Festivals & Venues: December 14

TWO IN COURT OVER MEREDITH MUSIC BAD DRUGS

Two men, aged 23 and 24, faced the Geelong Magistrates’ Court this week over an alleged involvement in a round of dodgy drugs which had nine patrons needing on-site medical help.

Both are out on bail, with the magistrate adding as a condition that neither contact each other.

Meredith for the first time spent the weekend made stage announcements warning about the drug batch and, indeed, taking drugs at the festival.

“We are proud of the people who attend our festivals and the dedicated team who successfully protected our No Dickhead Policy this weekend, resulting in two arrests relating to drug offences following nine individuals experiencing mild vomiting and diarrhoea.

“There were no overdoses.

“Following the harm-reduction stage announcement on Saturday there were no further cases and the arrests were made soon after.”

HAVANA BROWN JOINS LUNAR ELECTRIC

Port Macquarie’s inaugural Lunar Electric (January 6, Cassgrains Winery) may have lost Tigerlily but it has now announcedHavana Brown along with 14 other DJs.

The lineup already has an impressive A-team roll call, including Timmy Trumpet, Will Sparks, Bombs Away, Tyron Hapi, Jesse Bloch and UberJak’d.

Only the $125 final release tickets are left, with the $79 early bird. $95 first release and the $110 second release all sold out. There’s only a limited quantity of $240 VIPs, organisers said.

A.B. ORIGINAL CLIMB SUGAR MOUNTAIN

The good news is that A.B. Original have been added to the climb up Sugar Mountain (January, Melbourne).

The bad news is that London-based J Hus had to pull out as he had to axe his entire tour through Handsome Tours and Astral People. Those dates are being rescheduled.

POLICE ACCOUNT OVER INFLATION SHOOTNG SEEMS CONTRADICTORY

The civil action against Victoria Police by a couple who were shot by heavily armed officers at Melbourne’s Inflation nightclub in July has gone to Supreme Court.

But The Age reported that the police legal defence appears to contradict an account by a senior officer just hours after the incident at the King Street venue.

Dale Ewins, 36, and Zita Sukys, 38, were having sex at the “Saints and Sinners” party when seven officers charged in following reports Ewins had a gun.

According to defence documents filed, Ewins reached under a cushion for a gun and pointed it at them, at which point he was shot in the torso, later tackling and tasering him in self defence.

But the original claim, by Supt. Lisa Hardeman was that Ewins “took the firearm from his pants and aimed it at police”.

The gun turned out to be an imitation.

EDM EVENT PROJECT ZERO AXED

Promoter Dance Nation Australia axed the trance and hardstyle Project Zero event – scheduled this month in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide – “due to circumstances outside of the artists control and ours.”

HOT DUB WINE MACHINE DRAWS 10,000

Hot Dub Wine Machine, an all-day festival at Serafino Winery in McLaren Vale, drew 10,000 punters.

However, DJ Lord’s finale set was cut short by 30 minutes when informed that the police were closing the event early before the 11 am scheduled end.

NEW HUB FOR BRUNSWICK MUSIC

Next year’s long running Brunswick Music (March 4—18) has a new hub, with most of the action at the Brunswick Mechanics Institute, opposite Brunswick Town Hall.

Staged by Moreland City Council for the 30th year, it showcases local talent and venues, as well as acts from nationally and abroad.

Names included were All Our Exes Live in Texas, Benny Walker and a curated bill from Psychic Hysteria Records.

Tourists number Masta Ace (USA), Daymé Arocena (Cuba), Hypnotic Brass Ensemble (USA), My Bubba (Sweden/Iceland) and Jojo Abot (Ghana). Full details at brunswickmusicfestival.com.au.

FALLS FUNDS GIVES BACK TO COMMUNITY

The $1 per ticket that all the Falls festivals around the country put to their Community Find, is being put to good use.

Among the local organisations getting a hand-up was Mullumimby Public School, which will now be able to buy musical gear for its students.

TRIAL BEGINS OVER LOVE PARADE DISASTER

The trial of four Love Parade organizers and six city workers on charges of including involuntary manslaughter and bodily harm has begun in Dulsberg, Germany.

On July 24, 2010, about 21 patrons died and 650 were injured at the high profile techno event in a crush in a packed tunnel that was the sole access point to the music event.

18 INTERNATIONAL ACTS FOR PIKNIC ÉLECTRONIK

Back for its fourth season of open-air summer sessions. Piknic Électronik unveiled 18 international names for nine events February 4 – April 8 at the Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne.

They include Detroit legend Derrick May, Italy’s Agents of Time, Sweden’s DJ Seinfeld, Britain’s Marcus Marr and Radio Slave, France’s Paul Ritch and USA’s Mor Elian.

ZOUKOUT DRAWS 40,000

Singapore’s 17th ZoukOut, Asia’s longest running dance festival, drew 40,000 this year.

They came to see Flume as well as Marshmello, DJ Snake, Axwell / Ingrosso, Claptone, Amelie Lens and Rich Chigga.

ROYAL CROQUET CLUB BACK AT ADELAIDE FRINGE

An ill-fated expansion into China left both the Royal Croquet Club Pty Ltd and its parent company, The Social Creative, in voluntary administration with debts of $1.1 million.

However, RCC has restructured, and released a statement that it will be featured in the 2018 Adelaide Fringe as a venue with a “program of music, circus, theatre and comedy shows.”

SOLAR SO GOOD

Australia’s only solar-powered festival, Off the Grid (Friday December 22, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art) is back for a third year with live music, art and discussions from environmentalists, architects, activists, and entrepreneurs.

Organised by Finding Infinity, “dedicated to fast-tracking the transition into renewables through creativity and consulting,” proceeds go to renewable energy in Melbourne.

ROCK/POP CONCERTS RISE IN UK VENUES

A breakdown of attendance and revenue figures of 200 theatres and venues around the UK by trade body UK Theatre revealed that between 2013—2016, rock and pop concerts had the highest growth to 1,654 events.

Revenue grew by 50% to £29.7 million (A$52.4 million) with 1.12 million tickets sold. Pop/rock is the third largest genre in UK theatres.

NEW EDM EVENT IN HOBART

The inaugural Dirty Beats Tazzie Treats EDM event is held on Australia Day at Searoad Shed Macquarie Point. Headliners are Cut Copy and ShockOne.

TWO ADDITIONS TO NYE ON THE HILL

NYE On The Hill (December 30—January 1, near Wonthaggi, Victoria) added two more acts to its 30-strong star studded bill.

They are genre-hopping Melbourne DJ Kodiak Kid and 19-year-old folk artist Janie (Jay) Gordon from South Gippsland.