Happy days, Forte legends!
Welcome back to ‘This State We’re In’. Hope you’ve been having a belter out there in Music Land and checking out heaps of great, local live music. We have lots to fill you in on!
Firstly, Music Victoria is excited to announce the official launch of our Live Music Professionals program happening next week in Geelong. The new program brings together seasoned music industry and business personnel as coaches and workshop hosts teaming them with participants already established as active independent promoters, venue owners and band bookers. Participants will come together from all over the State of Victoria, including a number from the Barwon and Great Surf coast areas, and will be coached by people from The Hills Are Alive, Bolster, Penney and Logan PR/Management, Little Giant, Bar Open/The Tote Hotel, Deathproof PR, Groovin’ the Moo, The Corner Hotel Group, Karova Lounge, Mistletone, White Sky, and Small Business Victoria. Applications for the 2018 program will open in early 2018 and more info can be found online at musicvictoria.com.au/lmp or by emailing [email protected]
We are also very happy to welcome two new staff on board! Laura Imbruglia will commence in the new Project and Marketing Manager role from August 21, and last week Al Parkinson commenced part-time as Office and Membership Co-ordinator. Both are talented singer-songwriters and have years of experience in the industry, which will bring invaluable experience and knowledge to the Music Victoria team, and to you.
Lastly, our new Office and Memberships Coordinator Al had a boogie at The Workers Club in Geelong last week at the venue’s second birthday bash (Happy Birthday, by the way!). Al was there tour managing The Teskey Brothers, who have been kicking goals all over the country recently. There’s always a strong sense of community in regional venues, the kind of atmosphere that you might not notice at a larger venue in the middle of Melbourne. It was clear that people were there for ALL of the music (the room was almost full by the time the first support act played), and to support and celebrate the community that The Workers Club has created over the past two years. Local support acts Nathan Seeckts and Rach Brennan were embraced by the audience, who listened intently and cheered loudly after each song (and bought all of the merch). The people attending were respectful of every act, the staff and each other. It’s inspiring to see venues like The Workers Club receiving the support from their locals in the middle of winter, a venue who clearly have a strong focus and vision, supporting local and live music and creating a fun and safe space for punters.
I think that’s enough from us for now! Hope you all have lots of gigs lined up to keep that spirit warm during these freezing nights.
See you in the moshpit. Sarah, Al, Coops and the Music Vic crew.
Member moment:
Barwon Club Hotel, Geelong – The Mane Event Music Festival
Supporting this great event since 2014, The Mane Event returns to The Barwon Club October 14 & 15. The music festival is the brainchild of directors Jon Gilchrist and Tristan Gall from Geelong. The event is held during Mental Health Week every October to raise money and awareness to combat the rising rate of suicide and support mental health services within the local community.
The event continues to grow with this year with two days of great music featuring acts such as Saskwatch, The Teskey Brothers, Sugar Fed Leopard and Tim Hulsman Trio, a great mix of local and out of town acts. Tickets are now on sale through Oztix. See ya there!
Gig of the month:
Husky – August 19, Theatre Royal, Castlemaine
Husky head to The Theatre Royale Castlemaine in August to celebrate the release of their third album, Punchbuzz. Shaped by the duo’s recent experiences, Punchbuzz sees the band swapping their signature folk sound for streamlined indie rock that lopes ahead with wide-screen atmosphere, dark lyrics, and newly muscled melodies. Sharp, lean, and driving, the album more than lives up to the dynamic imperative of its title. The album was recorded in Melbourne, produced by Matt Redlich (Holy Holy, Emma Louise). The duo have developed their sound and found new inspirations, creating an extremely exciting and powerful record.
Industry updates from Music Victoria
Written by Live Music Professionals Project Manager Sarah Deborre and Office and Membership Co-ordinator Al Parkinson.
