Social State Launches As National Venue Booking Agency

Veteran Australian bookers James Power and Jesse Barbera launched a new, full-service nationwide venue booking agency called Social State Entertainment.

Power said that discussions with venues, promoters and agents found a need for an agency that tailored bookings to maintain each venue’s branding, increased marketing clout by sharing resources and overheads, and offered events unique to each event.

“It’s clear there is a gap to fill for strategic marketing support and a need for cleaner, more streamlined administration process for all sizes of shows and venues,” Power pointed out. “Under the new arrangement our agents will have more time to book acts, and there will be an increase in the speed and quality of administration support.”

Twenty-year veteran Power booked the Hi-Fi live music venues in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. In 2015 he became live content director for two of Melbourne’s best known venues, the Prince Bandroom and Prince Public Bar.

He also booked properties owned by the Melbourne Pub Group and nationally through his Tiger Live Agency.

Barbera is founder and managing director of The Fans Group, which managed acts, booked venues and organised festivals. Social State launched with 14 venues, including Brisbane’s Black Bear Lodge, Max Watts and Brightside; Melbourne’s Prince Bandroom, Prince Public Bar and Blight’s Bar; Perth’s Jimmy’s Den and Live At The Orchard; and Hobart City Hall with Gone South.