Industry updates from Music Victoria – June
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Industry updates from Music Victoria – June

Hello Forte readers,

Laura Imbruglia here – I’m Event Producer and Marketing at Music Victoria. I’m also a working musician and thought I’d give you a little update from the life of a touring muso. Throughout May, I’ve been touring Australia to promote the release of my fourth album which has been a massively rewarding undertaking after spending a year working on it behind the scenes. I wanted to cover a little more ground to grow my Victorian fanbase so I booked shows in Tallarook, Castlemaine, Kyneton and Ballarat in addition to my Melbourne headline show.

I was lucky to receive a Creative Victoria Quick Response Grant to help cover the regional touring costs including van hire, accommodation and promo, which eased some stress for me. I urge all artists to apply for grants in the interests of career sustainability and business growth. The regional shows were a real delight, too. The hospitality of the regional venues and the genuine enthusiasm from attendees (some of whom travelled two hours to get to the shows) has reminded me of the importance of regional touring. There’s a hungry audience out there and they want to support local artists.

My colleagues Patrick Donovan and Dale Packard visited Ballarat last week after they heard that Karova Lounge would be closing after an incredible 15 years. They reported back that there will still be plenty of live music options for bands and fans after Karova shuts its doors. The Eastern is doing a roaring trade, catering to diverse styles of music, as is the Cabaret Club, Main Bar and Lost Ones. Rex Hardware is starting to showcase shows at the historic Trades Hall. The White Night Festival will be promoting Ballarat’s rich creative offerings in September, and the council has just hired an experienced gallery and venue owner, Tara Poole, to oversee the implementation of the Creative City Strategy (to be launched on June 7) and the Ballarat Live Music Strategy. And Music Victoria members can get a 10 per cent discount on vinyl and the best breakfast in town at Léspresso!

In the meantime, make sure you get out and support your local live music venues.

Til next time,
Laura from Music Victoria

Member Moment
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
Describing their musical formula as “tough pop/soft punk”, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever churn out bright, energetic rock & roll with lively guitar lines, pop hooks and dry wit. They’re currently on a world tour in support of their excellent debut album “Hope Downs”
Check out their music at www.rollingblackoutsband.com/

Gig of the month
Ball Park Music, Costa Hall, Geelong – Saturday 15 June
As part of their massive ‘Good Good Mood’ tour, Brisbane’s Ball Park Music will be playing Geelong’s Costa Hall. This tour will see the band exclusively playing in regional areas, highlighting the importance of live music outside of major cities. Support will come from indie songstress Tia Gostelow and electronica act Butternut Sweetheart. Get your tickets thru eventfinda.com.au