Solange named Artistic Director for Puma; Mushroom Group buys into Sugar Mountain; SCA and Shazam team to promote UMA acts

SCA and Shazam team to promote UMA acts

Southern Cross Austereo launched a new radio campaign using Shazam to increase awareness of Universal Music Australia’s priority acts in the run-up to Christmas. It runs across SCA’s Today network, encouraging its metro and regional listeners to use the Shazam app to tag UMA songs for a chance to win a trip to Los Angeles, and download albums. SCA’s head of Digital and Innovation, Clive Dickens, said, “Southern Cross Austereo is committed to redefining the relationship between brands and consumers through native concepts across our multiple platforms.” The campaign is driven by MediaCom with whom Shazam struck a global partnership last month.

CRA, Sony, promoting digital radio

A festive season team-up by Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) and Sony launched ads across 42 metro stations offering a free $99 Sony digital radio with the purchase of a digital radio set with Bluetooth or smartphone dock.

Elizabeth Rose lands North American booking deal

In the wake of debut shows in America, Sydney electro act Elizabeth Rose, landed North American booking with The Agency Group. Justin Bridgewater will handle US dates and Zaed Maqbool in Canada. Rose was nominated in the ’Next Big Thing’ category at Sydney station FBi’s SMAC awards.

Mushroom Group buys into Sugar Mountain

Fresh from its buy-in of Future Music, Mushroom Group bought into Melbourne music / arts festival Sugar Mountain. It was set up in 2011 by the team of Tig Huggins, Pete Keen, Brett Louis and Nicci Reid. Frontier Touring promoter Gerard Schlaghecke and Mushroom Group executive director Matt Gudinski will spearhead the group’s involvement. Gudinski said, “This is an opportunity for us to continue to diversify Mushroom Group’s reach in the live music world but most importantly to get involved and help evolve an event that we love and believe in. Mushroom will bring a lot to the table while leaving Sugar Mountain’s unique artistic vision with those who have driven it since day one.” Sugar Mountain will move from its Forum Theatre home.

Solange Artistic Director for Puma

Losing You singer Solange (Beyonce’s sister) is new artistic director for Puma. Her first project has her teaming with four designers – Gerlan Marcel, Darlene and Lizzy Okpo and Hisham Bharoocha – to create a Brazilian inspired reinterpretation of the classic Puma Disc trainer, due in February.

Cox signs to Nashville label

Multi-award-winning Australian bluegrass artist Kristy Cox signed to Nashville label Pisgah Ridge, It is home to Balsam Range, The Boxcars, The Grascals and Doyle Lawson and part of Mountain Home Music. Cox is recording a new album with Jerry Salley for early 2014 release. Regularly touring abroad, she has a songwriting contract with Asheville Forest Music.

Village Sounds adds Fractures to the joint

Village Sounds is representing Fractures (Melbourne multi-instrumentalist Mark Zito), for Australian bookings. His debut single Twisted received triple j support and new single Cadence has notched up 100,000 online plays.

Creative talents team up for pianist movie

Australian-American director Ben Lewin, Executive Producer Bill Mechanic of Pandemonium Films, Producers Judy Levine (Filmworks Sydney), Chryssy Tinter (Entertainment Brewery Sydney) and Janice Eymann (Such Much Films, LA) and writer Wain Fimeri are working together on Blue Rose, about the life of Australian-born 1900s pianist Percy Grainger. His pioneering of “free music” led to the invention of the synthesiser, claims the blurb.

CBAA wants to give

The Community Broadcasting Association of Australia, whose members reach 5.2 million listeners a week, signed on for #GivingTuesday. It is a global movement to encourage giving between people and by philanthropic and non-profit organisations.

SFX Entertainment buys ticketer

New York based SFX Entertainment, which bought out Australia’s Stereosonic festival parent Totem, continues its acquisitions. In the latest instance, it paid  US$16.2 million for a 75% stake in Netherlands-based ticketing service Paylogic. Set up eight years ago, it services 2000 clients including numerous European events promoted by ID&T, which SFX scooped up this year.

Canberra Theatre gets three year sponsor

The Canberra Theatre Centre landed property and construction company Hindmarsh as a principal sponsor. The three year deal is to help kick-start the Centre’s vocational education and training program.

Ceres learns to pronounce Hobbledehoy

Melbourne’s Ceres joins the roster of Adelaide’s Hobbledehoy Records. It will release a vinyl version of Ceres’ self-released Luck EP from early 2013, before following up with their debut album in the autumn.