The Australian live music scene is undergoing some major changes as the company belonging to one of arguably the country’s biggest bookers closes up shop.
Way Over There, the agency belonging to Aussie live music figurehead Richard Moffat, has been involved in the bookings for festivals such as Groovin The Moo, Splendour In The Grass, and Falls, as well as handling a trifecta of Melbourne venues – Richmond’s Corner Hotel, the Northcote Social Club, and Fitzroy’s Worker Club.
But according to Sydney Morning Herald, Way Over There is closing down operations this week, while the agency’s official website has also been taken down.
The news arrives as a press statement issued today states that the former Way Over There programming team would now be now be joining Corner Presents, the live music company headed by Ben Thompson, who already handle bookings and promotions for a number of live music venues.
That venue folio includes the Corner, Northcote Social Club, its sister Sydney venue the Newtown Social Club, as well as the newly-minted 170 Russell (formerly Billboard, as perviously reported), and stepping in to manage Sheebeen – the newest venue in Melbourne’s Manchester Lane – “with further venues in the works,” adds today’s media release.
“The Way Over There team and my office have co-existed for many years, working together on all the same venues and shows and now the opportunity to have their entire team come and work for me under Corner Presents is super exiting for me,” Ben Thompson told Tone Deaf, when asked to comment on the reported closure of Richard Moffat’s agency. “The Way Over There team and my office have co-existed for many years… now the opportunity to have their entire team come and work for me under Corner Presents.”
“In the current climate where it is hard for live music rooms to stay afloat, I’ve been thinking for quite a while about how I could provide a business model which is dedicated to keeping venue overheads low to assist in live music venues in being more sustainable. Corner Presents is exactly that,” Mr Thompson adds. “[We’re] open for business and seeking quality venues throughout Australia to work with.”
Corner Presents aims at reducing venue’s overhead costs – such as booking, publicity, and advertising spend – to achieve sustainability in a live music landscape that, despite a recent upswing in fortunes, has been rather less than consistent in the last few years.
Meanwhile, management at The Workers Club recently announced that it would be taking on new booker Indra Adams (of Singhala Booking Agency) after announcing last month that it would be parting ways with Way Over There.
“All at The Workers are grateful to them (Way Over There) for their hard work and commitment in helping shape the venue to date,” read a statement issued on 14th January from the Fitzroy venue’s new management.
The booking changeover confirmed the speculation that arose when Corner Presents stepped in to handle 170 Russell (the re-branded Billboard) just a week earlier. At the time, a representative from Way Over There confirmed that the agency would continue working with Billboard and new partners, but declined to comment on the status of other venues and festivals, including the fact that Splendour In The Grass logo was conspicuously missing from the Way Over There talent pool on their (now absent) official website.
Tone Deaf reached out to Way Over There’s Richard Moffat for comment about his future plans and whether they involve booking Aussie music festivals, but he was unavailable at the time of publication.
(Image: Way Over There. Source: Facebook)
