SCA partners with promoter giant for live series

Radio broadcaster Southern Cross Austereo and veteran promoter company Frontier Touring have struck a partnership to stage a series of live music events based around SCA’s various brands.

The first of these is Hit Network’s RnB Fridays, to run in November as a package tour featuring Nelly, TLC, Mya, 112, Montell Jordan, Blackstreet, Blu Cantrell (pictured), Fatman Scoop, Dante Thomas, Kevin Lyttle and DJ Horizon.

After launching last year and its initial tests in the Sydney market, RnB Fridays is now the Hit Network’s most listened to day on-air program across its 50 stations nationwide. The show has also yielded branded club nights in four states and two multi-Platinum branded compilation albums through Universal Music Australia.

It has strong streaming figures and SCA state research finds that fans who tune in for the show on Fridays don’t listen to the station on other weekdays. The demographic is also wide, showing that younger age groups discovering the music on the mid-90s to mid-2000s themed playlist while older ones are rediscovering the music they grew up to. 70% of Hit Network listeners are females under 40.

Dave Cameron, SCA’s Head of National Content and Development said, “Taking our loved shows from the radio and in to larger-than-life live events will give them the ultimate experience. And we are doing it with the best in the biz.”

Matt Gudinski, Executive Director of Frontier’s parent Mushroom Group, an R&B fan who previously set up Illusive Touring for primarily urban acts, said the partnership promised to be a successful one. Each show will last up to six hours.

“The RnB Fridays brand has been an amazing success story in its radio form, and the progression into the live arena is a natural way to mutually benefit both the artists involved and the brand itself,” he added.

Among the R&B acts that Frontier Touring has toured in the past have been Drake, Usher, Tyler The Creator, Alloe Blacc and Collusion DJ, with Brian McKnight visiting next month.

RnB Fridays dates and venues are:

November 18 – Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney

November 19 – Eatons Hill Outdoors, Brisbane

November 20 – The Gats @ nib Stadium, Perth

November 25 – Hisense Arena, Melbourne