Australian News 11/16

Listen To The Brand

Jack Daniel’s has teamed with promoter Chugg Entertainment to launch a concert series next year called The JD Sets.

Six shows will involve multiple bands touring regional and metropolitan Australia throughout the year.

Earlier this year, Jack Daniel’s pulled out of its involvement with the live music Jack Awards. It also terminated its longtime involvement with Big Day Out, Splendour in the Grass and Homebake festivals.

Also, surf apparel company Billabong signed laid-back duo Tamarama to front the first "Billabong Sessions," a tour along the East Coast to beachside venues through January.

The sessions will combine music, fashion and surf lifestyle.

‘High Voltage’ Released

Frontier Touring Company’s Michael Gudinski and managers John Watson, John Woodruff and Glenn Wheatley are among seven Australian executives profiled in a new book, "High Voltage Rock ‘n’ Roll: The Movers and Shakers in the Australian Rock Industry."

The tome, through Music Sales, is penned by music journalist Christie Eliezer. A digital version is available at http://www.immedia.com.au/HighVoltage.

MIPI Eyes Club DJs

Music industry piracy unit MIPI has sent out letters to several nightclubs warning them that DJs playing illegally downloaded tracks are breaking the law, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

The DJs could cop a $60,500 fine, and the clubs $302,000. MIPI GM Sabiene Heindl told the Herald that the clubs that got the letters were the Cargo Bar, Verandah Bar, UN Nightclub and Gaff club.

Up to 90 percent of DJs indulge in this practice, sources told the Herald.

‘Sound Travellers’ Launched

The Australian government’s arts funding body, the Australia Council, teamed with arts strategy company Ceres Solutions and tour company Performing Lines to launch "Sound Travellers."

It will promote the national touring opportunities for sound art / electronica, jazz and contemporary classical musicians.

This will be done through financial help for acts on the road, developing new touring networks and expanding marketing and publicity to existing networks.

KISS To Play NZ Fest

KISS, about to announce it will headline a Grand Prix show in Melbourne next March, is confirmed to play the two-day New Zealand festival Rock2Wgtn.

It takes place March 22-23 at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium.

Promoter Phil Sprey says more big-name international acts will be added.

Local speculation has it that Ozzy Osbourne and Sinead O’Connor could be candidates, as they will be in neighbouring Australia around that time.

Short Notes

Frontier Touring announced that reunited Split Enz will do three shows in New Zealand: Westpac Arena, Christchurch (March 23), TSB Bank Arena, Wellington (March 25) and Vector Arena, Auckland (March 28). The band reformed in 2006 for a short Australian tour to critical praise.

U.S. avant-garde act Crystal Castles is set for five dates December 14-22 for Select Music.

Brazilian party-starting trio of MCs and DJs, Bonde Do Role, is to play three cities January 3-9 for Handsome Tours and Penny Drop.

Two Sydney venues associated with live music – the Exchange Hotel in Balmain and the Rose Shamrock & Thistle Hotel in Paddington – will be auctioned November 29.

In a major coup for organisers, Santana will headline at next year’s Clipsal 500 race in Adelaide in February. The Jim Beam Track Sounds On Circuit Concert Series kicks off February 21 with other acts including Powderfinger, Sneaky Sound System, Shannon Noll, Doc Neeson’s Angels, Adam Harvey and Expatriate.

In its fourth year, Chugg Entertainment’s alt-rock celebration St. Jerome’s Laneway will extend to a fourth city, Adelaide, in February.

Acts confirmed so far are Canadian songstress Feist, Goyte, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, The Presets, Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene, Dan Deacon, who is a forerunner in Baltimore’s Future Shock movement, The Panics, Okkervil River, Little Red, Devastations, NZ’s Brunettes, Tania Bowers’ project Via Tania, Bridezilla and the Holidays.

New Zealand hip-hop guitarist Brian "Brother Zeb" Taite was detained at Dubai International Airport on charges of drug possession, Dubai police said. He was returning to NZ from Ethiopia when police allegedly found 0.7 grams of marijuana crumbs in his luggage. The 48-year old faces four years in jail and will then be deported to NZ.