Vistek, and Humber College, eventually landing the world’s largest music promoter, Live Nation, as a client. For Live Nation Darryl has worked on many projects including re-branding the corporate identity, launching vipnation.com as well as various marketing campaigns. Some projects have included work for known artists such as U2, Nickelback, Madonna, Beyonce, Jay-Z, and Dave Matthews. Through Live Nation, Darryl has also worked for affiliates Ticketmaster, House of Blues, Citi Bank, Rogers, and American Express. 

In 2003, Darryl created Indie Week, a music festival focusing on emerging artists. Indie Week has grown to be one of Canada’s largest indie music festivals, and the only music festival of its kind that takes place in Canada and the UK. The festival has grown to include an industry conference focusing on music, film, and tech called Indie101. In 2007, Indie Week launched in Ireland, and in 2015 moved to Manchester. 

INDIE WEEK BRANDS

  • INDIE WEEK (est. 2003)
  • VENUExVENUE music festival (launched 2023 / London,ON)
  • DIT Global Music Community (online)
  • SCREEENxSCREEN music + tech conference (online)
  • indie101 music conference/education system
  • Music Pro Summit (online)
  • NATIONxNATION music export
  • ARTISTxARTIST
  • CITYxCITY (in development)
  • Music From Canada non-profit (in development)

INSTRUCTOR

Darryl has worked as an instructor for over 15 years covering topics regarding computer design (photoshop, Illustrator, HTML, CSS, WordPress, Web Design, basic JQuery) and music (artist management, event management) at various institutions including Trebas music institute, Harris Music Institute, guest speaker at Canada’s Music Incubator, Humber College and Toronto Image Works.

SCHOOLS

  • Harris Institute of Technology (instructor)
  • TREBAS (instructor) 
  • Humber College (Instructor)
  • SENECA College (guest speaker)
  • Durham College (guest speaker)
  • IMB – International Business School (guest speaker/mentor)
  • CNA (advisor)
  • Ryerson (advisor)

GUEST SPEAKER

As a speaker, Darryl has taken part in many music industry panels and discussions at a number of recognized music festivals and conferences. 

List of Conferences / Festivals Darryl has spoken at:

  • Focus Wales (2014 / 2015)
  • Indie Week Ireland (2013)
  • Indie Week Uk (2014)
  • SIM Sao Paulo (2017)
  • Fluvial, Valparasio Chile (2017)
  • Pulsar, Santiago Chile (2017)
  • MATE, Porto Allegre Brazil (2017)
  • BAMM!, Buenos Aires Argentina (2017)
  • Festival Programmers Panel for Music Ontario (2016)
  • Pop Montreal (2016, 2017)
  • Seneca
  • Toronto Blues Society Digital Bootcamp
  • London Music City : Windsor 
  • Canadian Music Week (CMW) 
  • Focus Wales
  • INDIE WEEK
  • Indie101 (i101)
  • Music Pro Summit (MPS)
  • SCREENxSCREEN (SXS)
  • MMB (Romania)
  • MUC:CON (Korea)
  • Future Worlds (LA/USA)
  • Fluvial (Chile) 
  • Pulsar (Chile) 
  • MATE (Brazil) 
  • SIM São Paulo (Brazil)
  • COMA festival (Brazil)
  • DIY Conference (CD Baby/ USA)
  • Breakout West (Canada)
  • Music Celebration Week (Newfoundland / Canada)
  • Semaine NB (Moncton/ Canada)
  • Halifax Pop Explosion (Canada)
  • Pop Montreal (Canada) 
  • M for Montreal (Canada) 
  • January Music Meeting (Winnipeg / Canada) 
  • Mondo NY (USA – virtual)
  • DJOOKY (Ukraine – virtual)
  • PPM (Brazil – virtual) 
  • VMF (Peru – virtual)
  • DISTROFEST 

TRADE DELEGATIONS 

  • CAB (Chile / Argentina / Brazil)
  • Pro Chile 
  • KOCCA (Korea)
  • Le Bureau Du Export (France)
  • Berlin (CIMA / Global Affairs Canada )
  • UK (CIMA / Global Affairs Canada)