Industrial Strength: August 9

Header image photo credit: Ashley Mar

ACCC to investigate mobile and streaming sectors

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) will be looking at the impact of streaming, SVODs and mobile access to the internet as part of a study of the communications sector to examine its competition and efficiency. It will identify emerging trends and issues.

ACCC Chairman Rod Sims says, “Rapidly evolving technological developments, structural change within the sector, product innovation, and changing consumer preferences are all contributing to this change.

“We recognise the communications sector is one that all Australians have an interest in, and one that facilitates economic growth. Importantly, the study will also allow the ACCC to consider a wide range of interrelated issues that have been raised by the sector and that go to the proper functioning of the market.”

Waleed Aly to present at Art Music Awards

The 2016 Art Music Awards this morning announced that Waleed Aly has joined the list of presenters. Aly is a Walkley Award-winning journalist, broadcaster, author, academic and rock musician. He joins a lineup of presenters that includes ABC Classic FM’s Mairi Nicolson, Merlyn Quaife AM, Katie Noonan, Chair of the Australia Council Rupert Myer AO and Dr Joel Crotty, Senior Lecturer in Musicology at Monash University, Held at the Plaza Ballroom in Melbourne on Tuesday August 16, the Art Music Awards are hosted by Jonathan Biggins with music performances curated by Gabriella Smart.

Venue woes in Adelaide, Canberra, Cairns …

Venue owners are under fire in Adelaide, Canberra and Cairns.

The South Australian Government has been since late July considering recommendations from a liquor laws review by former judge Tim Anderson. These include charging higher licence fees to venues depending on their “risk factor” as how late they open until, the size of their rooms and how many breaches they’ve had in the past. Attorney-General John Rau apparently is considering it, telling Parliament’s Estimates Committee he wants venue owners “who misbehave … to feel the consequences”.

Meantime, as reported in TMN, although the ACT Government has dropped plans for higher venue licence fees, Canberra venues remain convinced it might be resurrected later in the year after the ACT elections.

Venue operators continue their campaign against any future fee hikes through Keep Canberra Open (whose recommendations for the capital city’s night life is at http://keepcanberraopen.com.au/) and ClubsACT. The latest to join is the Liquor Stores Association (LSA). It is today at 11 am launching a campaign during which it will hand out posters and brochures for retailers to spread the word on how serious the implications are for the live sector.

Cairns’ late night venues have had a 15% drop in profits since the first stage of Queensland’s state-wide lockout laws came into effect on July 1. This is according to the Cairns Safe Night CBD Precinct, whose President John Lynch added to the Cairns Post hat some venues had reduced staff hours by up to six hours a week, and there was so much footpath traffic that the length of queues for taxis seemed reminiscent of New Years Eve. But police seem happy with the reduction of alcohol-fuelled incidents in entertainment precincts.

…while Sydney awaits review findings

While the Sydney live music community awaits the results of Ian Callinan’s lockout review, NSW Deputy Premier Troy Grant released a list of ideas that came up during its three roundtable meetings held with all night-time economy stakeholders. The release, titled New Ideas For A Safe And Vibrant Sydney Nightlife, is at https://www.liquorandgaming.justice.nsw.gov.au/.

The report covers suggestions for a wide array of stakeholders of the city’s $18 billion nighttime economy. But those affecting the contemporary live music sector include:

* Trialling extending all facets of public transport until 4 am, with more taxi and Uber ranks.

* Promoting art galleries, cultural venues and bookstores as late night options to drinking alcohol. The idea is to have more restaurants and cinemas opening late, and also have greater pop up food options in the entertainment precincts.

* More pop up performances in public spaces.

* Set up a new entity within the Government to implement and monitor action plans and liaise with stakeholders to foster and promote Sydney’s nightlife.

* Review planning decisions to stop too many live music venues operating in the same areas.

* A campaign by venues to promote responsible behaviour.

* Encourage multi-function venues that are bookstores by day and music venues by night.

* A greater role by arts and cultural associations in the nighttime economy.

Deputy Premier Grant admits, “Many suggestions that came forward were out of the scope of the Callinan Review but are none the less worthy of consideration as part of the government’s mission to make Sydney’s nightlife safer and more vibrant.”

Grant has previously stated that the Government would positively respond if Callinan suggested a roll-back of any aspect of the lock-out laws (particularly getting rid of the 1.30 am one). In recent weeks, the idea of a “night mayor” for Sydney has been heard echoing in the corridors of power – with the live music sector hoping that one of the roles of the mayor become a way to untie the lockouts mess.

Vanda & Young comp extends application deadline

The Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition extended the deadline for applications by a week, giving aspiring songwriters until 11.59pm on Wednesday August 10.

Entrants must submit a copy of their works or songs in MP3 format (as many as they like), a digital photo of themselves, a 300-word-max bio and contact details. Those under 18 need to a signed letter from a parent or guardian.

The shortlist will be announced next month, with the winners’ announcement to follow in October.

Winners get $50,000 prize money from to Alberts and APRA AMCOS, Second prize is $10,000 from the Australasian Music Publishers Association and third gets $5000 from AEG Ogden. All winners get a microphone pack from Shure.

Former winners included Husky Gawenda (2014), The Preatures (2013), Kimbra (2011 and Megan Washington (2009). The $50 entry fee goes to Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Australia, for which the V&Y competition has raised $500,000 over the past four years.

5 Seconds create Twitter tsunami

Sydney band 5 Seconds of Summer have landed the #3 and #4 spots on Billboard + Twitter Top Tracks chart. These were Broken Home and Invisible respectively The tracks streaked into the chart after band member Ashton Irwin tweeted part of each song’s lyrics and links to the track’s audio on Spotify.

Dance VJ Medcraft launches back-to-work campaign

Jim Medcraft, VJ with Australian dance music festivals as Stereosonic and Future Music, has launched a crowd sourcing campaign to get back to work after an accident. He has not been able to work since February after being involved in a hit-and-run in Texas, which left him with bills for multiple surgeries. To worsen matters, his laptop and equipment were stolen, causing more of a financial stress. The campaign is at https://www.gofundme.com/savevjjim to replace the laptop and acquire an electric wheelchair. Within hours of its launching last Friday, the first $10,000 was donated, much of it from the EDM community.

Guvera chief hoses down Indian problems

Guvera’s founder and interim CEO Claes Loberg has hosed down reports that the troubled streaming service’s operations in its biggest market, India, are in swirling waters. Reports were that Guvera Music India was $5 million in debt, or struggling to pay bills to record companies or operating without correct governance or compliance in India.

However Loberg rejected these, and says he’s working at introducing changes to get “everything into a working fashion.” He plans to relocate to spend time between India and Indonesia. Its US executives will join him and a number of new local hirings will tackle problems. A fresh injection of funds will also stabilise its current partnerships in India.

Major East Coast names to mentor NT’s bush bands

Major music industry names are heading to Alice Springs this month to mentor remote indigenous bands prepare for the annual Bush Bands Bash concert on Sunday August 28. It will be part of a three-day skills development camp run by Music NT and with financial aid from The Seed fund.

The mentors include Peter Garrett, Brian Ritchie (Violent Femmes, Tasmania’s MOFO Festival), producer and engineer Anna Laverty, Rayella singer and guitarist Raymond Dixon, producer and musician Dave Crowe, singer songwriter Warren H William, Buzz Bidstrup (Association of Artists Managers), Michael Hutchings (APRA AMCOS) and publicist Paula ’jonesy’ Jones (jones PR).

This year’s concert is relocating to a new, family-friendly venue, the Telegraph Station and held 4 pm to 9pm. There are eight bands featured, five of which have not performed the show before, and one being its first all-female band.

They are Lander River Band (Willowra community | Warlpiri language); Eastern Arrernte Band (Santa Teresa community | Eastern Arrernte language); Irruntyju Band (Irrunytju community | Ngaanyatjarra & Pitjantatjara languages); Iwantja Sunset Reggae (Indulkana community | Pitjantjatjara & Yankunytjatjara languages), Kardajala Kirr-Darra (Sandhill Women) (Elliott community | Mudburra language); and Salt Lake (Umbakumba community | Anindilyawka language).

Joining them, thanks to Country Arts WA Sand Tracks Tour, are desert hip hop from the Barkly region, The Lajamanu Teenage Band.

Aussie band tours in veggie oil-powered van

Australian electronica band Formidable Vegetable Sound System take their name to the wire. Their new single is Kimchi, on how to make the Korean cabbage dish, which is off their September 2-due album titled Grow Do It.

When they embark on a 9-date all-ages tour between September 2 and October 2, it will be in an environmentally friendly tour van, running on used oil sourced from various fish n chip shops on their journey.

Airbourne unveils deets on album, road dates

Victorian hard rock band Airbourne have christened their fourth studio album Breakin’ Outta Hell. It is set for release on Spinefarm Records (through Caroline Australia) on September 23, produced by Bob Marlette and engineered and mixed by Mike Fraser.

The band tears rubber globally, hitting Europe in Oct/Nov with Volbeat. Four Australian shows take in Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne in January.

The title track is also out as their latest single. “We get a lot of feedback from our fans saying how much they love the faster tracks,” says front-man Joel O’ Keeffe. “But when they play them in the car… well, it can be tough on their pocket with all the speeding fines! Breakin’ Outta Hell is definitely one of THOSE numbers… even the guys who filmed the (accompanying) lyric video were stopped by the police and given a fine.”

Radio names launch Branded Podcasts

Branded Podcasts is a new Australian company which works with brands on story-telling content to manifest closer ties with their customers. Set up by radio consultant Steve Ahern and journalist and radio presenter Kim Napier, it reflects a global trend where customers look for information, ideas and product reviews in audio format.

Deadline for Artist in Residence Program

August 15 is the deadline date for applications for the new Jon Lemon Artist in Residence Program in Adelaide to start after mid-September. It is presented by Arts SA through the Music Development Office. It will be offered twice a year to song writers, producers and engineers, to work in one of two brand new purpose-built songwriting rooms based at the St Paul’s Creative Centre.

Applications are assessed on artistic skills and the creative and collaborative objectives for the residency. Artists are encouraged to collaborate as part of their time at St Paul’s. This might be in the form of a new piece of work with another artist in a different genre, or with a more established artist, or with a producer / engineer who would lend their own ‘sound’ or polish to the project. More info at the Music Development Office website.

Jon Lemon is a songwriter based in SA’s Fleurieu Peninsula and has worked with Sia, Christina Aguilera, Lana Del Rey, Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins and The Cure.

Belconnen Arts Centre starts petition for Govt. funding

Belconnen Arts Centre management has launched a petition to get the ACT Government to commit to funding a $12 million to $15 million 400-seat live performance venue. It will be the second stage of the venue. BAC’s Chief Executive Daniel Ballantyne says that in 2012, the Government spent $300,000 on plans and approvals. But it has since claimed second staging funding was only ever a “maybe”.

More Venue Updates: coming, furores, drug investigations, after parties

* The parties behind Goulburn’s new $8 million performing arts McDermott Centre in Auburn St have been holding meetings over its visual design, with a schedule to sign off by November. It will have a 12-meter stage, a 2.4 metre deep orchestra pit, with an outside theatre and conference section if extra funding comes through.

* The Petersham Inn in Sydney created a furore when it put out a sign “hot girls eat free”. But its owner Bianca McDonald pleads that it was a “light hearted” way to draw more women to the venue, and only effective if they bought drinks. About a dozen women claimed their free meal.

* Melbourne nightclub Room 680 in Hawthorn is being investigated after four punters were hospitalised from drug overdoses. Insp Kerin Moloney told ABC News the investigation is whether overdoses caused the deaths in the venue of a 17-year-old last month and a 19-year-old woman last May. He said they’re hunting the source of the drugs and that a crackdown has begun on venues in the area.

* Lyn and Rob Bourke, the latest owners of Munster Arms in Ballarat in regional Victoria, will re-open it this month. They plan to revive it to its old glory. The 1862 venue has undergone many name changes, including Black Rhino and most recently the Battler’s Tavern.

* A number of Perth bars on the market have dropped their prices. The Village Bar in Subiaco Village dropped by $300,000 from its original $1 million tag. The Purl Bar in Rokeby Road lowered its ask from $800,000 to $650,000.

Radio ratings for Sale, Warragul

Radio ratings for Sale in Gippsland, Victoria, showed TRFM a clear market leader with a 31.3% market share, dominating the under 39s demographic and dominating all timeslots except night. ABC Local was 17.1% and most listened to at nights. Gold 1242 was third with 13.4%.

In Warragul, in the La Trobe Valley, Star FM lead with 15.1%, then ABC Local (8.6%) and TR FM (8.1%).

Report: 80% of NZ is on Facebook

Facebook might not be the most coolest of social media platforms any more. But a report by Colmar Brunton found that 80% of New Zealanders are on it. These are 86% of women and 73% of men. Most attached are the 18-29 year olds (91%) and 30-39 year olds (89%).

65% of those on Facebook described themselves as “addicted”. Of other social media platforms, YouTube is 30%, Snapchat 18% and Instagram at 17%.

Festival Update: artist announcements, new arrivals, tents

* Sydney gets a new dance festival called Mystery Mark on November 19 at the Showground. First artist announcement included Joel Fletcher, Bombs Away and Yolanda Be Cool.

* Expressions of interest open today for artists and performers wanting to be part of the inaugural White Night Ballarat 2017 on Saturday March 4. To register interest go to www.whitenightballarat.com.au. Ballarat is the first regional appearance for the hugely popular White Night Melbourne which returns on Saturday February 18.

* Gang of Youths, Jarryd James and Bag Raiders are among those in the first lineup announcement for WA’s Castaway. It is held on December 11 at Thompson’s Bay on Rottnest Island.

* The inaugural Brisbane stop of kids festival Dress Up Attack! on Saturday September 10 has moved to Club Greenslopes. Patience and John of The Grates have joined a lineup which includes America’s Kimya Dawson and Byron Bay’s Bunny Racket.

* How many left their tents behind at Splendour In The Grass rather than take them home? Sixty in one paddock alone, apparently. All of these – and their contents like blow up beds, chairs, tents, lights, eskies – were salvaged by festival volunteers in an hour before the cleaning crew swooped down and dumped them. They were given away to the homeless via charities On Track Community Programs and Connecting Home.

* Perth’s Southbound (December 27 to 29) announced its line-up will include so far The Cat Empire, Hemitude, Peking Duk, Matt Corby, Remi, Nina Las Vegas, Tired Lion, San Cisco, Kucka, Sticky Fingers, Catfish and The Bottlemen, Hot Chip (Dj format), Thundamentals, Smith Street Band, SAFIA, Ladyhawke and Highasakite.

* Heavy rock Blacken Open Air 2017, held on the Easter long weekend in Australia’s Dead Centre, are inviting acts wanting to perform by registering at blackenfestival.com. The event was put together in 2011 by artist collective The Black Wreath, who’re currently in Germany for Wacken Open Air. “Fans of heavy music should make the pilgrimage to the heart of Australia at least once in their life to experience it” says Dave Haley of Psycroptic. Adds Matt Young of King Parrot, “Blacken is one of the most unique festivals I’ve ever been a part of… You need to get up there and play this thing. It is wild!”

* Global Rhythms lands at Sydney’s Bicentennial Parklands Glebe on Sunday September 25 from noon-8pm. Aside from its world music bill (including Joseph Tawadros Quartet, Declan Kelly Presents Dieseln’Dub, Miriam Lieberman Trio and Afrobrasiliana Soundsystem) there are also African, Latin and Asian food stalls, workshops, activities and environmental sustainability.

* In its fourth year, the first artist lineup for Paradise Music includes Gold Class, Harvey Sutherland & Bermuda, Baro, Pearls, GL, LUCIANBLOMKAMP, Sui Zhen, Gabriella Cohen, Fortunes, Julia Jacklin and SAATSUMA. It takes place Friday November 25 – Sunday November 27 outside Marysville, a 90-minute drive from Melbourne.

* Bondi Beachfest on November 12 yesterday unveiled its seven hour music extravaganza to include Icehouse, James Reyne & Mark Seymour, Josh Pyke, Natalie Bassingthwaighte with Rogue Traders, Ash Grunwald and William Crighton alongside a Kombi convoy and surf culture car show and a surfing exhibition.

ArtsACT’s Communications Survey

ArtsACT wants to promote the stories of Canberra art, artists and arts organisations locally, nationally and globally and convey who they are as an organisation and improve the way they communicate with the arts sector. Their website has a short survey that will take 10 minutes to fill. Closing date is Sunday August 14.

Number Crunching

31% of US dance fans and 24% of hip hop fans saying that they had paid for a streaming subscription, compared to the overall average of 17%.

3 movies in 12 months coming for former MTV host-turned-actress Ruby Rose.

8.9 million current US sales for Adele’s 25. Considering it’s still selling between 14,000 and 20,000 a week, it is expected to hit the 9 million mark soon. Previous album 21 shifted 11.7 million Stateside.

1000 Italian musicians, the ones who collectively performed Foo Fighters’ Learn To Fly, recently gathered at Orogel Stadium in Cesena, Italy, to give The White Stripes’ Seven Nation Army the same treatment.

Vale

Wollongong variety entertainer Rikki Organ, initially trained as an electrician, won a number of Mo Awards and was a winner of Bert Newton’s television talent show New Faces. In 2009 he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma blood cancer and fell on hard times. In 2014, the Wollongong music community rallied with a huge fundraiser. Organ died at his home surrounded by his family

And A Few Other Things…

Which co-owner of an Australian venue has been charged in the US for allegedly being part of a multi-million dollar text messaging scheme that charged phone users for unsolicited messages?

The last time SxSW’s Australian, NZ and Hawaii rep, Phil Tripp, was in Honolulu Airport, he suffered a cardiac arrest and spent his holidays moping in hospital. This time around, within minutes of arriving, he tripped on an escalator and fractured his nose. At the end of the business visit, he was back at the airport to fly back to Australia, he lost his passport (although it was later found by a cleaner).

Australian singer Bonnie Anderson’s new single has entered the Billboard Dance chart.

Adelaide musician Woonun Edwin Willoughby is behind bars awaiting trial later in the year. Prosecutors rejected his manslaughter plea over the stabbing death of Oden Edgar, 45, at Glenroy St, last November and insisted on a murder charge. 24-year old Willoughby is the son of drummer Bart Willoughby, of No Fixed Address, Yothu Yindi and Coloured Stone fame.

Victor Rene Amaya, 27, was charged with the murder of Chile-born Perth DJ and club promoter DJ Suave (aka Jaime Rodolpho Fernandez). The 41-year-old’s body was found with “significant injuries” on July 19 in his apartment in Tuart Hill. Amaya will appear in the Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on August 31

Martin John Fulton, 18, who pleaded guilty to assaulting security team member Michael Rigby at Perth’s Good Life Festival in February, has been jailed for eight months. He is also banned from attending music festivals for two years after his release or being drunk in public. Rigby was kicked in the head while on the ground while trying to stop fence-jumpers. Fulton was also fined $500 for trespass and $300 for an unrelated stealing charge.

After three weeks in Canberra Hospital after triple heart by pass surgery, former 2EC morning show host Pete “Disko” Diskon is back at home recovering. He retired in April after 30 years in radio.

Drummer James McLean won this year’s $20,000 Freedman Jazz Fellowship.

After chilling in Byron Bay while making his new album Civil Dusk, former Brisbane dude Bernard Fanning and his wife Andrea Moreno have been settling into their new $2.4 million home in Byron adjoining the Arakwal National Park, Fairfax Media reported. Meantime, Fanning’s October/November national tour is going great guns, by crikey. Secret Service & Village Sounds reported that tickets to the Brisbane, Cairns and Byron shows sold out in 15 minutes. Second shows in Brisbane and Cairns were promptly announced.

Samantha Jade’s move to London for at least six months has been getting a boost. Dannii Minogue is giving her a lot of contacts for when she gets there.

Auckland sports and concert venue Western Springs Speedway changes its name to Vodafone Speedway this summer after striking a sponsorship deal with the telecommunications company.

As the Rio Olympics got underway on the weekend, could country singer John Williamson’s new single Aussie Girls, a tribute to women sports champions, get picked up during the TV coverage?

Is former Sports guitarist Martin Armiger’s ABC TV and radio news theme music to get the heave-ho after eleven years? The ABC is planning to bring back one of its previous theme pieces. One is British composer Charles Williams’ Majestic Fanfare, first used in 1952. Or it could be Peter Wall and the late Tony Ansell’s work which was dumped in 2005 but went on to become a dance chart hit when Pendulum remixed it five years ago.

A new viral sensation is the track used by a group of 30 farmers from Liverpool Plains, NSW, to protest proposed coalmines on their turf. Calling themselves The Liverpool Plains Youth, they used Pink Floyd’s Another Brick In The Wall – changing the lyrics to “Hey! Mines! Leave our plains alone!” It hit 100,000 views in the first week.

Sound and Southern Telegraph reports that Secret Harbour Primary School. Is “punishing” those who come late or contravene other school rules by playing Justin Bieber or Christina Aguilera or the Barney & Friends theme on endless loop on the school PA system during recess and lunch. The whole thing is to raise $1000 for shade sails for the school’s play areas before warmer weather arrives.