Industrial Strength: Trans-Pacific trade agreement finalising; Report: Vinyl re-emergence in Australia; Brisbane gets blues venue; JB Hi Fi dip in profit

Survey: sad lack of females in Canberra bands

A survey done of 280 Canberra bands found that only 16% of them feature women. The analysis was done by Sophie Chapman of Canberra feminist punk band Glitoris (they play naked onstage covered in glitter).

Her data showed that 52% were in all-male bands, 15% were male solo artists, 2% were all-female bands, 4% were female solo artists and 27% were mixed bands. Of the mixed bands, 44% had only one woman. 15% were even male/female, 32% had more men and 9% had more women than men.

Vinyl re-emergence in Australia “due to online retailers”

Recent ARIA figures that revenue from vinyl record sales jumped by 127% from $2.8 million to $6.4 million within 12 months are primarily due to online retailers. So says Craig Thompson, Executive Director off vinyl e-tailer MusicShop.com.au.

“Sales of vinyl have really spearheaded growth for us over the last year,” he reports. “Vinyl is about giving people a way to express their taste through their collections and by sourcing from across the world, online retail allows people to discover their old favourites and limited edition runs of new bands. The vast choice now available is something that we have seen really drive the trend.”

With sales of 300,000 units last year, making less than 2% of the recorded music market, vinyl sales are not reflecting what’s on the Top 40, and cover all genres. Younger consumers are discovering classic albums, while their parents are tuning into new acts. MusicShop.com.au’s top vinyl sellers last year included Chet Faker, Jack White and Beck, but classics like Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue and The Beatles’ Abbey Road.

Trans-Pacific trade agreement finalising

The Australian Government’s hush-hush talks with 11 countries on a range of issues – which includes making illegal downloading of music, film, TV and software downloading a criminal offence – is due to wrap by early 2015, according to reports this week.

Brisbane gets blues venue

Venue operator Jamie Webb and bar manager Mick Dwyer, who run venues as Brisbane’s Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall, set up Sonny’s House of Blues on Rowes Lane. Modeled on a classic Los Angeles dive bar, it showcases up and coming bands, reggae and ’80s music as well as Mexican food and 40 brands of beer.

AACTA ratings

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards in Sydney on Ten drew just 297,000 metro viewers according to OzTam. The Babadook and The Water Diviner took best film honours and The Voice Australia won Best Reality Television Series.

Vale Margot Moir

Margot Cesario (nee Moir), middle sister of vocal trio The Moir Sisters, died in Melbourne at 55, of complications from long term diabetes. After Margot, Jean and Leslie made their name on GTV9’s New Faces in 1974, debut single Good Morning How Are You (EMI) reached #8 followed by album Lost Somewhere Between Harmony. Manager Glenn Wheatley signed them to Elton John’s Rocket Records, but their LA-made State Of Shock failed to fire.

Margot cut a solo single Scarlett Skies and album Strong & Mighty, did backup on John Farnham’s Whispering Jack tour, and recorded and performed with the bands Raymalane and Celtic Spirit for 10 years.

JB Hi Fi slight dip in first half profit

JB Hi Fi posted a 2% dip in profit to $88.5 million for the six months to December 31, compared to $90.4 million in the previous corresponding first half. But it remained positive about full year figures saying it had a good start to 2015 and with strong sales as new gaming consoles arrived this year. Revenue for the six months rose 1.3% to $1.965 billion, from $1.940 billion.

Macquarie Radio expects profit drop

Ahead of its announcement of half-year financials on February 18, Macquarie Radio expects a 65% fall in profits. It attributed this to costs associated with its proposed merger with Fairfax Media’s radio division, and contract renewals including a new rumoured $4 million contract with Alan Jones to June 2017.

Brent Hampstead has good run in Qld elections

Brent Hampstead, co-founder of PR company Media Hammer and one time head of publicity at Sony Music Entertainment Australia, had a good run in the weekend’s Queensland state elections.

Hampstead stood as a first-timer for the LaborParty in Glass House. The final tally isn’t in, but last reports were he picked up 30% of primary votes and was within 3% of the Environment Minister Andrew Powell on a two-party preferred system.

25% market spend hike for Nova

Nova Entertainment plans to increase its market spend this year by 25%, its Group Marketing Director Tony Thomas told AdNews. The drive to increase awareness of its content and brands will also focus heavily on its digital and street executions as its Nova SlideStreet.

Festivals update

* The Toyota Tamworth Country Music Festival drew 50,000, organisers reported. It also proved an effective sales catalyst. In the first ARIA Country Chart week after, over half of the ARIA country chart were Australian titles. Notably, Luke O’Shea’s dominance of the Golden Guitar awards saw the O’Shea album at #1. Female Artist winner Amber Lawrence’s album headed back to the Top 10. An eight-person delegation led by Nashville Mayor Karl Dean visited and met with local musicians, business leaders and tourism executives as part of a Sister City pact signed in the US city in mid-2013. As a result, a business and tourism delegation will visit Nashville this year. The Americans also got involved in a country music industry bowls competition.

* In its third, year, Sunshine Coast’s Big Pineapple Music (May 30) plans to move to nearby Woombye site with its own natural amphitheatre. It comes after last year’s concerns that music affected animals in the nearby zoo.

* The two-year-old Airlie Beach Festival of Music in the Whitsundays was awarded Event of the Year during Australia Day ceremonies, for bringing in an extra $3 million a year to the local economy and boosting business trade.

* The all-Australian all metal/hardcore and camping UNIFY will return next year after organisers declared the inaugural event, in Tarwin Lower, two hours south-east of Melbourne, a “massive success.”

* The inaugural Territory Jazz and Blues Festival is held May 1 to 10 across the Northern Territory including Darwin, Alice Springs and regional stops. They're looking for acts, see Facebook.

* After selling out last year, NSW’s PigSty is in 2015 (July 4) returning to its Hunter Valley bushland venue ‘Dashville’. The event, a sister to Gum Ball Music, announces its bill on March 11.

* After a successful launch last year, Sydney Vegan Festival expands to Melbourne. It is on Saturday March 21 at the Corner Hotel with live music, cooking demos, vegan food and high profile speakers.

* The City of Fremantle approved a request from Sets on the Beach to hold the next event on Port Beach in March.

* The National Folk Festival in Canberra (April. 2 to 6) is celebrating First People music with sets from Melbourne’s Kutcha Edwards, Gina Williams & guitarist Guy Ghouse from the Southwest (Williams sings entirely in Noongar), NSW’s Col Hardy AOM, John Bennett from the Kimberley region and Djaadjawan Dancers from Yuin Country on NSW’s Far South Coast.

* The three-day King Island Festival will expand in the future with more warm-up gigs and a surf contest, one of its three promoters Kim George said.

WA’s AHA applauds Labor’s move to snip liquor red tape

West Australia’s Australian Hotels Association applauded comments by state Labor leader Mark McGowan to cut red tape for live music and arts venues to get alcohol licenses.

"These types of venues rarely create alcohol-related trouble and should be encouraged to allow our city to continue to grow as an artistic hub," he said.

A “common sense”approach to liquor reform in WA would boost tourism, and employment to the music and hospitality industries. Recent knock-backs were bids by Treasury Hotel for a 24-hour licence and the State Theatre to run a cafe and restaurant outside of performance hours.

AHA WA’s head Bradley Woods said authorities continually objecting to liquor licenses damaged tourism in WA were “an abuse of power by our law enforcement agencies and public health agencies in objecting to all new license applications regardless of the public interest.”

Music acts head for G’Day USA

The G’Day USA event, which began on the weekend in Los Angeles, saw Arnhem Land’s rock reggae band East Journey teaming up with their spiritual and family mentors Yothu Yindi. They played four songs from their new collaboration EP The Genesis Project recorded with Los Angeles based producer Steve Salas. Among them was a rendition of Djapana dedicated to the late Dr M Yunupingu. The two bands will tour Australia this year.

Also performing were Sheppard and Sydney’s Martha Marlow the voice and guitar behind the Qantas campaign theme, Feels Like Home.

85% Aussie content in Three D 100+1 countdown

Adelaide community radio station Three D 100+1 countdown on Australia Day was made up of 85% Australian tracks, 70% of which were from South Australia. The first eight spots were South Australians, topped by Fluffy’s Stupormarket album. The others were by Branton Manser, Apha Beta Fox, Richochet Pete, Psychodelicacy, The Dunes, Suntract-S and Wild Rocket.

Deadline for Jazz Bell awards

Nominations for the 2015 Australian Jazz Bell Awards close on Wednesday February 11. They are on Thursday April 30 at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre. The seven categories each have a prize of $5,000.