Industrial Strength: December 11
MAKE MUSIC DAY AUSTRALIA EXPANDS
Make Music Day Australia is set to expand next year after
the Live Music Office and the Australian Music Association struck a partnership to deliver the 2019 program.
Make Music Day is a free celebration of music making around the world, taking place on June 21.
Launched in 1982 in France as the Fête de la Musique, it is now held on the same day in more than 750 cities in 120 countries.
The 2018 pilot of Make Music Day Australia was conducted with the funding and resources of the Australian Music Association (AMA), via its partner, the US-based NAMM Foundation. Over 100 events in 80 locations took part.
To expand on the pilot program from 2018, a dedicated role has now been established through a partnership with the AMA under the auspices of APRA AMCOS and the Live Music Office, with the aim to build greater awareness of the initiative.
Australian Music Association executive officer Rob Walker said, “The AMA is very proud to be partnering with Live Music Office and APRA AMCOS in building the Make Music Day concept in Australia and creating an event that joins the world in celebrating music making on 21 June.”
“The synergy of purpose between the organisations is striking, and we look forward to engaging many more Australian musicians of all levels in live music in 2019.”
This role will grow these initial partnerships and relationships, increase the number of events from 2018, build on the assets and contacts created, and take the next step in developing this DIY Music Festival concept into one of a truly national interest.
Lucy Joseph of the Live Music Office (lucy@livemusicoffice.com.au) will coordinate local initiatives and commented, “Make Music Day is all about allowing communities of audiences and musicians to engage with each other for one day to make free, accessible music and to celebrate the role that music plays in our everyday lives.”
THIS THAT TEAM LAUNCHES NEWCASTLE FESTIVAL
The team behind the This That festival team – which last month drew 15,000 to Wickham Park – announced a new festival Up Down to be held on the foreshore on Sunday, March 17.
They’re promising “summer beats and sun-kissed vibes… for the ultimate tropical mixer” along with cocktail bars and street food.
According to their website, the first round of artists is announced tomorrow and will include Australian and international names.
Tickets go on sale Friday, December 14.
NO E-STREET BAND TOUR IN 2019
Bruce Springsteen has rushed to douse excited speculation that the E-Street Band is back on tour next year.
With his year-long stint on Broadway coming to an end, The Boss quipped in an interview that he was going “back to my day job.”
Social media whirred into action that dates were to be announced soon. Springsteen had to issue a statement: “Just a note to quell some of the rumours over here on E Street.
“While we hope to be back with you soon, the E Street Band won’t be touring in 2019.
“Before I go back to my day job, the year will be consumed with a break after our Broadway run and various recording projects I’ve been working on.
“We do hope to see you soon, and until then, we have some mighty E Streeters out there regularly performing with their own projects who’d love and deserve your support.”
PERFORMING ARTS TOURING ALLIANCE WINDS UP
The Performing Arts Touring Alliance has wound up, a year short of its tenth anniversary.
It was set up at a time when the then-fractious sector needed a platform for associations, producers, governments and venues to work closer together.
Its executive team says that relationships are strong now and that much of what it does is replicating what other associations are doing.
Hence rather than work as a stand-alone, it will support the various associations.
CULTURE PASS SUGGESTED FOR SYDNEY
Sydney is investigating the possibility of a Sydney Culture Pass, following in the lead of New York and Amsterdam.
It has been pitched to the NSW government by Creative NSW as a way to expand the lure of cultural tourism and help the renaissance of the nighttime economy.
The electronic pass granting discounts, directions, customised tourist itineraries and admission to Sydney’s galleries, museums, cultural and tourist attractions for visitors to extend their stay in the city, the Sun Herald reported.
One of the issues being discussed is to provide cheaper transport and ticket prices for tourists to attend music and cultural events.
MAJOR LABEL CHANGES IN WA
“Despite exporting top musical acts, such as Tame Impala, Troye Sivan and Birds of Tokyo, no major label has an office in WA,” reported The West Australian.
It revealed that after 35 years, popular Perth publicist and promoter Dixie Battersby will no longer be part of EMI.
Five years ago, 20 staff went when Universal took over EMI in Australia. But Battersby was kept on a retainer. That stopped last week, the paper wrote.
It added, “The EMI decision follows the resignation of Alexandra “Apple” Bagios as WA promotions manager for Warner Music Australia.
“Warner are yet to announce a replacement for Bagios and are handling publicity out of Sydney.
“The other majors, Sony and Universal have not had offices in WA for several years.”
MIGOS CANCEL
Red hot Atlanta trio Migos have cancelled Australian dates this month.
Two festival appearances have already announced their replacements: Origin Fields in Perth with rising New York rapper Sheck Wes, and Sydney’s Field Day on January 1 with Wes as well as Juice WRLD.
WOODFORD FOLK STARTS TO TAKE SHAPE
Australia’s 67th largest town has started to take shape in the lush, uninhabited hills of the Sunshine Coast hinterland when construction begins on Woodfordia, the 500-acre site that Woodford Folk Festival calls home each year.
The self-contained pop-up village will welcome more than 2000 artists, performers and presenters; 8000 campers; and an aggregate attendance of 125,000 people for the 33rd Woodford Folk Festival from December 27 to January 1.
When complete, there will be 25 stages, 200 shops, 60 cafes and food vendors, 14 bars, chill out areas, a creche, general stores, medical facilities well as state-of-the-art water and wastewater treatment systems, recycling stations and compost facilities.
Organisers say that this year there are sealed roads in the camping areas, more shade, and new camping options including glamping tee-pees and dome tents.
MELLEN EVENTS PARTS WITH ORD VALLEY MUSTER
Perth based promoter Mellen Events which has been delivering the Argyle Diamonds Ord Valley Muster in the Kimberley for the past nine years, has bowed out.
There was a difference of opinion on the event’s future direction and what each side considered a fair commercial arrangement.
Mellen is working on tours by The Prodigy (January), Bryan Ferry, John Butler Trio & Missy Higgins and RNB Vine Days in February, Kylie Minogue and Bryan Adams in March and Matt Corby in April.
The company will help the Muster find a replacement event manager – but it’s going to be a close shave as the 2019 event is set to stage in May, between the 11th and the 20th.
NSW PREMIER STANDS FIRM ON PILLTESTNG
The death of a teenager at Sydney’s Knockout Games of Destiny EDM festival on the weekend again repeated calls for NSW to allow pill testing at music festivals.
But premier Gladys Berejiklian has stayed firm on her ban, saying on the Today Show: “It’s a human tragedy, young l
lost – wasted – and I can only imagine what that young man’s family is going through this morning.
“That’s why after the recent death just a few months ago, we brought in some pretty substantial changes including extra penalties for those supplying these drugs, but also for the way in which these concerts are managed,.
“We want young people to have fun, we want them to enjoy themselves, but we also want them to be safe.”
BEST DRESSED IN
Five musicians made it into the Top 10 list of British GQ’s “best-dressed men of 2019.
Childish Gambino was placed at the top, for his colourful tuxedos silk shirts and V-neck knits.
The magazine said, “Donald Glover is a new-wave renaissance man – and his style is superbly ‘wavey’ too, providing all the Seventies-inspired vibes a modern man needs in his wardrobe right now.”
Others in the Top 10 were Skepta (“keeps his streetwear interesting by going for neon or big prints up top”), Harry Styles (“shows guys that they can play with tailoring, pattern and cut”), John Legend (“a penchant for suits just on the right side of jazzy”) and Travis Scott (“a poster boy for that high fashion and street-brand remix vibe”).
AUSSIE DJ NICK DE LA HOYDE STREAMS UP
Sydney raised global DJ Nick de la Hoyde notched up 130,000 Spotify streams in the first week for his new single “California”.
He’s already topped 9 million streams in 2018 alone, with video views exceeding 10 million+ and socials pushing over 700k+ across all pages.
SIX60 TOP NZ STREAMS
Rock band Six60 were the most streamed New Zealand act on Spotify in 2018.
It winds up a phenomenal year for the band, including five wins at the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards and becoming the first (and so far, only) NZ act to sell out the 50,000-capacity Western Springs Stadium in Auckland.
Other top NZ streamers were Lorde, Katchafire, Fat Freddy’s Drop and Sons of Zion.
SA GIVES MUSIC EDUCATION $7M BOOST
South Australia is injecting $7 million into a new scheme to improve the quality of music education in early childhood services, preschools and primary schools over ten years.
Music education expert Dr Anita Collins, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra’s Vince Ciccarello, and the Elder Conservatorium’s Graeme Koehne helped develop the strategy.
An extra $500,000 is put aside for a music innovation funding pool that includes new music gear and radical ways to approach music learning including integrating music into lessons.
VALE
Wayne Elliott was the singer with New Zealand ‘80s hard rock band Knightshade who had a number of Top 20 hits.
They released several EPs, a live album and a ‘best of’ studio album in 1995 before splitting up two years later.
But they reunited 14 years later and recorded new material.
In 2013 Elliott was diagnosed with an aggressive form of asbestos-related cancer that affects the lungs.
AND A FEW OTHER THINGS….
A New York judge has told Cardi B she is not to contact victims of a brawl she was involved in at a strip club. Police said the singer argued with a 23-year old bartender, and a brawl apparently involving Cardi and her entourage broke out at 3 am, during which chairs, bottles and hookah pipes were thrown. The case resumes on January 31.
The $2.8 million raised by the John Farnham-headlined
Hay Mate Buy a Bale – A Concert for Farmers in Tamworth on October 27 is being put to good use. $1 million of hay (or 2,000 large squares transported in 30 trucks) has been bought by Rural Aid from SA and WA and reaching 250 farmers from this week. Money was also spent on fuel, dog food and Christmas gifts.
A 46-year old security guard working in front of one of the stages at the Sydney instalment of the Good Things festival had what promoters called “a medical episode”. He was taken to Westmead Hospital but later died.
‘90s reggae singer Buju Banton has been freed from a Florida prison after seven years. He was hauled into the clink after being part of a consortium which tried to buy 5 kilos of cocaine for $135,000. He is expected to return to his native Jamaica.
Michael Gudinski told business magazine afr that funding for elite arts as ballet and opera should be cut back and greater support for contemporary music. The last Live Performance Australia figures showed that contemporary music has the largest market share of the sector with 43.8% in revenue with $826.05 million and 36.8% in attendance totalling 8.46 million.
The 1975’s Matty Healy has apologised for his comments in a recent interview in which he claimed: “Misogyny doesn’t happen in rock and roll anymore.” He told The Fader, “The reason misogyny doesn’t happen in rock and roll anymore is because it’s a vocabulary that existed for so long is that it got weeded out. It still exists in hip-hop because [the genre] is so young, but it’ll stop.” The backlash came quickly and with great intensity. The Girls Against association posted: “So disappointed by these comments made by @Truman_Black we hope he recognises the privilege that these comments are reflecting as we are evidence of misogyny being very much alive in rock and roll.”
Spain’s Primavera festival unveiled its May 2019 bill to show as an equal amount of female acts. including Cardi B, Solange, Erykah Badu and Courtney Barnett. The Australian contingent also includes Tame Impala and The Necks.
Art Gallery of South Australia’s new director Rhana Devenport’s first program for 2019 includes an exhibition called Sonic Blossom by Paris based Taiwanese-American Lee Mingwei where the ambience of the paintings is augmented by singers performing to visitors as they view the paintings.
Queen guitarist Brian May says Bohemian Rhapsody would have been “a disaster” if Sacha Baron Cohen had played Freddie Mercury. He was an original choice but got turfed out by Queen over his approach to portraying the singer.
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