Industrial Strength: June 13

PAUL McCARTNEY TOUR SET FOR NOVEMBER?

Those rumours about a Paul McCartney magical mystery tour – which intensified after Macca’s shows in Japan – grew stronger over the weekend.

Apparently the great man has put his moniker on a contract that will see his One On One tour land here in late November and December.

It’s been 24 years since McCartney’s been here. He still holds sway over the media, On his last visit to Melbourne, a pre-show backstage media conference got delayed for a couple of hours because of problems during sound check.

But everyone even the media folk, renowned for their impatience, waited patiently – and even gave him a cheer when he finally wandered in, exuding charm.

Although Paul Dainty has toured McCartney in this neck of the woods, the word is that it’s a Frontier Touring trek.

WA ARTS FUNDING TO DROP

West Australia’s Department of Culture and the Arts (DCA) has warned that the state’s arts funding will be affected, because Lotterywest’s revenue has declined.

DCA said, “Lotterywest is a valued supporter of the arts and culture sector.

“It has provided significant funding support to the DCA for distribution to the arts and cultural sector, and to the Perth International Arts Festival (PIAF) and Screenwest directly.

“Lotterywest also supports the community through its various grants programs and initiatives.”

DCA is reviewing the impact of this decline and will be putting on hold some funding programs while we adjust to these changes and the uncertain funding environment.

FALLS ASSAULT CHARGES DROPPED

Charges against a West Launceston 18-year-old of groping a woman at Falls Festival Marion Bay Marion Bay have been dropped.

Lachlan Callum Dennis was to appear in court this month after he pleaded not guilty to one count of indecent assault. Last Friday the prosecution tendered no evidence and the charges were dismissed.

KEITH URBAN DOMINATES CMT AWARDS

After walking away empty-handed at the Grammys and the CMA (Country Music Association) Awards, Keith Urban has come charging back in a strong way at the CMT Awards in Nashville.

He picked up four honours for Blue Ain’t Your Colour including video of the year, male video, collaborative video and social superstar.

“I love making music, I love making videos … who knows how long you get to do it,” Urban said at the Music City Center. “I’m just trying to make a connection.”

He also thanked his fans and his wife Nicole Kidman, who was in the auditorium.

MIDEM DRAWS 4,400

The Australian pavilion saw a steady stream of activity at MIDEM, and Vistex announced the Australian Music Corporation as one of the 30 new clients who signed on to have its Counterpoint Suite to manage the administration of their businesses.

MIDEM revealed that 4400 delegates attended, same as last year, but still down from the 5500 in 2015.

Exact Australian figures were not immediately available. But there was a spike in the amount of visitors from the US, Latin America (particularly Chile, Mexico and Brazil) and Africa. Ukraine and the Ivory Coast attended for the first time.

DIDDY TOPS FORBES ENTERTAINMENT EARNING LIST

Sean ’Diddy’ Combs was crowned the highest earning artist by US business mag Forbes. He pulled in US$130 million from June 1, 2016, to June 1, 2017.

Contributing were Diddy’s Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour, his stake in Ciroc vodka and the $70 million sale of one-third of his Sean John clothing line.

Beyoncéwas second at $105 million, then Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling ($95 million), with Drake and Portuguese soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in the top five.

Taylor Swift may be getting a call from a worried bank manager. She dropped from #1 to #49, after earnings dipped from $170 million to a mere $44 million.

SA REGULATES NIGHTCLUB SECURITY INDUSTRY

South Australia is moving to introduce laws by the end of the year to make it harder for nightclub and other kinds of security to get licensed.

The Sunday Mail reported that these will include crimes related to firearms and listening devices.

SA’s Consumer Business Services said that 32 security agents and investigation agents were suspended between June 2016 and May this year for being charged with an offence in breach of licence requirements.

South Australia has a total of 6753 people licensed.

The move is to prevent more gang members infiltrating nightclub security, as has happened in other states.

AUSTRALIA PLAYS ROLE IN FUTURE’S GLOBAL PLAQUE

Australia is one of the nine countries whose support for Future’s Mask Off led the rapper to receive a global plaque from his American record label Epic.

“Mask Off was a career-defining moment for Future and its success was a watershed moment for hip-hop globally,” said Epic President Sylvia Rhone.

The track went gold in Australia as it did in New Zealand, Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. It was certified platinum in France, Sweden, Canada and Norway.

ANOTHER FEMALE TALENT WINS JOSH PYKE PARTNERSHIP

For the third consecutive year, a female artist has won the Josh Pyke Partnership. This year it’s emerging Melbourne singer-songwriterAngie McMahon.

Pyke said that her song Slow Mover “was stuck in my head from the moment I heard it”.

McMahon will use the $7500 cash element on making her debut record. She will get one-to-one mentorship from Pyke, as well as meetings with Wonderlick Entertainment’s Gregg Donovan and Select Music’s Stephen Wade.

The four-year-old Pyke Partnership is in collaboration with APRA AMCOS.

McMahon said, “I’m so excited to head into the studio, and I can’t thank Josh, his team, and APRA AMCOS enough for putting their faith and funds behind my music.

“This is a huge and happy kick forward. Thanks a million to this team of legends for their incredible vote of support.”

APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR JAZZNOW! JAZZCAMP

Aspiring WA musicians aged 11—18 keen to learn about jazz and improvisation are invited to the JazzNOW! Jazzcamp.

It is held at WAAPA in the first week of the mid-year school holidays, between Monday July 3 and Friday July 7.

Full details at jazzwa.com or email Project Manager Pete Jeavons at [email protected].

MORE BERNARD FANNING DATES

Further shows have been added to Bernard Fanning’s Brutal Dawn tour. These include a third show in Perth and a fourth show for Brisbane, with new dates in Newcastle and his hometown Byron Bay, both with Sara Tindley.

Like the earlier Civil Dusk,Brutal Dawn also debuted at #2 on the ARIA chart.

MUSIC SA OPENS CERTIFICATE IV IN MUSIC INDUSTRY

Music SA is now offering mid-year entry into its Certificate IV in Music Industry course, which offers study, perform and work in hands-on roles in music and festival management.

Certificate IV in Music Industry courses resume on Monday July 17 (full-time) and Tuesday July 18 (part-time).

MEDIAWORKS WINS 26 AT NZ RADIO AWARDS

MediaWorks Radio took home a total of 26 trophies at the New Zealand Radio Awards 2017.

Duncan Garner accepted Best Talk Presenter for RadioLIVE Drive, and RadioLIVE’s Lloyd Burr was awarded Best News Journalist.

The Rock won with Jono & Ben’s drive show receiving Best Music Non-Breakfast Team – Network, as well as Best Client Promotion – Network for Cool Town Bro.

The Rock’s National Crate Day promotion took out Best Network Station Promotion and Best Station Digital Promotion, while the Make Kaikoura Crate Again campaign scooped Best Community Campaign.

Jim Cawthorn from The Rock Workday was named Best New Broadcaster – On-Air, and Best Video went to The Rock for Jim’s Extreme Parkour: Expectations vs Reality.

Best Music Breakfast Show – Network went to The Edge’s Jay-Jay, Dom and Randell, and The Edge also won Best Creative Commercial for Corn Evil – The End is Near and Best Station Imaging.

Christian Boston of the More FM Network was awarded Best Content Director for the second year running. Also for the second consecutive year, More FM Canterbury took away the coveted Station of the Year – Surveyed Market.

Chris Bond received Best Show Producer for his amazing work on More FM’s Si & Gary.

The Breeze’s Robert Scott grabbed Best Music Non-Breakfast Solo Host – Network, while The Easy Workday with Katrina Smith took out Best Music Non-Breakfast Solo Host – Single Market for The Breeze Wellington. The Breeze Wellington also got Best Promotion – Single Market for its Cranzac campaign and Best Single Market Station Promotion for Guns ‘N’ Roses on The Breeze.

Best Creative Feature went to Mai FM, and Commercial Production to Mai FM Northland.

Previous CEO of MediaWorks Radio, Wendy Palmer, received Outstanding Contribution to Radio. She was with MediaWorks for almost 12 years, and three years as CEO.

VALE JOHN K WATTS

Perth radio broadcaster and three-time premiership footballer John K Watts helmed the high rating The Watts and (Barry) Martin Breakfast Show.

A talented pianist, he also wrote the theme songs for the East Perth, Geelong and Swan Districts clubs.

After beating prostate cancer in 2000, he was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer in 2011. He was farewelled at Leederville Oval, home of East Perth FC.

Watts was 80. Good friend Alan Symons quipped, “He was the greatest entertainer that ever lived, and I believe I’m quoting him correctly on that!”

SOUNDTRAP REACHES MILESTONE

Sydney and Stockholm-based online collaborative music and podcast recording studio Soundtrap reached a new milestone – its services are now being used by 500 schools in Australia and New Zealand after the education version of the tool launched last year. It is a member of the National Association for Music Education.

TWO MUSICIANS WIN MARTEN BEQUEST SCHOLARSHIPS

Two musicians were among 12 creatives who were recipients of $600,000 Marten Bequest scholarships, which send Australian artists around the globe

Twelve Australian artists have been announced as recipients of the 2017 scholarships, each receiving $50,000.

Adelaide bassist, composer and producer Ross McHenry will undertake a two-year program of professional development activities in Jazz performance and composition, including collaborations and residencies in North America, Canada and Berlin.

Perth-born Kathryn McKay will undertake the Professional Studies Certificate Program at the Manhattan School of Music in the studio of American String Quartet violist, Daniel Avshalomov.

AND A FEW OTHER THINGS…

• Will the push to replace the Sydney fireworks with a laser light show be successful?
• A high-profile South Australian arts identity made his first court appearance on child sex charges — and told a magistrate he does not consent to his case being publicised.
• At the end of their Vivid show at the City Recital Hall, Sydney’s Dappled Cities announced that founding bassist Alex Moore was (amicably) leaving the band.
• A boost for Brisbane band Dune Rats’ record label: one of its international signings, Essex rapper Rat Boy, has been picked up as Vevo’s latest Lift star to be given huge amounts of publicity. Previous Vevo Lift artists include Rag’N’Bone Man, Jonas Blue, Years & Years and Zara Larsson.
• Former ABC Radio Tasmania host Tim Cox was chosen by Labor to stand in the Hobart seat of Denison at the next state election, whenever that is. Some believe Cox has the personality and the oomph to bring in the votes; others grumble he only joined the party recently and has been “parachuted” in.
• The Tamworth country music community met last Saturday morning to pay tribute to Chad Morgan at the unveiling of his bronze bust in Bicentennial Park.
• Which TV network will pick up an interesting new pilot being offered, which is the PR version of adland’s The Gruen Report and where panellists will come up with spins whenever a drama erupts?
• The Delta Riggs, who are dropping their Live In Sydney video this week, are heading off after being part of the return of the Lansdowne Hotel to North America. They’re doing six shows July 11—18, three of them with buddies Eagles of Death Metal.
• Creative Partnerships Australia, which combines investors with artists and musicians, unveiled a new website after consultation with the sectors. Creativepartnershipsaustralia.org.auprovides improved access to useful content, resources and advice about arts fundraising, philanthropic and private giving, sponsorships and partnerships.
• On the tenth anniversary of the passing of Warumpi Band singer George Rrurrambu Burarrawanga, his family announced that as per cultural tradition, his full name could be spoken again. This means the music industry can begin to set up awards under his name, which last week’s Barunga Festival did and which MusicNT wants to do, to pay respect for the man whose band produced My Island Home, Blackfella, Whitefella and Jailanguru Pakarnu (Out of Jail).
• US audio hardware company Sonos is causing their Australian retail partners some (well, a lot) concern with plans to sell their product directly to local customers.
• Jake Stone (Bluejuice), producer Magoo and Julia Wilson (Rice Is Nice, Brain Drain PR) are appointed as judges for Happy Mag’s inaugural Needle In The Hay vinyl competition.
• Registration for Desert Divas – the Northern Territory’s music development program for female Indigenous musicians, rappers and singer-songwriters— have opened.