Australia News: $135M Funding Package, Festivals, L.A.B. & More

– Piknik Electronik Melbourne

Live Sector Applauds Government’s Additional $135m Funding

The live sector applauded the Australian government’s A$135 million ($103.1 million) funding lifeline to boost 230 projects and support 90,000 jobs. A$125 million ($95.5 million) went to the RISE scheme – designed to support festivals, concerts, tours and productions – and a further A$10 million ($7.64 million) to music charity Support Act.

Arts minister Paul Fletcher said the funds were meant to stimulate a return to touring. Guidelines were changed to allow more support for smaller organizations, venues and artistic groups, including lowering the minimum grant from A$75,000 ($57,314) to A$25,000 ($19,104).

“Theatre is on the road back but the music sector is lagging somewhat behind,” Fletcher said on March 25. “We want to see our performers and creators on stage, we want to see jobs for the backstage crews, we want to see front of house.”

The lifeline came days after APRA AMCOS, Live Performance Australia (LPA), Association of Artist Managers and the Live Entertainment Industry Forum met with Fletcher, prime minister Scott Morrison and treasurer Josh Frydenberg to explain the plight of the entertainment industry after the wage subsidy program JobKeeper ended on March 28. One in five arts workers were estimated to be on the scheme.

Dean Ormston, chief executive of APRA AMCOS, emphasized that the funds should get to recipients immediately.

“The livelihoods of thousands will rely on this new package to ensure the sustainability of our sector,” Ormston said. The expansion of guidelines “will be vital to help support micro businesses including entertainers, managers, promoters and booking agents for contemporary music tours, festivals and events.”

The delivery of promised money is an issue. The opposition Labor party interrogated public servants to find only A$65.4 million ($49.9 million) of the earlier A$250 million ($191 million) had gone to the people who need it.

Association of Artist Managers executive director Catherine Haridy stated, “Many of us have struggled to get back on our feet due to the ongoing regulations and restrictions on live performance, and this announcement is a welcome relief. We now need a commitment to see that this money goes to the people, the small businesses – artists, managers, agents, road crew and more that need it most.”

LPA’s Evelyn Richardson noted that with the live sector is not expected to make a full return until Q4 2021, the funds would fill the “significant gap in Q2 and Q3.”

Support Act estimated funding won’t reach the worst affected until mid-year and introduced MusicKeeper and CrewKeeper grants of A$2,000 ($1,528) “to cushion the blow” until then.

– Iva Davies of Icehouse at By The C Festival

By The C, Summersalt, Confirm Strong Crowd Draws

Despite ever-changing border closures and pandemic restrictions, outdoor national runs By The C and Summersalt (March/April) by Perth-based Zaccaria Concerts & Touring’s had one of their best years selling a combined 90,000 tickets.

By The C targeted 45-65 year olds with Icehouse, singer songwriters James Reyne and Pete Murray and ‘90s bands Baby Animals, Killing Heidi and Motor Ace. Two of the four dates sold out.

Summersalt, with a 30-45 aged crowd, had younger blues-rock acts Teskey Brothers, The Cat Empire, John Butler and Boy & Bear with songwriters Montaigne and Emily Wurramara. Six of those eight shows sold out, and two were postponed.

Managing director John Zaccaria told Pollstar, “Both festivals performed stronger than usual because we were among the first to put tickets on sale (in 2020) at a time when there were few other options. Some of the audiences were so enthusiastic: they got there early and made sure they made a day of it.”

Once events resume general admission (currently patrons must be seated) Zaccaria plans to look at staging his other regular events.

Adelaide’s March Festivals Deliver Box Office Hits

Andrew Beveridge – Adelaide Festival

Figures from the South Australian government showed three major music events of Adelaide’s Mad March of ten festivals exceeded expectations despite non-international attractions and reduced venue capacities.

Adelaide Fringe (Feb. 19 to March 21) sold a phenomenal 630,000 tickets valued at A$16.4 million ($12.5 million) for an audience of 2.7 million with its free and ticketed shows. Despite border issues, 73,710 tickets went to tourists.

The Adelaide Festival (Feb. 26 to March 14) exceeded its box office target by A$1 million ($764,203). Sales of 61,000 tickets had a value of A$3.7 million ($2.82 million) while 160,800 attended the events.

WOMADelaide downsized to four sunset concerts this year, attracting 19,000.

Auckland’s Mt. Smart Returns With L.A.B

Chart topping reggae band L.A.B was the first music act in 13 months to play Auckland’s Mt. Smart Stadium to a capacity 30,000 fans on March 27. The last was Elton John in February 2020.

Auckland Stadiums director James Parkinson told Stuff the venue lost 17 potential sell-out sports and music events in the past 12 months. Despite new competition from the 60,000-capacity Eden Park, he estimated it would be hosting between four to seven concerts a year.

Mt. Smart ranked No. 25 in Pollstar Worldwide Ticket Sales Top 100 Outdoor Stadiums 2018 report for 243,178 ticket stubs. That year Ed Sheeran set a New Zealand record with three sold out shows to 134,000 fans, beating Adele’s record of just over 130,000 the year before.

TEG Expands Heavy Metal Rules Tour

TEG/MJR Presents expanded its Heavy Metal Rules Tour (Oct. 26—29) with US acts Steel Panther and Sevendust. A fifth show was added in Brisbane for Oct. 30 at Eaton’s Hill Hotel as a mini-festival with four extra bands.

TEG Live meanwhile moved Delta Goodrem’s 10-date arena and theatre Bridge Over Troubled Dreams Tour from April / May to September / October. Goodrem said, “Whilst I would love to be touring in April, we believe waiting an extra few months will put our hearts and minds beyond doubt.”

Strong Start For Outback Bash

The inaugural Mundi Mundi Bash, in red-earth outback New South Wales (NSW), sold 60% of its 10,000 tix in the first three hours. Running three days in August, the 20-act bill includes Paul Kelly, Tim Finn and Kate Ceberano.

With support from the NSW government to inject A$5.4 million ($4.12 million) into the local economy, organizer Greg Donovan of the Outback Music Festival Group said, “It’s been a big leap of faith launching a new event in these times. When we started working on this new event we didn’t know if we’d even get this far. And now here we are – tickets sales going gangbusters.”

Teeks Signs With NYC Publicist

– Teeks

With his debut album Something To Feel out worldwide March 25 via Sony Music, New Zealand soul singer Teeks is now repped for territories outside New Zealand and Australia by NYC-based publicist Yvette Noel-Schure.

She made the announcement during a 45-minute Instagram chat with the singer. Schure Media Group’s handles publicity for Beyoncé, among others.

Teeks, hailed as one of the “most promising talents” and “the soulful singer to know” by Vogue last summer, begins a six-city New Zealand run from June 4.