Peter Noble details Bluesfest executive shuffle, welcomes Steve Romer as COO

One of Australia’s most eminent Australian live music executive, Steve Romer, is joining the Bluesfest group of companies as Chief Operating Officer from November 13.

In the meantime, Peter Noble OAM (pictured), who co-founded the internationally renowned Byron Bay festival, moves up to Executive Chairman of the board.

Noble tells TMN that Romer will oversee the festival’s operations, as well as its Bluesfest Touring and the company’s land holdings at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm

He also says the move was necessary as Bluesfest’s operations swelled to17 employees, and needed skilled management and a greater corporate structure.

Ten months ago, Simone Twiss from Warner Music Australia and Opera Australia, was hired as Chief Financial Officer.

Romer’s arrival would allow him to focus more on bookings acts, he said, “as well as acquisitions that will take Bluesfest into an exciting new era.”

Noble was an R&B bassist who played with Clapham Junction, and Marcia Hines before moving to the US where he booked clubs and set up a jazz festival in Portland.’’

He returned to Sydney in the early ‘80s, joined the team at the Basement club, and helped set up Bluesfest which turns 30 in 2019.

The festival and its associated activities swelled through the years, contributing $40 million each year to the NSW economy.

This year Bluesfest drew 105,000 patrons, drawn to a mix of legendary and emerging acts that have given it global recognition.

Bluesfest Touring brought out 31 acts this year.

Since 2013 Noble, an avid social and environmental advocate, the festival site has also staged Boomerang, the “indigenous festival for all Australians”.

Noble explains, “The entertainment industry has gone through many changes, and any company that doesn’t adapt is taking a big risk.

“For instance, one major change has been that legacy artists have doubled their fees in five years, so we need to take that into consideration.

“Bluesfest consistently is ranked among the biggest festivals in the world in terms of ticket sales and revenue by Pollstar and Billboard.

“In Australia, we have more awards than any other festival in this country.

“So it’s essential we acquire the management skills of someone like Steve who, after taking over the Sydney Entertainment Centre increased its profits by 400% to 500% in profits in three years.”

Romer has had a 30-year career in the live music, sports and entertainment industries.

During his tenure as General Manager of the Sydney Entertainment Centre from 2009 until December 2013, it became one of the highest-ranking venues in the world in Pollstar and Billboard annual rankings.

He served as Director of Operations at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre for six years.

Romer also held executive roles at the Sydney 2000 Olympics Satellite Stadiums, Blacktown International Sports Park and at Gold Coast theme parks as Ardent Leisure’s Dreamworld and Whitewater World and Village Roadshow’s Sea World.

In 2014 he became Chief Executive of the Venue Management Association (VMA) Asia and Pacific after serving as its President from 2008 to 2011.

At the time, the VMA acknowledged Romer’s “knowledge of the industry, networks and experience”.

Romer announced in September that he was leaving the organisation in late October.

At the time, VMA Asia and Pacific President Steve Harper acknowledged Romer had “elevated to a new level of professionalism, along with the delivery of significant membership growth, increased membership benefits, the further development of professional and educational programs and a strong financial position to enable the organisation to return even greater benefits to its members.”

Romer commented on his Bluesfest appointment in a statement, “I am excited to be joining the team at the iconic Bluesfest Byron Bay, and looks forward to working closely with Festival Director Peter Noble OAM.”