News From Downunder 10/3

Kylie Musical?

Kylie Minogue is reportedly working on a musical based on her hit songs and has asked Australian novelist Kathy Lette to be involved.

In other Kylie news, British tabloid reports claimed that security has tightened around Minogue’s Nov. 20 show at the opening of the Atlantis Hotel in Dubai after discovering “a terror plot.”

Minogue was named the top-earning entertainer in the “Business Review Weekly” list of the wealthiest Australians younger than 40.

She was listed at No. 23 with a fortune of A$83 million (US$68.8 million). Others on the list were Keith Urban and former Savage Garden members Daniel Jones and Darren Hayes.

 

Signings: Isaak, Osh10

Chris Isaak has signed with Universal Music Australia and will release a live-in-Australia CD to be issued in this territory only. Isaak has toured in Australia numerous times and sold 1 million units here.
Melbourne electronic duo Osh10 has signed a management deal with India-based W.O.A., making it the third Australian act to do so.

 

Controversial Festival Axed

The resurrection of the Byron Bay Arts and Music Festival for January caused much ill feelings from rival promoters, leading to a public war of words.

But it looks as though the festival has been delayed until 2010, as the local council has taken longer than expected to approve its application.

The festival was to have included Franz Ferdinand, The Hives, The Cat Empire and Tegan & Sara.

 

Short Notes

Kanye West’s dates for December were leaked to an Australian dance music site. He is expected to play Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Sydney’s Acer Arena and Brisbane Entertainment Centre Dec. 5-7.

Nine Inch Nails and Alice In Chains will headline the Soundwave festival, which will visit five cities Feb. 21 to March 2.
Love Police is bringing in Justin Townes Earle for his first visit downunder with six club dates Nov. 23-30.

Civil Society has booked ’80s British electro-synth pioneer Gary Numan for three theatre shows March 2-7.

Il Divo’s schedule sees the group back in Australia in September, again for Dainty Consolidated Entertainment.

Twenty-nine ravers were arrested for drug possession at the Transmission Dance Party Sept. 27 at Sydney Olympic Park. More than 3,000 attended the event.

Promoter Ted Gardner and his Australian business partner Con Nellis have a A$500,000 lawsuit against singer Cosima DeVito scheduled for hearing in the New South Wales Supreme Court Nov. 10.

They claim she made their roles untenable. DeVito, who emerged in the first series of “Australian Idol,” counter-sued, claiming they had been negligent with her career.

The inaugural Australasian World Music Expo will be held in Melbourne Nov. 20-23. It will feature showcases by acts from the Pacific region for international talent buyers, and seminars on touring Europe and North America, marketing and the problem of copyright in traditional cultures.

 

New Zealand

A Reunion And a Farewell

Head like a Hole, one of NZ’s biggest hard rock acts, will reunite for a one-off set at Vodafone Homegrown festival held in March in their hometown of Wellington.

The band, which split in 2000, courted controversy. It would go onstage naked, caked with mud, or in body paint, and one of their videos was banned.

Katherine Rich, three-term MP (Member of Parliament), departed NZ Parliament with a farewell speech that included a plea for the government to boost support for local music.

“Kiwi music brings us together as one of the glues to our society. The market will never support local music sufficiently, given the size of our country,” she said.