Following on from announcing the Stereosonic 2014 lineup and tickets going on sale, the organisers of Australia’s biggest electronic dance music festival have announced a ‘first of its kind’ partnership with online ticket resale platform Viagogo.
The five-year deal essentially allows Stereosonic patrons to offload their tickets to the two-day festival through Viagogo, the Swiss-born ticket exchange company that launched in Australia last September during a media furore over ticket scalping legislation.
Stereosonic 2014 tickets can be sold, at a price set by the individual, on a specific exchange platform set up on Viagogo, who say the site has seen a 293% spike in ticket searches for the EDM festival – which tours the country this November and December – since the lineup was announced.
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“People are gearing up for a massive weekend of electronic dance music and viagogo is predicting this year’s festival will be a huge sell-out, with 47% more demand coming from Australian fans compared to last year,” says Viagogo spokesman Alex Levenson.
The deal is designed to stem the illegitimate sale of Stereosonic tickets through more unreliable websites (like eBay and Gumtree) that have affected the EDM event in the past. Viagogo have also talked down the possibility that punters will take advantage of being able to set their own price.“Generally, globally, about 60 percent [of tickets] sell at or below face value,”Levenson tells The Music, saying the possibility of price gouging and mark-ups is “about five to ten percent above face value, globally.”
Levonson adds that the Stereosonic deal is “a clearer sign that there is a need for something like this […] rather than [fans] going to auction sites. That’s a bad experience for everyone; you don’t know whether [tickets are] going to be sent or whether they’re going to be legitimate. And then you don’t have much recourse.”
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The partnership is part of a global deal between Viagogo and SFX Totem to “increase access and security for festival-goers across the world,” with Stereosonic 2014 to be the first event to launch the new initiative before it is rolled out for other international festivals.
“We looked at other services on offer and firmly believe that viagogo offers the best in category, world-class ticketing service that we want to provide to all of our festival attendees,” says Steresonic promoter John Curtin.
This Week’s New Tracks On Triple J
Adds:
Bluejuice – I’ll Go Crazy [Dew Process]
Andy Bull – Nothing Is Wrong [Universal]
Banks – Beggin For Thread [Harvest Records/EMI]
Fences – Arrows {Ft. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis} [Warner]
Fishing – Nineteen/Boy Wunder {Ft. Alister Wright} [Create/Control]
Moses Gunn Collective – Shalala [triplejunearthed.com]
NehruvianDOOM – Darkness [Lex Records]
Peace – Lost On Me [Sony]
Spots:
Bad//Dreems – My Only Friend [Ivy League]
Foxygen – How Can You Really [Jagjaguwar/Inertia]
Jordan Léser – Prisoner Of Pride [triplejunearthed.com]
RL Grime – Core [Warner]
Industry News
Ash Grunwald Scores International Award As Aussies Gain Buzz Internationally
Aussie roots multi-instrumentalist Ash Grunwald has won the ‘Best International Act’ gong at this year’s LA Music Critics Awards. The news arrives following a US tour in which Grunwald left a trail of dazzled critics in his wake, he is now returning home to begin a huge run of national dates from 15th August (full details here). He’s not the only Aussie who’s had international critics raving. The Huffington Post has been plugging the greatness of bands from Down Under. Aussie prog rockers Closure In Moscow were named by the publication as one of ‘18 Artists You Need To Know‘ this year. Writing of the band’s newest album, Pink Lemonade; “you aren’t going to hear a rock record better or more distinctive this year.” Moscow’s “Pink Lemonade.” It follows on from The Huffington Post last month praising Melbourne-born rock trio Calling All Cars as one of ‘The Best Breaking Bands In 2014‘.
Music Industry Present Free ‘Export Ready or Not’ Masterclass
MusicNSW and Sounds Australia are presenting an informative free workshop on the topic ‘Export Ready or Not’ on Thursday 28th August at the Australia Council of the Arts. Discussing the ins and outs of what it means for an Aussie artist to be ‘export ready’ will be a panel featuring Bossy Music’s Claire Collins (Art Vs Science, D.D Dumbo), Tiny Monster’s Jess Beston (The Trouble With Templeton, Holy Holy), One Louder’s Bill Cullen (Kate Miller-Heidke, Sarah Blasko), We Manage’s Matthew Kennedy (Henry Wagons, Little Bastard), and Sounds Austrlia’s Millie Milgate, Glenn Dickie, and Esti Zillber. The masterclass is free but RSVP is essential. Full details at MusicNSW.
Brunswick Music Festival 2015 Applications Now Open
Artists interested in performing as part of next year’s Brunswick Music Festival can now submit applications. Presented by Performing Arts Moreland in association with Moreland City Council, Brunswick Music Festival 2015 will take place from 1st to 15th March, once again showcasing local talent in folk, blues, and world music. Last year’s edition drew over 60,000 patrons to the opening Sydney Road Street Party. Artist applicant submissions and further info can be found here. Expressions of Interest close on 24th October, 2014. (via Brunswick Music Festival)
Artist Signings
Montaigne Signs With Wonderlick Entertainment
Montaigne is the alias of talented 18-year-old Jessica Carro, and she will now be managed by Wonderlick Entertainment as part of a new deal for the release of a forthcoming EP. The young Sydneysider has already been gaining attention for her boundary-pushing singles ‘I’m A Fantastic Wreck‘ and ‘I Am Not An End’, which will both feature on her new EP.
Future Classic Adds Thrupence To Roster
Thrupence (the moniker of 23-year-old Aussie producer Jack Vanzet) has signed with Sydney indie label Future Classic. To commemorate the deal Thrupence has released a new track ahead of dropping his full-length record, Lessons, on 26th September. ‘Don’t You Mind‘ combines cinematic moods and electronic ambience via a sample of blues singer Son House’s ‘Grinning In Your Face’. It is available as a free download from Soundcloud here.
The One Hundred Sign To UNFD, Cover Iggy Azalea
UK hardcore four-piece The One Hundred are the latest signing to the UNFD roster ahead of the release of their debut EP, Subculture, on 29th August. The deal is inked as the band release a video for their cover of ‘Black Widow’ by Aussie-born, US-conquering Femcee, Iggy Azalea. (Watch here) The One Hundred are also set to join labelmates Hacktivist on the road for a UK tour later this year.
