‘A celebration of Australian music’: Dan Rosen talks ARIA Week 2019

A Liquid Lunch with two rock legends is anticipated to be a major highlight of ARIA Week 2019.

Noel Gallagher and Tim Rogers, who first formed a friendship together on tour in 1998, will take centre stage for a special live edition of Rogers’ weekly Double J segment Liquid Lunch on November 22.

“I’m fulfilling my teenage dream by bringing my two teenage idols together in conversation,” ARIA chief executive Dan Rosen tells TMN. “They were my two favourite bands growing up, so it’s personal for me.”

Double J listeners can win tickets to the lunch, with the competition opening Friday, November 8.

“We knew that You Am I was one of the few bands that the Oasis boys liked, so we pitched the idea to respective parties and were absolutely stocked when they agreed,” Rosen added.

Gallagher was already scheduled to be in Australia, with Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds supporting U2 next month.

This year’s masterclass, a gathering of members to learn from great minds, will include a deep-dive into the world of hip hop with Tuma Basa, the director of urban music, at YouTube Music.

“We know that hip hop of the fastest most dominant genre, and it’s starting to take that mantle here,” says Rosen. “Tuma is probably the world’s greatest tastemaker in hip hop and RnB music is a fantastic opportunity.

“Hopefully he can be exposed to a few great local acts that he can then take back and champion to the world.”

Basa will discuss his work with international artists in the genre, and dissect what it takes to thrive in a streaming-first world. More speakers will also be unveiled in the coming weeks.

A partnership with the Nova Network also returns this year, with a stacked lineup of local acts ready to wow audiences leading into the music industry’s night of nights on November 27.

“This year we are doing six Nova Red Rooms across ARIA Week,” says Rosen. “It’s really important to partner with commercial radio to support Australian music.”

Current chart-toppers Birds of Tokyo, Dean Lewis, Guy Sebastian, Illy, PNAU and Tones And I will perform for their fans in a series of Nova’s Red Room gigs.

“No one would have picked Tones And I in May,” Rosen points out. “Things can change pretty quickly, things come out of leftfield.”

“I’m really appreciative of Nova really leaning-in with us on Australian music. It enables us to talk to an audience that’s maybe not always focussed on Australian music.”

First introduced in 2012 to compliment the annual ARIA Awards, and further shine a spotlight on Australian music, ARIA Week since has expanded to two weeks with partner Mitsubishi ASX.

The full schedule, revealed by ARIA today, now includes intimate gigs, showcases, conferences and events in and around the awards’ host city of Sydney.

“It’s something that has really evolved over time,” Rosen explains. “ARIA Week now is two weeks, and even that alone shows how much it’s grown.”