Wanna Play St Kilda Festival 2014?
Taking place in 149 days, according to the countdown on their official website, St Kilda Festival has now put the call out for local musicians and emerging talent to perform at the annual event. Applications are now open for the return of the Live N Local and New Music Stage to the event. The former presents a week of local bands at various venues around St Kilda, taking place from the 2nd to 8th February, 2014, while the New Music Stage is one of the highlights of the Festival Sunday on 9th February, 2014, offering ten bands a chance to play at the esteemed event and even with up to $5,000 if named the crowd favourite. Applications close Monday 30th September; further details are available at http://www.stkildafestival.com.au/callforentries. (via St Kilda Festival)
Major Merger To Bring Venues & Tickets Under One Roof?
Ticketek, one of Australia’s largest ticketing agencies could be merged with AEG Ogden, which currently has the management rights for six of Australia’s nine major capital-city concert venues. In a move that could mirror Live Nation’s acquisition of Ticketmaster in America in 2010, AEG Ogden is reportedly making a move to purchase Ticketek, as it is listed as a core asset belonging to Nine Entertainment as it is reportedly set to be floated on the ASX to the tune of around $3 billion. Internationally, AEG Ogden uses its own ticket company, (confusingly called) AXS, but insiders suggest that the venue giant recently changed the structure of its ticket reseller arrangements which will cap resellers at a reported 15% of total ticket volumes. Ticket reselling through big name companies has already found success through Telstra’s recent Thanks program, with ticketing platform BangTango, that has filled up to 30% of tickets to headline concerts for Bon Jovi and Michael Bublé in presales before even going to the general public. (via The Age)
Former Warner Executive Dies, Aged 71
John Bromell, the former managing director for the Australian division of Warner Chappel Publishing in Australia, has died at the age of 71 following a fatal car crash near Coffs Harbour on Saturday in which it is believed Bromell had a heart attack while driving. Fellow music executive Robert Rigby, founder of the Ambition Music Group, was with Bromell at the Gympie Muster last week. “He was in fine form,” says Rigby. “Quite a legend in the music publishing world for many years at Warner Chappel Music Publishing… He told me he signed something like 60 top 10 acts in his time in the publishing business,” says Rigby. Brommell ran Warner Chappell Music between 1982 and 1997, and in that time signed Cold Chisel. (via Yahoo!7News)
Brunswick Music Festival Manager Retires After 22 Years At Helm
After 22 years of service, Brunswick Music Festival’s John McAuslan has retired from his position as manager of the annual event. Strut & Fret Production House will replace the departing McAuslan, who was a key figure in developing the Brunswick Festival as a platform for local and emerging talent, as well as musicians locally and internationally. Strut & Fret will be looking to put “their own creative edge” towards the established event ahead of its 2014 edition which takes place from 2nd to 16th March, 2014. Applications for performers, stall-holders, food vendors, and others interested in taking part in Brunswick Festival 2014, are now available here. Applications close Tuesday 15th October. (via TheMusic)
Dew Process Signs Scandinavia’s Mikhael Paskalev
Brisbane indie label Dew Process has welcomed Mikhael Paskalev to their roster. Following on from capturing the attention of the UK’s Communion label, and US label Mom + Pop, Paskalev now joins the Dew Process family, that includes Sarah Blasko, Bernard Fanning, the Hives, Gossling, and Mumford & Sons. The young Norwegian/Bulgarian has drawn attention for the Tom Cruise tribute video for his single ‘I Spy‘, the song becoming a platinum-selling hit in Norway and earning the young writer a national award for Best Unsigned Act. (via Dew Process)
