Australia News: BIGSOUND, COVID-Safe Guidelines & More

BIGSOUND 2020 – the Oct. 21-22 virtual conference and showcase – is taking advantage of its move to an online format to cast a wider speakers and topics net than before.

The “United Nations of The Music Industry Sh*tshow” has execs from the U.S., New Zealand Canada, Singapore, India, Japan, U.K. and Europe sharing insights on rebuilding from COVID-19 in their markets.

A dozen closed-door sessions with Australian industry leaders discuss the re-futuring of the music industry, engagement sessions with government, and hosting cross-organization discussions on finding new and improved ways of engaging with each other and the public.

There’ll be related panels on the future of event streaming and changes in licensing; the use of Indigenous quotas across radio, festivals, and streaming as an agent for change; new pathways for the relationship between the sector and people of color; and a look at  different models for artists and sustainability in music beyond the mainstream Western music system.

Co-programmer Dom Miller called the list “the 50 artists BIGSOUND believes the world should be paying attention to in 2020 and beyond.”

U.S. blogger Wait But Why co-founder, and A1 and creativity thought leader Tim Urban join the keynote list alongside Tom Morello, troubadours Kev Carmody, Tones And I, Amy Shark, and YouTuber Nat’s What I Reckon.

Among nominees unveiled for the Oct. 20 virtual National Live Music Awards were for new category Musicians Making A Difference Live.

They included Michael Gudinski’s Mushroom Vision for creating “The Sound,” a TV program on the ABC network uniting the industry to showcase live music during COVID-19.

Others were singer songwriter E^ST for discussing mental health issues through her music; R&B singer Guy Sebastian for his charity work through his The Sebastian Foundation and raising $200,000 for bushfire relief with The Sony Foundation; Sydney rapper L-FRESH The LION ‘s work for social change; and electronic duo Peking Duk for fundraising efforts including for bushfire relief and mental health awareness.

The Live Act of the Year will be decided from rock bands Ball Park Music, Tropical Fuck Storm and WAAX, African-born soul singer Sampa The Great and emerging rapper Genesis Owusu.

Noms for Live Event were BIGSOUND and festivals St Jerome’s Laneway, WOMADelaide, Woodford Folk and Yours & Owls.

Up for International Tour of the Year were Elton John (Chugg Entertainment & AEG), Orville Peck (Live Nation & Secret Sounds), Sleaford Mods (Handsome Tours), The 1975 (Secret Sounds) and TOOL (Frontier Touring).

Chris O’Brien and Josh Smith’s Open Door Management were joined by Roy Amar, CEO of Bears Parts Music. He brings his acts Circles, Drown This City and Creo. “I can’t wait to learn everything I can from two such professional and talented people,” Amar said.

Two music associations devised COVID-safe guidelines for the sector’s return to active duty.

The Live Entertainment Industry Forum (LEIF)’s “COVID-Safe Guidelines” was compiled with input from 30 music bodies, and with government and health agencies. The measures cover cleaning and sanitization, crowd management, physical distancing, health monitoring and contact tracing.

The document stresses these were guidelines and each venue and promoter is responsible for developing their own risk management plan relevant to their business and jurisdiction.

Sydney venues, musicians and comedians have come out advocating a new health and community campaign by the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) for audiences and venues to keep contact transmission down.

The “Check. Check. Check” initiative is aimed at 4 million gig attendees. It requires that organizers check in contact details at the door, check hands by regular washing and sanitizing, and keep physical distancing in check.

The campaign, supported by the NSW Independent Bars Association, will reiterate with in-venue signage, sanitizer bottles, coasters and stickers and on social media and outdoor community service announcements.

A new 25,000 seat indoor music and sports stadium in the heart of Canterbury, had its NZ$473 million ($315.5 million) signed off by the New Zealand government and Christchurch City Council. 

It will be owned by the Council and operated by its events company Vbase.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that once completed in 2024, it would be a new social and economic hub for the city after the loss of Lancaster Park in the 2011 earthquakes.

A report forecasts NZ$395.6 million ($253.9 million) of economic benefit from the stadium over 30 years, including NZ$83.9 million ($44.9 million) from tourism, NZ$103.9 million ($69.3 million) of extra consumer spending, and NZ$53.9 million ($35.9 million) in “civic pride”.

Seats for an Air New Zealand flight featuring New Zealand’s current biggest band Six60 sold out in seven hours. The two-hour Nov. 14 flight is a tourism push for Dunedin, the band’s hometown, and will have members on board. 

The journey on the airline’s first Airbus A321neo, which starts Auckland, marks the world premiere of Till the Lights Go Out, a documentary on the band by film maker Julia Parnell. Six60 are the only New Zealand act to sell out the 50,000 Western Springs Stadium two years in a row and were most streamed NZ band on Spotify in 2018.

TEG Live’ s five-date Country Roadshow tour in February gets a preview with a free livestreamed event on Zoom Oct. 22 at 7.30pm AEDT. The acts – Lee Kernaghan, Adam Brand, Travis Collins, The Wolfe Brothers, Jasmine Rae and The Buckleys – perform and answer questions.