Aussie Live Music Business Council Launches For Smaller Businesses

Booking agents, artist managers, promoters and venue operators formed the Australian Live Music Business Council as a voice for medium and small sized businesses, especially on the road to COVID-19 recovery.

They represent 65,000 jobs, the council said. These cover booking agents, managers, venues and promoters, through to ticketing companies, poster firms, media, publicists, food vendors, security, music technicians and road crews.

Stephen Wade, CEO of Select Music agency and ALMBC interim chair, noted the new association filled a gap as the entire spectrum of the music biz came together during the crisis.

“(It) provides for the first time, a platform to help galvanize our passion to work in this amazing industry …and now gives a coordinated voice to the thousands of small and medium businesses working at the coalface of Australia’s essential night economy, representing the long-tail of shows, venues and events that underpin Australian commerce and culture,” Wade said in a statement. 

The council’s priority concerns are extending the JobKeeper work scheme to beyond its September deadline, and if its members can access insurance when concerts return.

Peter Noble of Bluesfest Byron Bay revealed elsewhere insurance premiums were a major challenge, as his for 2021 shot up 400% and still do not cover the pandemic. 

The interim board and steering committee also includes Alex Paioff & Fraser Johnson of digital marketing agency MITP and venue owners; Oztix ticketing founders Brian Chladil & Stuart Field; manager and venues operator Craig Lock of 5/4 Entertainment; First Nation animation group project manager Fred Leone; production company Architects of Entertainment co-founder Haydn Johnston;  Electronic Music Conference director Jane Slingo; Unified Group manager and agent Nick Greco; promoter and venues operator Ross Macpherson of Macro Music; and venues operator ALH’s group national entertainment manager Sharlene Harris.