DJ Warehouse in administration; Cat Empire turn 1000; MusicNT unveils its 2014 program
DJ Warehouse Australia in administration
DJ Warehouse Australia, the country’s largest supplier of DJ gear, music production and PA hire, informed suppliers that it is set to cease trading. Pro-audio site Channel News reckons that its hire division will continue to operate. The company was set up 13 years ago.
Two Queensland acts make waves in the U.S.
Cairns-based Shanon Watkins’ One by One debuted at #2 on the US Top 20 Top 20 Radio Dance Club Chart and #5 in the Top 30 Radio Chart Breakers. Originally discovered by triple j Unearthed, Watkins signed to Michael “China” Walker’s Brisbane label Go2 Records. Watkins is recording a follow up track with US remix producers KlubJumpers and planning US dates.
Singer songwriter Natalie Howard’s album Under {Love’s} Umbrella (Ozstar Music) has been nominated in the Country Album category at the USA’s 13th Annual Independent Music Awards. The other four nominees were Americans. Locally the album produced 3 country hits and a gong at the Canberra Country Music Awards. A few years ago, Howard took Country Song at the awards with I Don’t Want To Live Like That.
MusicNT unveils its 2014 program
Northern Territory association MusicNT unveiled its 2014 program. Coinciding with National Youth Week on April 9-11 in Darwin are youth music industry workshop series Intune and two-day workshop Saltwater Divas for Indigenous females. Other events include the Original Recipe Music Festival (June 21-28), the NT Song of the Year awards (June 28), the Intune Alice music conference in Alice Springs (July 25-27) and the fourth National Indigenous Music Awards (August 15) in Darwin. MusicNT Executive Director Mark Smith said, “The Territory music scene is going from strength to strength, bands are recording, musicians are touring and there’s a lot of talk nationally about what’s happening in the NT.”
Regurgitator acquire EP catalogue
Regurgitator acquired rights back from Warner Music Australia on their first two EPs, Regurgitator and New. These are out on vinyl in June through their label Valve’s online store. They’re asking fans to pre-order to fund costs.
The Cat Empire’s hits #1000
The Cat Empire mark their 1000th gig this week (March 21) with a free show at Federation Square in hometown Melbourne. In the past 10 years, they’ve played to 6 million people and sold 1.5 million albums. They estimate they’ve hired 2500 cars, used 12000 hotel rooms, missed 12 flights and cancelled one show. They played to 50 people at their first show (May 24, 2001) and their biggest crowd was to 250,000 last July.
US country awards head to Australian TV
The Academy of Country Music (ACM) and Dick Clark Productions struck a deal with Foxtel’s Country Music Channel to air the Academy of Country Music Awards on Australian television for the first time. The 49th awards, staged in Las Vegas, air on Monday April 7 at 10 am (AEST), with Australian viewers able to vote in the Entertainer of the Year and Newcomer categories.
AHEDA figures: digital sales up in home entertainment
Digital film and TV sales were up 22% in 2013, according to data just released by the Australian Home Entertainment Distributors Association (AHEDA). These make up $143.6 million of the $973.43 million value of Australia’s total home entertainment market. Electronic sell through (EST) accounted for $71.2 million in revenue whilst videos on demand achieved $72.5 in consumer revenue across 23.8 million units.
Adelaide Festival box office hits $2.3m …
The Adelaide Festival’s box office revenue exceeded its target by bringing in over $2.3 million across 39 ticketed events. The festival ran from Friday February 28 to last Sunday. The final attendances for all 50 Adelaide Festival events is still being collated. But organisers anticipated they will exceed 348,000 the highest festival attendance in four years. The festival is projected to generate a total economic benefit in excess of $22.5 million. (All these financial figures exclude Womadelaide.)
The Tonight Show heads to free-to-air in Australia
US chat show The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, which showcases music acts, is screened in Australia five nights a week at 7.30pm on ABC2.
…while Perth Festival hits $6 million
The 23-date Perth Festival took $6 million at the box office, up from $4.8 million last year. It drew 500,000 in total, of which 200,000 were for ticketed events. GM Julian Donaldson said the festival had actively targeted new audiences and reinforced links with established supporters.
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