Industrial Strength: Illegal rave promoters face court; More SA HOF inductions; Subi Hotel faces live music ban; Record Store Day’s third ambassador

Illegal rave promoters face court

Sydney man Stewart Robert Duffy, aka Wodger Stew Duffy, was fined a total of $4000 for holding a doof doof party for 330 ravers in a national park near Newcastle last June and scaring wildlife. Rangers began to investigate after four passing campers tried to sneak in, and one fell 60 metres. He had to be rescued by a helicopter suffering a dislocated shoulder and internal injuries.

Meantime an unnamed rave party promoter was fined $1500 by Clarence Valley Council (NSW) over an unauthorised rave this month to 1800. The Council is cracking down on such raves saying they could easily be held in any music venues in the area with planning permission, and warning property owners they can be fined $100,000 for allowing their land to be used.

Six more South Australian HOF inductions

The first of the 2015 AMC (Australian Music Collective) sessions will see inducted into the South Australia Hall of Fame Archie Roach, Mark Holden, the late Ruby Hunter and Peter Brideoake and Paddy McCartney from The Twilights. It’s on Friday April 10 at the Goodwood Institute in Goodwood. Performing on the night are Roach, Holden, The Yearlings and Max Savage. It is the seventh round of inductions.

Nine to buy Pedestrian TV?

Nine Network is in preliminary talks to buy 10-year-old youth online brand Pedestrian TV. It claims 200,000 subscribers predominantly in the 18 to 35 demographic. The figure of $10 million is being bandied around, although that is not confirmed and, some would say, unlikely.

Strong start to Netflix in Oz

Newly arrived subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) Netflix isn’t exactly trumpeting its Australian figures from rooftops. But iiNet, the third largest Aussie ISP with almost 1 million subscribers, noted Netflix accounted for 15% of its internet traffic in its first two days. This is enough to tick the “solid start” box. About 200,000 Australians were already accessing Netflix USA using VPNs which disguise a user’s location and let them bypass geoblocks.

A survey by Venture Consulting found Netflix and Stan with the highest consumer recognition of new SVODs. In fact, there was a 32% awareness of Netflix before its launch. The survey wasn’t happy news for Foxtel: 34% of its subscribers (equating to 250,000) plan to cancel or downgrade their subs. It found SVOD users more interested in TV content than movies (58% to 30%).

Subi Hotel faces live music ban

The Subiaco Hotel in WA cannot play live music on its new Roof Deck – because it was built without approval. The state’s Liquor Licensing Director already fined the owners $1,000 last July over the illicit construction and ordered them to apply for retrospective approval. This month, two speakers and a sound barrier from the Roof Deck were ordered to be removed.

Record Store Day announces third ambassador, special releases

Record Store Day Australia’s third ambassador, after Joe Camilleri and country music singer songwriter Amber Lawrence, is Tim Dalton. The one time sound engineer for Public Enemy and Beastie Boys, went on to tour manage Atomic Kitten, Elvis Costello, Faith No More and Simple Minds.

Among special releases are, from Sony, a George Ezra Wanted On Voyage picture disc, a 7” Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix, and a Silverchair 12” Tomorrow EP. Inertia offers an exclusive 12” of Courtney Barnett’s Kim’s Caravan and cover of John Cale’s Close Watch, a Red House Painters box set of four albums on bronze vinyl, and a 12” white vinyl of Vampire Weekend’s Step. EMI/Universal have stuff from The Beatles, Roxy Music, Sex Pistols, Grace Jones, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash and Laura Marling.

Some stores are gong all out sourcing exclusives and live gigs. Tym Guitars in Fortitude Valley has The Hard-Ons flying in just for them and The Captives from Tasmania, as well as Sounds Like Sunset; Music Farmers in Wollongong showcase Shining Bird and Hockey Day. Vital Juices, Redcliffe has bands, DJs, raffles, lucky dips, best dressed prizes, sausage sizzle and up to 20% off all items in the shop. Songlands in Canberra wants customers to bring in unwanted CDs. DVDs, VHS tapes, cassettes etc. to sell on RSDA to raise money for the local RSPCA shelter. Dees www.recordstoreday.com.au.

Bon Scott estate rejects financial offer from movie

Bon Scott’s estate continues to refuse to cooperate with the unauthorised movie being made of his life. In the latest saga, it rejected an offer of financial incentive from the US producer High Voltage Productions, LLC to allow story rights to the life of the AC/DC roadie-turned-singer.

The estate’s letter, sent via Brett Oaten Solicitors in Sydney, also told producers not to contact it again. HVP responded, “Our legal team has made it quite clear that we do not even need to secure or option story rights as Mr. Scott is deceased and the Estate cannot preclude us from making an unauthorised biopic or docudrama.” It has announced a preliminary open casting call for roles and plans to launch a crowd-funding campaign.

Alukura songwriting comp winners

CAAMA Music announced the eight Aboriginal female singer-songwriter winners of the inaugural Alukura songwriting competition, (Alukura means ‘women’ in the Arrernte language). They will record at the CAAMA Music studios in Alice Springs between April 12 to 25, sleep under the stars one night, interact with tribal elders and workshops with Stiff Gins.

They are Alice Anderson, 19, from Horsham, Vic; Brisbane’s Kristal West from the duo ZK who were on The Voice last year; Thaylia who is studying a Bachelor of Music in Sydney after releasing a single last year; Donna Velia Woods (Hobart); Kelsey Strasek-Barker (Gold Coast); Rebecca Gollan (Northhaven, SA); Mandy Garling (Darwin); and Dora Smith (Broome).

WA June grants suspended for the year

WA’s Department of Culture and the Arts has suspended the June deadline this year for the Artflight, the Creative Industries Travel Assistance and the Young People and the Arts Quick Response Programs. Funding has been relocated to the April and May rounds.

Festivals update

* After getting grief from councils in Coffs Harbour and Byron, EDM bush festival Rabbits Eat Lettuce heads to Woodfordia, in Queensland, over the Easter weekend. Woodfordia is home to Woodford Folk Festival.

* The Illumination dance party returns to Cairns in October after council twice rejected it in recent years. Promoters worked to charm councilors, including cutting down vehicle numbers and introducing a 1am lockout. But the approval still came with three pages of conditions including 12 security guards and a $20 million insurance policy.

* Folk in Broke (Hunter Valley, NSW) is another festival returning after a break of a few years. It is held this Saturday at McNamara Park with 11 local acts.

* Two Fires includes a screening of the Jimmy Little memorial concert at Sydney Opera House. The festival has a crowd funder on Start Some Good (startsomegood.com) to raise $22,000 by April 10 to stage the festival.

* The inaugural Peninsula Picnic at Victoria’s Mornington Pennsula exceeded organisers’ expectations by reaching its 4,500-capacity.

SCA’s mobile-first grows on-line traffic

Southern Cross Austereo’s online traffic for February showed a monthly unique audience of 945,000, Today/Hit Network the #1 radio brand online and SCA ranking as #15 most daily “tagged” up from #21 in February 2014. SCA's Director of Digital Sales and Operations, James Bayes said the data was a result of its successful mobile-first strategy that SCA introduced two years ago. “We are particularly thrilled to have grown four times faster over the last twelve months, than the overall market tagged by Nielsen,” he said.

Steps discuss Melbourne as the music capital

Society of Tastemakers & Elegant People (STEP) and Collarts will for their April event discuss ‘Melbourne The Music Capital’.

Speakers are Nick O’Byrne, Program Director of Bigsound and manager of Milwaukee Banks and Courtney Barnett; Woody McDonald of 3RRR and booker of Meredith and Golden Plains, Mikey Cahill of the Herald Sun; Simon Winkler, 3RRR Music Director and Lucy Buckeridge, EMI publicist and singer/bassist of Lowtide. It’s at The Toff in Town Wed April 15. See www.step-events.com.

Radiohead artwork exhibit heads to Sydney

5,000 pieces of artwork from Radiohead collaborator Stanley Donwood will be exhibited as The Panic Office at Sydney’s Carriageworks from May 21-June 6. Aside from his own work, there will be Radiohead artwork.

Recovering: Pete Davies, Errol Tout

Mix 104.9 Darwin radio morning presenter Pete Davies told listeners he has esophageal cancer and about to embark on a 13-week course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The 57-year-old had trouble swallowing and ended up in hospital ER after a piece of lamb got stuck in his oesophagus.

Perth guitarist Errol Tout, 55, is back performing after battling kidney and liver cancer over the past two years. A month ago he had eye surgery to relieve tension created by a benign tumour lodged in his brain.

Brad Smart chasing $4 million from Macquarie Radio

Brad Smart, who sold his North Queensland regional radio stations (Smart Network) to Macquarie Radio Network in 2011 for a reported $6 million, has lodged a claim of $4.1 million in unpaid fees in the Supreme Court of NSW.

Vale

Boyd Groenveld, Chairman of Millicent SA community station 5THE FM, passed after a year-long battle with a brain tumour.

Radio writer and presenter Alan Seymour OAM (6PR, 2UE, ABC Sydney) passed on.

Col Thompson, one time Station Manager of 4BH, and worked in sales and promotions at 4IP and 4BK, died after a short illness. The one time footballer also co-founded Brisbane's RATS radio group.

And a few other things…

Are Ed Sheeran fans so fanatical they’d give up a friend’s wedding to see him in concert? When 2DayFM's Dan & Maz gave away tickets for his 2Day rooftop gig last Friday, the deal was listeners had to “trade in” something. Among those handed in were three invites to weddings in October, a bar fridge, a piece of jewellery inherited from someone’s grandmother and an acoustic guitar.

Brisbane City Council has made it clear it will oppose the Queensland state government’s push for a 1am lockout and 3am shutdown. It says it would be particularly disastrous for the Fortitude Valley precinct.

Southern Cross Austereo’s new Chairman Peter Bush (and corporate turnaround specialist) indicated a shake-up at the TV and radio group.

The new closing date for Creative Industries Round 1 is changed to Thursday 9 April at 4pm.

Are the hush-hush Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement talks pushing for a GST-free threshold on foreign purchases leading to online shopping in Australia becoming more expensive?

Moni Lashes, drummer with Adelaide band Babes, set a new world record for longest (24 hours) continuous drumming outdoors on a stage in Rundle Mall. She did it to raise money for her dad who has Multiple sclerosis.

The new Beats Solo2 Wireless headphone costs $399.95 in Australia. The same item sells in America at the Apple store for $199 (A$255).

Australian Kiss fans sure are dedicated. There were 60 VIP meet and greet packages at $1,250 in each city on their October tour. Most went in minutes.

The Department of Immigration’s decision to use I Am Australian in citizenship DVDs has cost taxpayers $150,000. That’s what co-writer Bruce Woodley of The Seekers will get in compensation after taking legal action.

When AC/DC were interrupted by a film crew at rehearsals for the start of their world tour at the Coachella Festival – to be told they won the Rock/ Alternative International category at Germany’s Echo Awards – Brian Johnson went into a vaudeville routine warbling “We’re Deutschland bound!”

When their flight was delayed for four hours, NZ band (and cricket fanatics) The Phoenix Foundation penned Bic Mac (Run Rate) as a go-get ’em about the NZ Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum before the Cricket World Cup final. The Aussies thrashed them anyway.

NSW band Uncle Jed of 2013 Australia Got Talent celebrate their change of sound and name (to Luna Grand) with a national “farewell” tour.

To accentuate its image as a dedicated live music venue, Sydney’s World Bar has removed all its 15 poker machines, reported The Shout.