New initiatives launched to strengthen Newcastle’s live music scene

Two months after the Newcastle’s musicians, venue operators, fans and supporters held a roundtable meeting to call on saving the live scene, a number of initiatives have fallen into place.

Next week local MP Tim Crakanthorp will be tabling in NSW parliament a petition with close to 4,000 signatures asking to introduce legislation that could strengthen the scene.

The petition was officially presented to him this week by live music advocate Mark Tucker, a day before the Newcastle Live Music Taskforce met for the first time.

The taskforce is made up of venue owners, promoters, musicians, council and state government representatives.

A diverse amount of topics were covered during the meet, which Crakanthorp deemed a success.

These included driving changes at three levels of government, the setting up of a Newcastle live music plan and plans to hold a venue census similar to that held in Melbourne last year and which pinpointed the strengths and weaknesses of the sector.

The setting up of an all-ages venue was seen as high priority.

It would not only be where young musicians could sharpen their chops but where the next generation of promoters, bookers, publicists and road crews could get their start.

Grant Walmsley, former guitarist for The Screaming Jets, said that legislation like agent of change was needed to protect venues from “unchecked development”.

Marcus Wright of the Wickham Park Hotel said that the two biggest problems were falling attendances and noise restrictions.

Ironically, Wright’s venue was forced to cut back on showcasing live music this week after complaints about noise from neighbouring residents.

Wright sums up: “We’ve got a great live music scene, everyone thinks it might have died off a little bit, but that’s so untrue.

“We have so many young bands coming through, we have so many young developments and businesses growing and beginning.

“It’s thriving, we just need to support it more – that includes fans, the industry and the government.”

Earlier this month, the Newcastle City Council released a draft of its Newcastle After Dark 2018-2022 live music strategy for public comment until May 14.

Suggestions of a taskforce, more diversity in venues and entertainment at night-time and noise management policies  will “breathe new life and colour into Newcastle’s night-time hospitality and cultural scene” and grow its $1.36 billion night time economy.

Lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said. “We want the City of Newcastle to have a thriving and diverse night time economy, with high quality facilities, amenity and local services for everyone.

“A well-planned city night-time economy has a central role to play in city centre revitalisation, as well as a major influence over the visitor and cultural economies of the city and the region.

“Our night time economy is equally a place of work and productivity, directly employing over twelve thousand Novocastrians and accounting for 5.4% of the total Newcastle economy, so it’s imperative that we do all we can to ensure our city thrives safely after dark.”