Keep up with the latest in our evolving industry!
NSW FESTIVALS GET FUNDING…BUT RENT-A-COP COSTS REMAIN
The NSW Government has kept its election promise, and reviewed the Music Festivals Act.
It found the regulatory framework would benefit from a focus on harm reduction, industry sustainability, and ensuring costs for NSW festivals are similar to other states, while still prioritising health and safety at festival events.
Emergency Funding
As part of these reforms, NSW festivals get two years of emergency funding, with an initial $3 million allocated.
Called the Contemporary Music Festival Viability Fund it is through Sound NSW, and for those “facing economic burdens as rising costs, inflation, freight and the currency exchange.”
Keep up with the latest industry, product and music news here.
Large Scale
The fund will support existing large-scale (15,000 and over) festivals with a track record of delivering significant outcomes for contemporary music up to $500,000 per festival.
Bluesfest’s Peter Noble thanked the move but told ABC Radio, not enough for an industry which was “on its knees” and facing “extinction”.
All Ages
There’ll be a “common sense” approach to all-age events: 16 and 17 year olds, now excluded from licensed events, can attend with an adult.
Licensees can defend themselves from fines if “they have made reasonable attempts to establish that the minor is being chaperoned.”
Amending
The government will amend the Act to Parliament before the summer festival season.
Among them are:
Festivals are now required to have an expanded Health and Medical Plan, with previous incidents will be required to agree their plan with Health.
Liquor & Gaming NSW make key decisions on advice from NSW Health and NSW Police.
Appeals
The Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority will retain a role if a promoter appeals a requirement to have its Health and Medical plan agreed by health.
A festival can appeal to a panel on costs if a festival’s economic viability is under threat.
NSW Police can still recommend safety and law enforcement measures for a festival where they deem it is necessary.
Rent-A-Cop
The live music sector lashed out at the fact that the government didn’t address the complaint of rent-a-cops at festivals.
Greens MP Cate Faehrmann says NSW cops “charge up to 12 times what other states charge for exactly the same festival.”
It is estimated it adds $30 to $40 to ticket price.
VIC LIVE SECTOR GETS $3.9M BOOST
The Victorian Government has given a $3.9 million funding boost to its live music sector.
The first round of 10,000 Gigs: The Victorian Gig Fund will fund 144 venues across the state to stage paid gigs by local artists – giving venues a leg up and let emerging artists perform live.
Music Works
Also part of the package, $1 million of Music Works grants will support 92 music projects involving 600 music biz pros.
Over the past 9 years, the program has invested almost $13 million in more than 800 projects.
Venues
Live music venues awarded grants include The Tote, The Jazzlab, Mamma Chen’s and Laundry, with regional venues like Ballarat’s Volta, Barwon Heads Hotel and Theatre Royal in Castlemaine, and suburban venues like District 14 in Narre Warren.
Festivals
The Labor Government’s Live Music Festivals Fund will see 22 festivals get up to $50,000 to help them stage new or existing events.
They include Port Fairy Folk, Queenscliff Music and Riverboats alongside the return of Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues, and new events including GROUNDED to be held at Dookie Quarry, and Yass Queens Park, a queer-focused festival in Moonee Ponds.
Grid
The GRID Series artist development program is back in Geelong for a second year, while The Push All Ages Grants will support live music venues, booking agents, artists, promoters and community organisations across Victoria to stage events for all ages.
Multicultural Arts Victoria’s third NEWPRINT program offers professional development for artists and creative workers from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
For a full list of recipients visit creative.vic.gov.au.
Investment
“While the live music sector continues to face challenges across the country, this investment will help strengthen our local industry – a vital creative sector for our state,” said Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks.
Commented Music Victoria CEO Simone Schinkel, “It will be hard to be in Victoria and not experience the direct benefits of such an investment.”
HOW MUCH IS PINK FLOYD CATALOGUE WORTH?
The news is that Pink Floyd and Sony Music had a pow wow to sell their catalogue for half a billion dollars.
The prospective deal includes the recorded music catalogue, neighbouring rights and ‘name and likeness’ rights. But not the publishing.
Deep Dive
Music Business Weekly figured out the best way to see how the parties arrived at the half-a-billion figure it was to dive deeper and see what it makes a year.
Their two companies generated revenues of £40.399 million (AU$$78.7 million) during their fiscal year ended June 30 2023.
Other suitors are rumoured to be Warner Music Group, BMG, Hipgnosis, Concord, Primary Wave and private equity group Blackstone.
Queen
Sony has a US $700 million investment company which MBW says is also chasing Queen for £1 billion (A$1.94 billion).
That is for global music publishing rights, their ‘name and likeness’ rights, plus their recorded music interests — including their recording copyrights outside of North America, where their masters are owned by Disney Music Group.
ONE NIGHT STAND HELPS SUPPORT ACT
This month’s triple j One Night Stand raised $150,000 for Support Act.
It was held in Friendly Societies’ Park in Warrnambool Victoria, with G Flip (complete with unexpected appearance from Missy Higgins), Ruel, Thelma Plum, Sycco and What So Not.
A week before, at Bunnings Warehouse Party in Preston, Melbourne, headlined by Peking Duk, raised $50,000 for the charity.
TRUMP LOSES “ELECTRIC AVENUE” SUIT
Donald Trump has more to sulk about: a US court decided that he must pay damages and legal costs for using the 1983 hit “Electric Avenue” by Brit singer and guitarist Eddy Grant without permission in his 2020 campaign.
It was used in campaign video as a 40-second clip, viewed 13.7 million times before Twitter, now known as X, took it down.
Electric Avenue is in Brixton in London, the first market street in London to be lit by electricity.
Riots
The song “Electric Avenue” was about the 1981 Brixton riots, and reached #2 in Australia, the UK and the US.
On Trumpy’s 2024 campaign, among those who’ve protested about their song been used without permission have been Foo Fighters (“My Hero”), Beyonce (“Freedom”),Isaac Hayes’ estate (“Hold On I’m Coming”), Bruce Springsteen (“Born In The USA”), Abba (“The Winner Takes It All”), Guns N Roses (“Sweet Child O’ Mine”), Aerosmith (“Dream On”), Adele (“Rolling In The Deep”) and The Smiths (“Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want”).
CMC ROCKS SELLS OUT
The 23,000 tickets for next March’s CMC Rocks in Willowbank, Qld, were snapped up almost instantly, giving it a sell-out status yet again.
The festival’s 18th episode is headed by USA’s Cody Johnson, Jon Pardi and Thomas Rhett.
WA MUSIC WEEK POSTPONED
Perth-based music association WAM has postponed its flagship WA Music Week from November to early 2025 due to funding issues.
It includes WAMFest, WAMCon, Scarbs Beach Party and the WAMAwards.
Looking Afresh
WAM Board President Al Taylor said, “As part of a full review of the organisation and in line with the new strategy we are looking at everything afresh.
“While the timing of our funding precluded WAM from delivering WA Music Week at its traditional time in November, it also provided an opportunity to pause and consider what is optimal – what will deliver the best outcome for all connected to the event.”
APRA AMCOS BRINGS EQUALIZER BACK
APRA AMCOS is bringing back its free national EQUALIZE workshops in October/ November to provide hands-on skills for women and gender diverse musicians and producers.
The eight workshops skill development sessions will include Live Sound (how to set up and mic equipment for the stage and use live mixing desks), Music Production (the basics of production with Ableton), and Songwriting (learning compositional tips and methods from some of Australia’s most skilled songwriters).
Small Groups
Each session is in small groups, by women and gender diverse experts in their fields, including BVT, Crystal Robins, Hannah Cameron, Laura Hancock, Natasha Newling, Woodes and more.
For more information and to register, visit APRA AMCOS.
GUVERA RETURN?
Guvera, one of Australia’s first music streaming companies, could be making a comeback.
The Queensland company had global potential but it ended up with tears before teatime.
Losses
But in the mid-2010s, there were lawsuits, $81 million in losses, a proposed IPO stopped by a financial regulator after questions about its claim to be worth $1.3 billion, and closing of the Australian site in 2016 after plans to raise $20 million to clear debts only raised $4.7 million.
Director Darren Herft, disqualified from running a company from December 2019 for two years is mounting a comeback.
K-Pop
He announced he’s back on the board, a joint venture with South Korea partners “supplying streaming rights to over 600,000 K-Pop songs.”
He says Guvera owns a live-music company SoundStage Live, and is working on a fantasy-music game My VML (My Virtual Music Label).
TASSIE BUDGET REMEMBERS THE ARTS
Tasmania’s 2024-25 Budget put aside $12.4 million for the arts.
Minister for the Arts, Madeleine Ogilvie, said it was for Tasmanian artists and arts organisations to promote this diverse sector, build the sustainability of arts businesses, and broaden the engagement of Tasmanians in the arts.”
How much of it goes to contemporary music remains to be seen.
WARNER MUSIC SIGNS JAMES JOHNSTON
Warner Music Australia signed fast rising Aussie country singer songwriter James Johnston, with support from Warner Nashville.
First song “Blame” is about the first time he spotted his future wife Talia.
Done
“I knew from the minute she walked in the room, I was done.
“I was playing in the house band, and she walked up and requested a Keith Urban song.
“After seeing her spinning around on the hardwood, I couldn’t take my eyes off her.”
COMMUNITY BROADCASTING FINALISTS
The Community Broadcasting Awards on Saturday October 19 on the Gold Coast received 300 entries to 20+ categories.
Here are some of them.
Best Program: Music
- 2NVR Nambucca Valley Radio – Studio 3 Live
- RTRFM – Difficult Listening
- 3BBR FM – Continental Drift
- Koori Radio – Tangata Whenua
- Fresh 92.7 – Fresh Off The Block – Hosted by MATIAH
Excellence in Australian Music
- 107.3 HFM – Beats Rhymes and Life
- 3BBR FM – Gippsland Live, 3BBR Concert Hall
- Koori Radio – Indigenous Hip Hop Show
- 2SER – 2SER Australian Music Programming & Events
- Radio 4EB – TUNOGLOKAL QLD Project
Excellence in Community Engagement
- Sonshine (98.5FM) – Sonshine’s Heart For The Homeless
- 89.9 TheLight – Connecting with the Community
- Bay FM 99.9 – Young Legends
- Vision Australia Radio
- Fresh 92.7
Excellence in Disability Content & Engagement
- Phoenix FM
- RTRFM – Breaking Sound Barriers – Season 2
- Wangki Yupurnanupurru Radio – Wangki Radio Celebrates Difference
- Vision Australia Radio
- 3CR – Disability Day
Excellence in Indigenous Content & Engagement
- RTRFM – Sovereign
- PBA-FM – Feel Good Nunga Radio
- Koori Radio – Two Men In Your Head and The Dhinawanyan Healers
- Ngaarda Media – Federal Court Native Title Hearing: YIindjibarndi and FMG
- PAW & 8CCC – The Heat
Excellence in Multicultural Content & Engagement
- 2MFM
- PBA-FM – Siempre Lunes
- Alive 90.5FM – Alive with Cultural Diversity
- 88.9 WynFM
- Radio 4EB – TUNOGLOKAL QLD Project
Outstanding Presenter
- Radio Adelaide – Jarad McLoughlin: De-Stigmatised (Audio Ability Revisited segment)
- todayscountry94one – Alan Gilmour
- 3CR – Sasja Sÿdek: Queering the Air
- RTRFM – Jeff Bullen
- JOY 94.9 – Demetra Giannakopoulos
MUSIC BIZ TACKLES INSURANCE NIGHTMARE
High insurance premiums, and getting insured in then first place, are keeping festival and venue promoters up at night.
An industry-led study is being conducted by FEAT with Creative Australia and Music Australia to see what’s driving up liability costs in the music festival industry, and also
investigate the costs and viability of alternative insurance models such as mutuals.
The more of us who provide feedback and horror stories, the more the study can dive deeper and help the sector.
MATERA BOOK IN US ARCHIVES
Melbourne guitarist, performer and music scribe Joe Matera’s second book Louder Than Words: Beyond The Backstage Pass has been included in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Library & Archives in the USA.
Published by UK’s Empire Publications and #1 recently on the Amazon Rock Music book charts, it will live in their collection to preserve the story of rock and roll history.
Foreword
With a foreword by Bryan Adams, about whom Matera wrote on his influence, there are catch-ups and on-the-road pieces on Billy Squier (the real story on infamous video), Gerry Rafferty, Canned Heat & The Animals, The Korgis and ABBA guitarist Janne Schaffer.
SA MUSIC GENERATES $490M
The first economic report since 2017 on South Australia’s music sector found it contributed $490 million to the state’s economy, it made $490 million, up from $375 million in 2015/16.
Collated by Music SA, The Economic Contribution of the Music Industry to South Australia, 2022/23, prepared by BDOEconSearch, and supported by the Music Development Office, the City of Adelaide, and Festival City ADL.
Takeaways included:
It employs 9,200 jobs (5,000 full-time equivalents), rising from 6,300 jobs in 2015/16.
The report stressed “the urgent need for targeted investment to support sustained growth in the sector.”
Strengthen
“It would strengthen its position, create sustainable careers for artists, generate new job opportunities, and foster the development of new music-related businesses.”
Grants during COVID were insufficient causing many venues to close, but SA acts moved online and successfully expanded their following.
UNIFIED GRANTS BACK
UNIFIED Music Group’s grants of $5,000 for companies that impact music industry, through creative services, helping artists grow fans, or developing new technology, is back.
Since 2016, it has had 800 applications. Closing date is 5:00pm (AEDT) on October 22, go to Go to https://theunifiedgrant.com/
WOODFORD GETS $2M
The 37th Woodford Folk Festival got a $2 million boost from the Queensland Government.
Managing Director Amanda Jackes said it will go towards improving critical infrastructure at the Woodfordia site, including building all-weather pathways and better drainage in campgrounds.
It would make it more easy for the aggregated 120,000 attendees who last year faced severe storms and muddy grounds.
OASIS FOR PERTH?
The West Australian government is “monitoring the situation” of Oasis tour dates in Australia or Asia before making a bid for an exclusive show at Perth’s 60,000 seat Optus Stadium.
Last year, it paid $8 million for Coldplay to divert from an Asian run for two Australian exclusives, and generated $43 million for the economy with 40% of the crowd from abroad.
HAUS BILAS STUDIO UNVEILS DONKEY SHED
Producer and musician David Bridie’s Haus Bilas Studios has unveiled The Donkey Shed – “four years in the making, off grid and solar powered.”
During the COVID lockdown, Bridie moved Haus Bilas (also credited as ToRurua Studio and Enormodome on various records) three hours away past Apollo Bay, on Gadubanud country, next to Otway National Park on the Shipwreck Coast.
15 Acres
It’s on 15 acres of old farm country, now dedicated to regrowth of native trees and playground to resident donkeys Artie and Paddy.
Re Donkey Shed, Andrew Richardson was the architect, Nigel Effemey and Erj Ustundag the builders, Simon Polinski reset the sound gear and Min Lucas managed the project.
NO REFUNDS YET FROM VANFEST
Two years after Vanfest went belly-up, patrons are still waiting for refunds, the Sydney Daily Telegraph reported.
It’s doubtful they’ll see their money, because due to a consumer law technicality, no refunds are required if it’s an act of God.
Rain
Vanfest was to be held in Bathurst in September 2022 with The Presets and Hilltop Hoods, was called off because of the rain.
The Tele noted Vanfest received $736,000 from the Federal Government’s Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund.
The company’s email is no longer active and its Facebook page has been taken down.
DESTROY ALL LINES OPENS COUNTRY DIV
Promoter Destroy All Lines has opened a country division, headed by Danny Keenan who worked as an executive at Foxtel and Country Music Channel for ten years as well as the CMC Rocks festival in Queensland.
Last year DAL, best known for Good Things and Knotfest, opened a comedy division.
More recently, it ranked #4 in Pollstar’s list of successful Australian promoters, and the largest independent promoter after selling in excess of 700,000 tickets in the past 12 months.
COOKING VINYL BECOMES CIVILIANS
Cooking Vinyl Australia, set up by Stu Harvey and Leigh Gruppetta in 2013 has rebranded itself to Civilians, to create a stronger identity for itself and cut comparisons with the UK label.
Its roster includes Fanny Lumsden, Emma Donovan, King Stingray, Eliza & The Delusionals, Windwaker and Luca Brasi.
