Festivals & Venues: May 18

BARNES, ANGELS, MOSS, STEVENS HEAD ONE ELECTRIC DAY

The sixth edition of One Electric Day (Sunday November 25, Melbourne’s Werribee Park) returns with its strongest bill yet – Jimmy Barnes, The Angels, Ian Moss, Jon Stevens, Richard Clapton and Thirsty Merc.

Promoter Duane McDonald says the buzz surrounding the event has been building all year – and rightly so, with organisers announcing this morning that the event has sold out.

“One Electric Day is such a great family event that we see people adding it to their calendar year-after-year. It is such a good feeling to see familiar faces each year – many of whom have been attending since day one.”

“Last year sold-out so quickly and we anticipate this year will be the same. The 2018 line-up includes the best of the best of Australian music royalty and we are proud to bring them all to the One Electric Day stage.”

TOURISM EXECS PUSH FOR MONA FUNDING

Funding for MONA FOMA was among the hot topics at the two-day Tasmanian Tourism Conference in Launceston.

The festival moved to Launceston in January and drew thousands – leading to businesses, tourists and pollies to push for it to be given an incentive to stay.

Not only is the event itself bringing bucks in, but its success is expected to trigger a stronger arts/festival scene in the northern part of Tasmania and give the region international exposure.

During her address, Labor tourism spokeswoman Rebecca White said, “I urge the Premier not to hold out and to provide funding for this truly game-changing opportunity.”

The government responded that through Events Tasmania “significant funding and support” had been provided for Mofo.

It already committed $1 million to support the northern move for MoFo 2018, which also included $350,000 to support the Hobart event, $650,000 in new funding to take the event North and $100,000 for Mona to create a Launceston legacy with infrastructure or business improvements.

The festival made a funding application in April which is currently going through the system.

FIRE HITS TWO VENUES ON SAME NIGHT

Two venues in different cities were extensively damaged by fire, coincidentally on the same night.

Colonial Leisure Group reckons that Bimbo Deluxe in Fitzroy will be closed for a couple of months.

Its blaze started on the first floor, which an office equipment thought to be the culprit and made its way to the downstairs area. 24 firefighters were brought in.

“The boring details; the fire was caused by faulty office equipment and is in no way suspicious,” the company updated.

“Thankfully, no staff or patrons were on site when the fire broke out (at 1.30 am). The extent of damage is still being assessed.”

The Ben Lomond Alpine Hotel in northern Tasmania, which features music acts, was also hit on the same night, but at 10:30pm.

The pub section has been completely destroyed and some of the accommodation areas were also affected – all this just as the ski season begins and was to start its busiest time of the year.

RENEWED PUSH FOR NEW CANBERRA STADIUM

As debate rages as what to do with the increasingly deteriorating sports and entertainment Canberra Stadium, a private consortium is pushing for the ACT government to fast-track plans for a new venue in the city.

The government did come up with a financial plan for a new venue but funding got diverted to other projects.

PRIMAVERA SOUND’S ZERO TOLERANCE FOR HARASSMENT

One of the world’s major festivals, Primavera Sound in Spain (May 28-June 3) has initiated a zero-tolerance policy against sexual aggression and harassment.

Signs will be hung prominently warning against sexual aggression and trained “anti-sexual harassment staff” will patrol the festival site.

The festival draws 65,000 on each day.

Its move is the latest in a strict nighttime policy initiated by Barcelona’s city council and been adopted by other festivals (including Sónar and Cruïlla) and the city’s music venues.

Street protests broke out when a court in April found five young men not guilty of abusing an 18-year-old woman despite video evidence – and one judge suggested the victim was “having a good time.”

FOUNDRY HOSTS REFUGEE FUNDRAISER

The Foundry in Brisbane is hosting a fundraiser on Thursday May 24 for the UQ Refugee Tutoring Club.

It is a student-run organisation that provides a free tutoring service to high school refugee students in Brisbane.

The club is fundraising for the Romero Centre to help ensure that asylum seekers living in Brisbane receive practical support

Nice Biscuit, Asha Jeffries, Heir Fuller, Kurilpa Reach and Shep Dooley are playing.

40 COUPLES SAY ‘I DO, I DO’

40 couples made use of the wedding vow renewal ceremony at the Trundle ABBA Festival.

In its seventh year, it drew a record 5000 to Berryman Oval, some from the west coast and from Queensland.

Among the events drawing the crowds were the ABBA fashion parade, sets by ABBA type acts as Bjorn Again, the greeting of the arrival of the ABBA Train, the parade by 134 vintage cars and a singing competition featuring tunes by….well, take a wild guess.

WINTERWILD CELEBRATES DEATH AND BIRTH

Apollo Bay’s WinterWild (Coastal Victoria, August 10-12 and August 24-26) is this year celebrating the themes of death and birth.

Events include dancehall burlesque, late night electronic and experimental showcases, and renditions of songs written for instrument and voice in the local church, as well as walking Otway Ranges tours and enjoying produce from the region.

PILABARA GETS NEW VENUE

After seven years without an arts facility after the closure of the Walkington Theatre, the Karratha music and arts community was out in performance of the grand opening of the $56 million Red Earth Arts Precinct.

Performing were out-of-towners Daryl Braithwaite, Thirsty Merc, Ricochet Circus, Jye Whitman and the Pierce Brothers as well as local acts and dance troupes.

The precinct was funded by the City of Karratha, the federal and state governments, Lotterywest, Woodside and Rio Tinto

TAME IMPALA CO-HEADLINE TREASURE ISLAND

This October, Tame Impala will join A$AP Rocky as co-headliners of Treasure Island Music in Oakland, California.

The bill includes Australia’s own Courtney Barnett as well as Lord Huron, Santigold, Jungle, Pusha T, Sharon Van Etten, Aminé, Cigarettes After Sex and Soccer Mommy.

BENDIGO VENUE FACES PROBLEMS WITH APPLICATION

A submission by The All Seasons in Bendigo, Victoria, to extend trading hours might be in for a battle, the Bendigo Advertiser reported.

Both the City of Greater Bendigo officers and Bendigo Safe City Forum have recommended it not be allowed because of its proximity to homes and over noise issues.

It is on the basis that the venue is outside the city’s entertainment precinct.

The venue asked to extend closing time on weekends from 3am to 4am and on weekdays from 1am to 3am.