Australasia News: Cut Above Debuts; Splendour, Broadbeach Post Strong Lineups; Colin Hay, Colleen Ironside Honored; NZ: Southern Star’s NYE Fest

AUSTRALIA

Live Nation Sets Up Cut Above Collective Agency

Live Nation Australia and Mellen Events have set up Western Australia agency Cut Above Collective.

With nine acts on its roster, it launches April 29 at Perth’s Rosemount Hotel with sets from queerlectro pop band Alter Boy, songwriting and production team Boox Kid, hip-hop and R&B singer Drea and and electro pop duos Have A Good Day and Priscilla with DJ sets from metal bands Yomi Ship and Chaos Divine.

The roster’s biggest act, metal band Voyager, is away representing Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool through early May.

Mellen Events booker and artist manager Josh Terlick was named Cut Above’s general manager.

LN acquired Mellen Events July 2021, also gaining co-operating rights to Kings Park in Perth and Nikola Estate in the Swan Valley and giving it a strong footprint on the West Coast.

Splendour, Broadbeach Return With Strong Lineups

After a strong summer for most festivals, Splendour in the Grass in Byron Bay and Blues On Broadbeach on the Gold Coast return in the cooler weather with strong bills.

Splendour, which drew 50,000 each of its three days in 2022, announced 70 acts in the first artist announce joined by headliner Lizzo.

They included exclusive appearances from Flume, Mumford & Sons and 100 gecs, with Lewis Capaldi, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Hilltop Hoods, Ball Park Music, Arlo Parks, Benee, Pnau, Cub Sport, Idles, Little Simz and J Balvin.

It celebrates its 21st birthday July 21-23 at North Byron Parklands, and was last year criticized for overcrowding and flooding issues.

The 22nd Blues On Broadbeach, which drew 200,000 in 2019, added 20 more acts, bringing the tally to 65.

Performing over 16 stages May 18-21 are Tommy Emmanuel, Don Walker, Melbourne Ska Orchestra, and Emma Donovan & the Putbacks.

Marcus Scott & The Bo-Keys joined as a part of the festival’s new deal with Memphis Tourism to provide performance and workshop content.

Gongs For Colleen Ironside, Colin Hay

The late promoter Colleen Ironside and singer-songwriter Colin Hay receive outstanding services to Australian music gongs at the April 17 Australian Performance Rights Association music awards at ICC Sydney.

Ironside’s APA agency promoted INXS, Ratcat, Jenny Morris, Wendy Matthews and James Reyne.

As head of Frontier Touring’s Asia division from 1994 and SVP of bookings for Live Nation Pan-Asia from 2005, the larger-than-life Ironside took The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan Elton John, David Bowie, Janet Jackson, Sting, Pearl Jam, REM and Bruno Mars into the region.
She died 2022 in her longtime home of Thailand.

Hay sold 30 million records with Grammy-winning ‘80s band Men At Work, whose global chart topping “Down Under” is considered an unofficial Australian anthem.

In between solo tours and recordings, he plays guitar with Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band.

NEW ZEALAND

Southern Star Productions Launches NYE Festival

Southern Star Productions, which set up last year, has launched Mackenzie Summer Sounds festival as an addition to New Year’s Eve events.

With NZ the second country to greet the new year, coinciding with summer holidays, festivals at that time offer camping and are held in areas of outdoor activity.

Mackenzie Summer Sounds is staged on the banks of Lake Ruataniwha in Twizel, known for its mountain climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, skiing, horse trekking and hiking, and includes major names Stan Walker, Jordan Luck Band and Cam Scott.