Industrial Strength: QLD elections no joy for creative sector; Le Grande, Uberfest, expands; Hillsong movie delayed

Queensland elections no joy for creative sector

There was no good news for Queensland’s creative sector regarding the January 31 state elections. The major parties unveiled their platforms over the weekend with no specific arts and contemporary music packages offered.

Even worse, the 640-member Arts Party – registered Federally last year to focus on the arts sector’s woes as savage cuts to its funding – revealed on Facebook it will not field candidates as planned. It had paperwork prepared for its registration in Queensland but the snap decision calling the election meant it was left out. It will instead promote arts-friendly independent candidates.

Stan launched today

Subscription video-on-demand service Stan launched live today – but only for those who had signed up for pre-release updates. An email went out this morning advising of a limited content availability. No definite date on when the full version will come live.

ACCC steps in over Fairfax-Macquarie merger

The $200 million Fairfax and Macquarie radio merger unveiled last month will be delayed while the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission begins an informal investigation. It is seeking public submissions on the proposed deal until February 3, with a decision set for March 5. The merger will see top rating talkback stations 3AW in Melbourne and 2GB and 2UE in Sydney amalgamate resources, while Sydney’s 2CH will have to be sold.

Rabbits Eat Lettuce cancelled at last minute

The Rabbits Eat Lettuce EDM event near Ebor, NSW, was axed last Friday at the last minute. Police blocked access to the site after the local council took out an injunction claiming the event had not received its permission. There seemed to have been some, er, confusion as to where it was to be held.

Le Grande, Uberfest, expand to new cities

Nathan Bedford and Tim Price’s El Grande returns for its fourth year with a two-day format and an expansion into Brisbane. The bill, topped by 28 Days, DZ Deathrays (pictured) and Dream On Dreamer hits Brisbane’s Hi Fi Bar on Friday March 20, and moves to Gladstone’s Grand Hotel on March 21 and 22.

The indie-oriented Uberfest expands to five cities. It makes its debut in Perth on March 29 at Fremantle’s Railway Hotel after Sydney (where Young Henrys come on board hosting a stage), Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide.

SCA gets new home in Adelaide

Southern Cross Austereo is moving out of Unley this week to the 13th floor of 70 Franklin St Adelaide. SCA Adelaide has rebranded SAFM to Hit 107.

WIN Stadium reports $7.7 million loss

Government agency Venues NSW reported that Wollongong’s WIN Stadium posted a loss of $7.7 million in 2014, drawing 258,000 to concerts and sports and entertainment events. It made a $3.76 million profit the year before.

Contemporary music course for Sydney Conservatorium

The Sydney Conservatorium of Music introduced a new practical course, which will include songwriting and electronic music production. The Bachelor of Music Studies in Contemporary Music, capped to 20 students, will also cover performance and pitching and marketing of their works.

Hillsong movie delayed

Michael John Warren’s documentary movie Hillsong – Let Hope Rise, which charts the rise of the Hillsong United Christian music group to global success, was yanked from its April 1 release date. Warner Bros and Alcon Entertainment made no comment on the reason, Variety reported.

Father and son Kernaghan inducted into Tamworth's Roll of Renown

Top selling country act Lee Kernaghan’s parents, singer Ray and Pam, journeyed to Tamworth to see him inducted into the Roll of Renown. To Ray’s shock, he was told he was to be initiated as well for his contribution to the country music sector. Kernaghan Sr’s albums Me and Louie on the Road and Jet Set Country collected twelve Gold and two Platinum certifications.

In other honours, Hands of Fame Inductees were singers Zeta Burns and Dean Perrett, and guitarist Alwyn Aurisch. Inducted into the Broadcasters Hall of Fame was Briton Morrison of 2MCR 100.3FM Macarthur.

Three new venues for Melbourne

Melbourne live music venue The Rochester in Fitzroy which closed last May, re-opens in mid-March. A consortium of operators from the Dr Morse, Aviary Hotel and The Vic Bar venues is behind its return.

Also launched in Fitzroy, at the weekend, is Vice Bar’s four-nights-a week band room. It is the initiative of Andrew Tynan, owner of Fitzroy live music venue Grumpy’s Green, and Callum Linsell of Bonny and Clyde Bookings.

The team behind Section 8, Ferdydurke and The B.East opened the Belville in Globe Alley in the City as a music and food establishment.

Music gets support in NSW regional grants

Among the $290,000 worth of grants to 99 Country Arts projects by the NSW Government were: $4700 to the Coolgrass bluegrass festival in Coolamon; $4069 for NZ’s Hamilton County Bluegrass Band and Melbourne bluesman Phil Manning to perform at the White Cliffs Music Festival and do instrumental workshops; $3800 for Baradine school students to work with Queensland musician Josh Arnold to write and record a song to celebrate the town’s sesquicentenary year; $1500 for the Little Big Day Out festival in Cobar for musicians aged 12 to 25; and $2900 for the two-day Afrekete Dance & Music Camp in Coffs Harbour next month where Aboriginal, African and Cuban-born artists share their cultures.

Pop up venue for Canberra

Canberra gets a new pop-up music venue in September. It is part of a $1 million renovation at the ANU School of Music to free up ground floor space.

Meantime, the ANU is the new home for the iconic Wig & Pen Tavern & Brewery, which closed last spring. It has relocated to the foyer of its concert venue Llewellyn Hall, which drew 98,000 patrons last year.

Sponsorship squeeze for Queensland music events?

As part of its campaign against obesity in Queensland, the state chapter of the Australian Medical Association suggested sponsorship be tightened at music and sports events, and a ban placed on nightclubs from serving energy drinks mixed with alcohol after 10pm.

Wild weather stops MONA FOMA sell-out

Wild weather prevented Hobart arts and music festival MONA FOMA from hitting an expected 100% capacity over its four days. Instead, it settled for a 90% turn-out, with 40,000 attending. Over half were from outside Tasmania.

New stages for three festivals

Future Music has introduced an EDM-experience Supernova Stage headlined by Avicii. It’s been designed by Sydney-born LA based James Klein. Promoters said he was “commissioned to bring his high-level 3D computer design, state-of-the-art audio technology and mind-blowing lighting and visual effects to Future in a production that’ll knock your socks off!” This morning organisers announced that due to “overwhelming demand” for tickets, the March 7 Brisbane show will relocate (back) to Doomben Racecourse.

New to Laneway is the Mistletone stage, curated by Sophie and Ash Miles who run the Melbourne-based Mistletone events and label. It hosts St. Vincent, Future Islands, Pond, Connan Mockasin and more.

Armin van Buuren announced that due to high ticket demand, the Feb 7 Sydney leg of his ASOT700 (A State Of Trance) Celebration Weekend will have a second stage to accommodate more trance DJs. It features Alexander Popov, Ben Gold, Jorn van Deynhoven and Omnia, with locals Thomas Hayes and Nick Arbor supporting.

Creatives tapped to rehabilitate Ugandan child soldiers

South Australian humanitarian organisation Project Phoenix, is early this year going to Lira, Uganda, to empower former child soldiers through theatre workshops “and dream building”. It is calling on musicians, actors, circus performers and theatre technical crew members to get involved. They will perform for them, and present a series of workshops.

It is also trying to raise $100,000 to set up an arts centre in Lira so the kids can continue to create as part of their rehabilitation. More info: www.projectphoenixtheatre.org.

Aussie acts for US festivals

Flume, Courtney Barnett, DMA’s and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are among those playing Bonnaroo 2015. It is held on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee between June 11 to 14 with other acts including Mumford and Sons, Kendrick Lamar, Billy Joel, deadmau5, My Morning Jacket, Slayer, Ben Folds, Alabama Shakes, Robert Plant, Belle and Sebastian, Florence and the Machine, Jamie XX and Childish Gambino.

Tame Impala, Vance Joy and Chet Faker, earlier announced for Coachella, will be joined by DMA’s for Boston Calling. Also performing are Beck, The Pixies, Tenacious D, My Morning Jacket and Ben Harper.

Farmer & Owl “pay what you feel” works

An offer from Wollongong festival Farmer & The Owl for patrons to “pay what you like” for the first release of tickets, worked. All 500 disappeared in five minutes.

MTV spotlights Nicki Minaj, Ed Sheeran

MTV Australia is putting the spotlight on Nicki Minaj and Ed Sheeran.

The second installment of Minaj’s My Time AGAIN trilogy airs Thursday January 22 at 5.30pm AEDT on Foxtel Channel 808. It covered her childhood in a one-room basement in Queens, and picks up with her in the studio.

She observes, “Most people don’t rap anymore; most people ain’t even trying to spit, they getting by being fraudulent – everybody is getting by not pushingtheir pens. Do you know how many times I think to myself, why did I justrewrite this verse when everything on the radio is a bunch of wack verses?”

Sheeran kicks off the new season of Storytellers on Tuesday January 27 at 8.30pm AEDT. He performs at Whelan’s in Dublin – “a place that means so much to me personally. I was only about 11 or 12-years-old when I saw Damien (Rice) play at Whelan’s, and that night literally changed my life.

The time he spent talking with me after the show made all the difference.It inspired me in a way that I only hope to do for someone else.”