Industrial Strength: September 27
Image:Harts was part of a star-studded Rio Olympics track
LABOR ACT PROMISES A LOCAL SXSW
In the sprint to the ACT elections, Labor has promised to set up a South-by-Southeast music, innovation, and arts festival, a local version of the world famous South By Southwest in Texas, Austin.
It will also slash fees for any music venue that shuts before midnight, or small bars and venues (ie, 150-capacity) that close before 2am. It will also add six more blueys on the beat in the Civic entertainment precinct, and hike for larger liquor retailers, which generate $3 million a year and use the money to fund an education campaign on responsible alcohol consumption.
EVENTBRITE MAKES CHARITY EASIER
Self-servicing ticketing agency has made contributions to charity with its latest initiative. An integration yesterday with fund-raising platform everydayhero makes it easier for event organisers of charity and causes events. It allows them to create an everydayhero fundraising page as part of their event registration and immediately begin collecting donations from friends and family.
Phil Silverstone, General Manager Australia at Eventbrite, said: “Events are a fantastic way to contribute good causes, and Eventbrite is seeing continuous growth in the number of Aussies looking to support charitable events.”
MORE MUSIC-THEMED PLACES FOR VICTORIA…
After honouring AC/DC, Chrissy Amphlett and Rowland S. Howard with their own laneways in Melbourne, the Victorian Government is hoping to roll it out throughout the state. It’s announced Rockin’ The Laneways to help fund more places and initiatives that honour music stars, stories and successes.
It will provide up to $25,000 for any individual, organisation or council for each idea, provided they come up with 25% of the costs. These could be street names, walking trails, digital projects, museums and locations that inspired songs. Who knows, the Nick Cave statute in his hometown of Warrnambool could be revived.
The idea, said Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley, is to create more tourism, community involvement and an appreciation of how popular music has played a major role in the state.
…AS CANBERRA NAMES STREET AFTER LIONEL ROSE
The late indigenous world title boxing champion and chart-topping country music singer Lionel Rose has a street in Canberra named in his honour. It will be part of a residential subdivision in Holt adjoining the public golf course.
Canberra has similarly acknowledged 125 musicians, 275 artists and 14 actors.
MORE SPEAKERS FOR FACE THE MUSIC
The second round of speakers for Face The Music includes Alex White (Pandora), Michael Hohnen [Skinnyfish Music], Emma Barnes [Emma Jane Management], Katie Stewart [Laneway Festival], Myf Warhurst [Double J], Samuel Wald [WME], Johann Ponniah [I Oh You], Jaime Gough [Native Tongue] and Emily York [Penny Drop]. Latest artists announced are Briggs, Tkay Maidza, Zola Jesus, Amber Galloway and Japanese Wallpaper.
SYNC REPORT LAUNCHES DIY SYNCS
New music licensing company The Sync Report (www.thesyncreport.com) has a different approach to landing sync deals. Unlike pay-to-pitch services, tip sheets or music libraries, it encourages creators and their business teams to source sync deals themselves.
Explains co-founder Daniela D’Onofrio, “Volume is up and budgets are down which has opened the door for under-the-radar acts to go direct with music supervisors licensing music – if you have great songs, understand the basics of the sync industry and can be professional then you can get your songs licensed.”
Subscribers access a TV Calendar which lists upcoming shows and their music supervisors, as well as Top 50 lists of contacts working on TV shows, brands, films, trailers and video games in Australia, the US, Canada and the UK.
HARTS ON STAR-STUDDED UNRELEASED OLYMPICS TRACK
Fast rising Melbourne guitarist and performer Harts was part of a Rio Olympics track alongside Questlove, Lenny Kravitz and Corrine Bailey Rae with singers from Malaysia, Nigeria and Brazil. The Fire was never released, but the acts involved are talking about it online.
Harts says, “I think this song really inspires the message of overcoming things, the message of overcoming whatever you have in your life – the struggles, the pain.” Harts himself the son of former champion Indian athletes, also did track and field as a youngster.
WILLIAMS BOWS OUT OF AC/DC
When AC/DC farewelled earlier bassist Mark Evans in 1977, they got him drunk at London’s Heathrow airport and then poured him into a Sydney-bound plane.
When his replacement Cliff Williams played his last with them as their Rock Or Bust World Tour wrapped up in Philadelphia, Angus Young dragged him out from his usual spot at the back and pushed him out to the front of the stage so that the crowd could enthusiastically thank him for 39 years of service.
The band will presumably take another one of its lengthy breaks, during which Angus will decide what happens next. Brian Johnson has said that he’s ready to tour again after trying an experimental hearing device, but whether it’s with The Seedies remains to be seen.
RIOT POLICE CALLED TO WA FESTIVAL
20 riot police were rushed to the Listen Out festival in Joondalup, WA, last Sunday when security guards were totally overwhelmed by 200 fence jumpers at HBF Arena. Things got nasty when some of those unable to get tickets to the sold-out event started to throw rocks at patrons inside. For people aged in their early 20s were arrested for allegedly assaulting three police officers by throwing objects at them. One officer was bitten. They will all appear the Joondalup Magistrates Court. Performing at the concert were Rufus, Anderson, Paak, Ngaiire, A$AP Ferg and Claptone.
DEADLINE FOR FESTIVALS AUSTRALIA GRANTS
The deadline for the next grants of rounds for Festivals Australia is October 14. Its aim is to ensure that remote and regional communities to enjoy or stage an event, whether it takes the shape of performances, parades, workshops or installations which engage the local community.
MUSOS FOR POKIES-FREE CAMPAIGN LAUNCH
Tim Freedman (The Whitlams of Blow Up The Pokies fame), Joyride, Wild Honey and Bad Deep DJs perform at the Oxford Art Factory on Sunday, October 23 at the launch of the Proudly Pokies Free movement’s latest campaign.
Speakers and other guests will also be on hand as the group stresses the need for pokies-free venues and the social impact poker machines have on the community.
SCA CLOSES CLASSIC ROCK DIGITAL
It’s the end of an era of mullets, spandex pants and loud riffs. Southern Cross Austereo is dimming the lights of its Classic Rock digital station on October 1. Its listeners are being herded on to big brother Triple M’s app, website and digital, which SCA explains is now playing more classic rock than ever before.
SEA FM DOMINATES GOSFORD SURVEY
Sea FM is the major radio player in Gosford, NSW. In the latest ratings, it had a 19.9% market share, dominated breakfast as well as every shift except mornings, won all the demos of under 40 demos and #1 with the 18—54 group. Following were StarFM (14%), 2GO (13.7%), triple j (5.9%) and ABC Local Radio (5%).
BUTLER ORGANISES ANTI-FRACK CONCERT
John Butler has organised a massive Frack Off! Concert in Margaret River in WA on Saturday, November 26. It is to raise awareness about the onshore gas industry in WA’s Southwest and fracking throughout the state.
The John Butler Trio will headline the bill, which includes Pigram Brothers from Broome, representing the Kimberley region, Mama Kin and Ten Cent Shooters both from Margaret River. Perth-based actor and comedian Peter Rowsthorn will MC the event, at 3 Oceans Winery, between Busselton and Margaret River.
Frack Off! Is presented by Jarrah Records, Gasfield Free Southwest and Lock the Gate. It will highlight the onshore gas industry’s current push to explore and drill in exploration leases covering nearly 50 million hectares of the state from the Southwest to the Mid West and the Kimberley.
Butler who lives in the Southwest said the gas industry was moving into the region at a rapid pace and was targeting the biodiversity rich Whicher Range just 30km from Margaret River. He said, “Think about it this way: Who has the most to gain by telling you that the onshore gas industry is safe? The industry itself!”
CBAA LOOKING FOR BOARD MEMBERS
The Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA) board is this year losing its Vice President (Radio), four board members and Youth Representative. It is looking for nominations for replacements before its AGM on November 11 in Melbourne as part of its conference.
It is particularly encouraging those from a regional/ rural location, from an indigenous or non-English speaking background, with accountancy or legal qualifications and experienced with dynamics of fundraising. See cbaa.org.au.
NUMBER CRUNCHING
32nd Top 10 album in the US for The Beatles after Live at the Hollywood Bowl debuted at #7.
842,000 viewers for Seven’s The Big Music Quiz, making it last Sunday night’s second highest non-news program, after The Block.
$1.47 billion is what global music sponsorship for festivals, events and venues is now worth, outpacing sport, according to US sponsorship agency IEG.
80-year-old British man signed to Decca after videos of his carpool karaoke were watched 40 million times on YouTube. Former Butlin’s Redcoat Ted McDermott, diagnosed with dementia in 2013, spent decades entertaining people.
260% sales spike for UK grime star Skepta’s Konnichiwa after it won the Mercury Prize.
$22,000 fine for a US stadium after a 4-hour Bruce Springsteen show broke the town of Foxborough’s concert curfew.
VALE
* Jamie Cammell worked in radio in Ipswich, Mackay and Darwin from 1989 before setting up a successful instore Brisbane radio business called Corporate Radio, as well as businesses as On Hold Now and Expo Radio.
* New Zealand jazz singer Grant Chilcott had the sultry voice which made him a fave with Auckland’s cabaret circuit and drew comparisons with Dean Martin and Frank Bennett. He started out in 1985, and made a number of records, including a tribute to Martin. Grant Chilcott was 62.
AND A FEW OTHER THINGS…
Is Kylie doing a duet with Robbie Williams on his next album? The two have been panting to do one since their first one, Kids, in 2000
Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band’s Christchurch, NZ, show on Feb 21 – the most emotional show of their upcoming visit, given that his My City Of Ruins was adopted its anthem as it rose after the massive earthquake – sold out in an hour.
When Katy Steele returned from her current base of Melbourne to hometown Perth to preview her October 21-due Humans album at Mojos, among those coming backstage to say hello was actress Jessica Marais of The Wrong Girl fame. According to The Sunday Times, Marais told her she adored her previous band Little Birdy. The actress herself played in an all-female grunge band Sewell’s Toys. They won a school competition which saw their mentored by The Sleepy Jackson … which of course included Katy’s older brother Luke.
A number of radio announcers stepped in when a Delta Goodrem fan from Tauranga almost missed her flight to Auckland. After winning two tickets from iHeartRadio, double amputee Karen Crotty arranged for special transport to get her to the airport. But it fell through at the last minute, and she tearfully rang Hits hosts Stacey Morrison and Paul Flynn. They got Tauranga colleague Will Johnston to drive her to the airport, and an Auckland Hits staffer waiting at the other end to make sure she got to the concert.
Neil Finn and son Liam have been busy in Los Angeles working on a collaborative album. Tonight (Sept 27) they’ll try out some of the new songs at the Coronet club.
In the meantime, with the first two Crowded House Encore shows at the Sydney Opera House sold out in nanoseconds, a third was announced for Thursday, November 23.
Bloc Party reveal their new single Stunt Queen was written when they were in Australia for Falls and Southbound festivals. This is the latest song by an international act to be written here. One of the first was The Rolling Stones’ Brown Sugar which Mick Jagger wrote in the outback while shooting the Ned Kelly movie (and ended up shooting his thumb instead). He rang Keith Richards in London to come in with ideas: the telephone call cost the equivalent of today’s $10,000.
Melbourne-based LGBT station JOY 94.9 FM had to be evacuated after an bomb hoax email was sent to the station after a discussion on the same sex marriage plebiscite.
Stan Walker postponed indefinitely his first New Zealand tour in three years in November after finding out his other April has cancer. “I need to be with my mum while she recovers,” he explained.
Former Ian Moss manager Mick Mazzone, who founded the artist representation and production company Mighty Management is relocating from Sydney to Adelaide.
More entertainment is added for the AFL Grand Final in Melbourne this weekend. Vika and Linda Bull will sing the national anthem. Mike Brady will warble One Day In October during the pre-match motorcade of retiring greats. Dees supporter Illy headlines the free Grand Final Eve concert on Friday (Sept 30) at Yarra Park from 5 pm.
Radio and label executive Ken Sparkes’ funeral is at Camelia Chapel, Macquarie Park Crematorium in Macquarie Park, Sydney, on Friday September 30 from 12.30am. It will be broadcast live by Marconi Radio Rover.
The Rock’s drive hosts, Jono & Ben (Jono Pryor and Ben Boyce) are hosting the 51st Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards in Auckland.
Among the well-wishers who rang, emailed, texted or sent carrier pigeons to Bob Maumill during his final shift with 6PR Perth was one Soa ‘The Hulk’ Palelei. Mr Palelei, as we respectfully refer to him, is a UFC fighter who once challenged the 78-year old broadcaster to an arm wrestle. Maumill, no shrinking violet himself, won. He said goodbye to listeners to the Mentals tune Live It Up.
The six finalists of the $20,000 tuition-funding Rob Guest Endowment for rising musical theatre talents will perform at a concert on Monday November 14 at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre. The six are already gainfully employed in shows as Kinky Boots and The Sound Of Music.
Adelaide band Brillig report that after discovering local Old Hickory bourbon on their last visit to Nashville (and which inspired Elizabeth Reid to write the song Bring Me A Bourbon At Midnight), they’ve track down a bottle on their latest visit, “and it’s a welcomed treasure!”