Australasia News: Heymann Named ‘Live Legend;’ Tote’s New Owners; Taylor Tix; KISS Supports Vets; NZ: Supporting Dunedin

AUSTRALIA

Frontier’s Susan Heymann, Yothu Yindi ‘Live Legends’

Frontier Touring’s COO Susan Heymann and pioneering First Nations band Yothu Yindi are this year’s Live Legends inductees at the National Live Music Awards (NLMAs), back from a two-year hiatus October 11 with eight simultaneous events around the country.

Heymann’s 20 years in the biz began as an intern at Chugg Entertainment, and ended as its managing director – a role she kept as Chugg joined Frontier Touring in 2019 as a joint venture.

In March 2022, when Mushroom Group and AEG Presents restructured Frontier’s executive ranks, Heymann’s new role as COO focused on artist relations and content development.

Hailing from remote communities in the Northern Territory, Yothu Yindi had global hits with “Treaty”, “Djapana (Sunset Dreaming)” and “Tribal Voice,” won eight Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) awards and entered the ARIA Hall of Fame 2012.

New Owners For The Tote

Melbourne’s The Tote, longtime launching pad for indie bands, will remain open after Shane Hilton and Leanne Chance, of the Last Chance Rock And Roll Bar, take over in November.

The previous owners declared they “were out of gas” after the pandemic.

Hilton and Chance came up with A$6.65 million ($4.25 million), half from crowd-funding, and made it clear they’d give “the Tote to the bands of Melbourne forever. No fucker’s gunna touch one of those posters on that tobacco-stained ceiling.”

Unauthorized Taylor Swift Tix Offer Withdrawn

An offer for Taylor Swift fans to acquire A$379.90 ($242.90) A-reserve ticket and suite packages up to A$1,249.90 ($799.20) for four Feb. 2024 dates by reward points via Sydney Accor Stadium’s Live Limitless rewards program was withdrawn after Frontier Touring intervened.

Promised for sale Oct. 3, Category A tickets cost 12,000 points, and suite packages 35,000 points.

Frontier warned Accor was “not approved for this activity and have confirmed (it) will be removing this offer immediately” and reminded fans the sole avenue for Swift tickets was Ticketek.

KISS Support Veterans Appeal

For KISS’ final Australian show Oct. 7 at Sydney’s 83,500-capacity Accor Stadium, they teamed with One World Entertainment and TEG to launch the Support Our Veterans appeal.

It will donate A$10 ($6.40) from each ticket to Legacy, which has supported veterans’ families for 100 years; and Wounded Heroes Australia, which provides emergency financial aid for homelessness and suicide prevention.

Five thousand free tickets will be distributed to serving Australian Defense Forces personnel and vets.

One World Entertainment CEO Andrew McManus said KISS manager Doc McGhee, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley “did not hesitate” in setting up the appeal “after being made aware of the plight of our returned servicemen and women, and the need for awareness of (their) mental health and welfare.”

TEG group CEO Geoff Jones added, “As a former member of the ADF myself, and the son of a Vietnam veteran, the dedication and sacrifices of our serving men and women has always been important to me.”

NEW ZEALAND

Invigorating Dunedin/ Ōtepoti’s Live Scene

A plan to invigorate live music in Dunedin (published under its Maori name Ōtepoti) is being considered by Dunedin City councilors.

Ideas include council funding a mid-sized venue to fill the hole after recent closures, use its spaces for rehearsal and teaching, find new income streams for musicians, assist venues and promoters to deliver live music, and learn from Australian cities on balancing live sounds with inner city residential growth.

The Ōtepoti Live Music Action Plan 2023 took two years to compile, with the council working with associations such as Save Dunedin Live Music.

Dunedin acts that went global include SIX60, The Clean, The Chills and Straitjacket Fits.