News March 12, 2019

Aussie festivals have come together to launch the #VoteMusic campaign

Some of the biggest music festivals in Australia have come together today to launch the #VoteMusic campaign in hopes of saving New South Wales’ live music scene.

If you found yourself on Facebook this morning, you might have noticed that the profiles of some of your favourite festivals might look a little bit different.

Yes, instead of showing their iconic logos or images of music-lovers in their element, festivals such as Splendour In The Grass, St Jerome’s Laneway Festival and more have changed their display pictures to that of static.

No, it’s not a glitch or anything wrong with your timeline, rather, it’s all part of the campaign to combat the draconian, backwards festival regulations being implemented by the NSW government.

Launching today, the Australian Festival Association have kicked off the #VoteMusic campaign, an initiative to protect live music in New South Wales.

Launched in association with Live Performance Australia, APRA AMCOS, Live Music Office, Music NSW, ARIA and PPCA, it appears that this is a campaign that has widespread support throughout the Aussie music industry.

“Right now, live music in NSW is under threat through poorly-designed and heavy-handed new regulations for music festivals,” the alliance wrote in a statement today.

“The music industry was willing to work constructively with government before it introduced these regulations. That failed so we’re now making sure our voices will be heard during the election campaign.”

“More than 3.2 million people of all ages and backgrounds attended a live music event in New South Wales last year,” they continued. “The live music industry is worth $1b nationally and a third of that revenue is generated in NSW.

The AFA notes they’re encouraging every eligible voter to check with their local candidates in regards to if they support live music when it comes time to vote on March 23rd.

“Our simple message is this: If you care about live music in NSW, #VOTEMUSIC on March 23 (and make sure you preference every box).”

“Time and again people have approached me to tell me how a piece of music has defined a pivotal moment in their life. I can’t help but feel that we are currently in an incredibly dark chapter in NSW’s rich music history.” — Michael Gudinski #VoteMusic pic.twitter.com/5lQWmrNNeM
— Frontier Touring (@frontiertouring) March 11, 2019

Of course, this isn’t the first time others have weighed in on the plight of the New South Wales music lover, with Peking Duk calling on voters to vote out NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, while the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea called the new regulations “the stupidest fucking thing I’ve ever heard in my life.”

Likewise, industry icon Michael Gudinski of Frontier Touring also shared a few words on social media in support of the new campaign.

“Time and again people have approached me to tell me how a piece of music has defined a pivotal moment in their life,” Gudinski wrote. “I can’t help but feel that we are currently in an incredibly dark chapter in NSW’s rich music history.”

In a statement offered up this afternoon, John Graham, Shadow Minister for Music also made it clear that “Labor supports the #VoteMusic campaign.”

“This campaign is a glimpse of the future of the NSW music scene – static and white noise,” Mr. Graham explained. “To save music in NSW we need to change the government.”

“To #VoteMusic, vote Labor, preference every square, and put the Liberals’ and Nationals’ last.”

New South Wales residents are set to go to the polls on March 23rd, so while you’re exercising your right to vote, be sure to keep one simple phrase in mind; “If you care about live music in NSW, #VOTEMUSIC on March 23.”