Australasia News: Knotfest Comes Downunder; Young Rich List; John Farnham; Laneway Upgrades

AUSTRALIA

Slipknot Taking Knotfest Down Under

Slipknot’s festival Knotfest enters its ninth territory next year with three shows in Australia, where their last four albums topped the charts.

It lands March 24 at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne; March 25 Centennial Park, Sydney; and March 26 at RNA Showgrounds, Brisbane.

The 14-act bill has Parkway Drive, Megadeth, Trivium, Northlane, Amon Amarth, In Flames, Knocked Loose, Spiritbox, Story Of The Year, Alpha Wolf, Void Of Vision, Bad Omens and Malevolence.

Music Names In Young Rich List

Three globally successful music names entered the AFR (Australian Financial Review) Young Rich List – musician Vance Joy with a worth of A$40 million ($25.7 million), and singer-songwriter Tones And I and entrepreneur Jaddan Comerford at A$35 million ($22.4 million) each.

At 38, Comerford is co-founder and CEO of UNIFIED Music Group whose live sector divisions has six festivals, a 38-act management roster with Joy, and an involvement in Lonely Lands Agency, which books Tones And I.

John Farnham Songs In Period Musical

Having successfully staged the U.S. hit “Hamilton” in Australia, Michael Cassel Group is tapping into a similar audience with a musical based on two Australian founding fathers.
With the working title,

“You’re The Voice,” the production is based around the famous Rum Rebellion of 1808 when officers of the New South Wales Corp arrested Governor William Bligh at the urging of wool pioneer and racketeer John Macarthur.

The added box appeal is the soundtrack of 22 hits by multi-platinum singer John Farnham, whose signature tune “You’re The Voice” gives the production its title.

His manager Glenn Wheatley touted investors in 2020. Wheatley died this year and Farnham is recovering from surgery that removed his jaw.

But the Sunday Herald-Sun confirmed the project was on-going, with a two-week script workshop held recently.

New CEO For Melbourne Convention Center

The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre appointed regional tourism executive Natalie O’Brien its CEO.

She replaces Peter King, who in 2018-19 saw the venue generate A$1.1 billion ($705 million) in benefits for the state.

NEW ZEALAND

Laneway Upgrades After Quick Sellout

Returning after a three-year absence, Laneway had to leave Albert Park, its home since 2017, when all 12,000 tickets sold out in 90 minutes.

The Jan. 30 event shifted to the 20,000-seat Western Springs.

Executive producer Julian Carswell said, “We couldn’t let people miss out on the chance to see some of the world’s most exciting artists, many coming to Auckland for the first time.”

They include Haim, Finneas O’Connell, Phoebe Bridgers, Lady In Red, Jungle Giants and Slowthai.