Festivals & Venues Update: July 27
MELBOURNE TO LOSE CARAVAN MUSIC CLUB
After ten years of showcasing music in the Melbourne suburb of Oakleigh, the Caravan Music Club looks like closing by the end of the year.
Plans are for a massive farewell bash. But in the meantime, venue operators told patrons via Facebook, “The strength of this gig has been the wonderful tribe of genuine music lovers who’ve gathered in this lovely room week after week to celebrate music and community.
“It is that special respectful and welcoming vibe that has enabled us to punch well above our weight and attract artists of a calibre you wouldn’t expect to see in a little hall out in the burbs.”
ADELAIDE’S KENSINGTON FIGHTS FOR LIVE MUSIC
An application by Adelaide’s Kensington Hotel to introduce amplified music via lo-fi bands and DJs has been rejected by St Peters Council after protests from residents.
At the moment, the venue is only allowed to put on unaccompanied soloists, pianists and guitarists, and background music.
What’s annoying venue Managing Director Chris Eitzen is that the residents and Council keep shifting the goal posts.
He says at their behest, the venue got an acoustic set and volume levels were set. But after that, they pushed for a noise limiter, which Eitzen says would cost $5000 and not worth the investment as the venue only wans increased volume for small bands and on the weekends only.
EARLE, SON VOLT, FOR OUT ON THE WEEKEND
Justin Townes Earle and Son Volt (making their Aussie debut) are headlining Melbourne Americana-themed festival Out On The Weekend.
Held Saturday October 14 and promoted by Love Police for the fourth year, some of the other acts include Traveller (Jonny Fritz, Robert Ellis & Cory Chisel), All Our Exes Live In Texas, Raised by Eagles, Fanny Lumsden, Davidson Brothers and Moonee Valley Drifters.
SAD GRRLS EXPANDS TO BRISBANE
After sell-outs last year at Melbourne’s Reverence Hotel and packed out Sydney’s Factory Theatre, gender-diversity promoting Sad Grrrls is in 2017 – its third year – expanding to Brisbane. To The Brightside in Fortitude Valley on November 4, to be specific.
Presented by DIY record label and booking agency Sad Grrrls Club, Canberra’s Moaning Lisa, Melbourne’s Huntly, Newcastle’s Rachel Maria Cox (who’s behind Sad Grrrls Club) and labelmates Antonia & The Lazy Susans are playing in all cities.
The Brisbane stop will have a “secret headliner” to be announced, alongside locals Being Jane Lane, Average Art Club, Feelsclub, The Delicates, Sleep Club, Laura Mardon, Emmy Hour (The Cutawats) and Cloud Tangle.
INAUGURAL SEA N SOUND IN FRANKSTON
The inaugural Sea N Sound lands in Victoria’s Frankston Peninsula in November as part of Council’s 2017-2018 Tourism Event Attraction Program to draw people to the region.
Its focus is on live music, local food and Australian craft beer at Frankston Park; overlooking the magnificent vista of Port Phillip Bay.
Jebediah are headlining, and joined by Shihad, The Superjesus, Dallas Crane and Frankston’s own 28 Days and The Diecasts.
SPLENDOUR ON RAGE
This Saturday’s ABC-TV show Rage sees triple j’s Linda Marigliano going backstage at Splendour In The Grass with the likes of HAIM, Kieran J Callinan, Amy Shark and The Smith Street Band.
There’s also live footage of Queens of the Stone Age, The xx, Royal Blood, Tash Sultana, Dune Rats, Peking Duk, Kingswood, A.B. Original and Maggie Rogers.
The Splendour in the Grass Special screens from 10am -11:30am, returning for the night from 11:50pm on ABC.
SCARBOROUGH VENUE IN ADMINISTRATION
Three years after opening to bring glamour and live music to WA’s beachside Scarborough, the Matisse Beach Club has gone into voluntary administration.
Ten days earlier the venue complete with (wading pool and cabanas) told patrons it was taking a break in winter because of disruption caused by the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority’s $100 million work on the Scarborough beachfront.
“It is not viable for us to trade during this disruption.” it said on its website.
But sole director Sean Reid called in administrators Rob Kirman and Rob Brauer from restructuring and insolvency firm McGrathNicol’s. It is looking at restarting, restructuring or selling the business.
The company also warned that WA’s hospitality sector was facing severe stress, following the softening of the resources boom, and that 68 venues had also called in administrators in the past 12 months.
LIVE AND LOCAL HIGHLIGHTING PORT PHILLIP MUSIC
Melbourne’s free winter music festival Live N Local returns to the City of Port Phillip for eight days next month (August 19—26) to showcase local venues and acts.
“We are proud of our identity as a live music hub,” said Mayor Bernadene Voss.
It kicks off with a pop up party at the new Acland Plaza which will be regular venue throughout and closing with Jess Ribeiro at Temperance Hall.
In between are soul sessions at Starward Distillery and the cellar of the Newmarket, St. Kilda’s jazz heritage celebrated, ‘commuter carols”, Sacred Heart Catholic Church hosts ‘Women of Song’ and the ’Rock The Moon’ closing party at Melbourne Moonshine.
There are also workshops exploring law, production, export and mixing and panels discussing songwriting, management and marketing.
TWO LEFT OUT IN THE COLD
The Daily Telegraph which last month revealed that 20 venues in the Sydney lockout zone had successfully had their applications to ease trading hours.
The Tele has gone on to reveal that two venues alas were not successful.
Candy’s Nightclub in Kings Cross got the Big No after cops claimed to the Liquor and Gaming NSW that it had broken the regulations by not calling them in when violent incidents broke out. Apparently the club allegedly brokered a pay-off between two brawlers, with one agreeing to pay the medical fees of the other so that police did not have to be informed.
The victim later reported the assault to police who issued an infringement notice against Candy’s for covering up a crime scene — which the club is now fighting in court.
Candy’s lashed back that police reports of violence and drug overdoses in its premises were “exaggerated”.
Home nightclub at Darling Harbour, was also rejected because of a number of overdoses and violent incidents reported to police – which the venue has challenged.
WILDWOOD DROPS FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT
The first artist announcement by Port Macquarie’s Wildwood Music for its 4th year (October 1) incudes The Jezabels British India, Hugo Race and Alex the Astronaut.
The day traditionally ends with “the forest filled with fireflies and adults and children alike sparkling from head to toe in their illuminated aurora,” said promoter Simon Leigh.
In the meantime, the Jezabels are taking over Sydney’s The Lansdowne, playing seven consecutive nights from Monday August 21 to Sunday 27 with different guests each night.
AND A FEW OTHER THINGS…
The three-tier grandstands of the Subiaco Oval in WA are rumoured to be pulled down at the start of 2018.
The 6th Kyneton Music, an hour out of Melbourne (October 20 & 21) has dropped its first lineup for St. Pauls Park, including Cash Savage & The Last Drinks, Rolling Blackout Coastal Fever,Loose Tooth, Flowertruck and Karl S. Williams.
Dorrigo Folk and Bluegrass was one of the 15 associations given funding by Bellingen Council (coastal NSW)’s Community Grant Programs for the 2017-18 financial year.
Work on the new sports and entertainment Townsville Stadium will start work on August 18, a few weeks ahead of schedule.
The barge on the River Torrens that was used as a regular venue for the Adelaide Festival might continue as an event space. The festival approached Adelaide Council and proposed a $140,00 ––$160,000 makeover to make it look more aesthetically pleasing. The Council agreed to provide more time to discuss the proposal.
Organisers of Sydney’s Curious Labyrinth party have agreed to refund the $45 entry fee to people who thought that the promised experience of a maze to “get lost to find music, food, drinks and crazy characters amongst the hedges” fell sharply below expectations.
A 23-year old man who got picked up for drunk driving and failing to stop at a red light faced more woes when he ACT Magistrates Court. The cops did a search and found he’d been charged with assaulting another patron outside Canberra’s Academy nightclub in 2014, but had moved intestate.