Unconvention Brisbane 2011

You may remember that about this time last year I posted about an even called Unconvention. The set up will be pretty similar to last year’s event, featuring a discussion forum, networking event and musical showcase. However they key difference in the 2011 event will be the addition of a workshop! Complete details and full program can be viewed here and tickets can be bought here. I’ve said this a million times, but the event last year was a complete invaluable experience for me, and I’m certain this year’s will be as well. Hope to see some of you there!

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BAM! Festival Canceled

 

I hate to say it, but I’m not entirely surprised the BAM! Festival was canceled. I’m a little disappointed though, because part of me did hope that they would pull through. A 2 for 1 ticket selling attempt the other week reeked of desperation, but I am glad they realised the need to cancel the event before it was too late. Ticket buyers will be granted full refunds and at least this way the bands aren’t losing out on travel expenses. I have no doubt that the festival organisers will still be in pools of debt, but at least they had the sensibilities to admit defeat.

The topic has really been exhausted, and I don’t think there’s much left to say that hasn’t already been said (you can go read the article on M+N as well as the barrage of comments). Hopefully anyone out there looking to start a festival in Brisbane seriously thinks it through. Australia loves festivals and there is definitely an audience for it, especially in Brisbane where some people have said that we don’t have enough festivals (though I think we’re catching up). But just because people like festivals, doesn’t mean they’ll like every festival. The main complaint here was why pay $200 to see a bunch of bands that I could see any weekend? Admittedly it is a lot of money but you can always break it down (as I do with most festivals) that you see X amount of bands would normally spent X amount of money to see them play their own shown. The thing I personally found unappealing about the festival was that it was intended to be a ’24 hour party’ – call me old, but I like my sleep. It was just a bit too ambitious I think.

Hopefully this doesn’t deter anyone from wanting to start a new festival in Brisbane in the future. But I do hope that they take this example into consideration.

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Unconvention Brisbane

This coming weekend, June 12-13, Unconvention Brisbane will be held at The Edge in South Bank (near the Cultural Centre). Unconvention is a world renowned not for profit music conference for DIY and independent promoters, labels, entrepreneurs, writers, technologists, innovators and artists. The creators stress that they aren’t concerned with “discovering rock stars” but instead would rather focus on the community within the city who want to work in the music industry. The goal of the conference is to bring like-minded individuals together to discuss the future of music in Brisbane and how it will change and develop over the coming years.

The conference is held over two days and features panel discussions and networking events, as well as a free, all-ages independent music showcase on the Saturday night. The main panel discussions address ‘music as a service’, ‘music as a product’, ‘music and media’, ‘music, technology and entrepreneurialism’ and ‘music as culture’. Some of the speakers include Everett True, Andrew Stafford, Andrew McMillen, Steve Bell, Maggie Collins and many many more. Check out the full program here.

The music showcase will feature local Brisbane acts Laneous & the Family Yah, Lion Island, the Cairos and Hunz.

This sounds like an exciting opportunity to get involved and be part of the discussions about the ever changing music scene in Brisbane. Not to mention a chance to put faces to a few names (for me at least!). Hopefully, if the conference is successful, this can become an annual event to help build a strong local community.

Tickets are priced at $20 for access to both days. Click here to book via OzTix. Come and say hi if you see me there!

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Splendour in the Grass Lineup Announced

 

Over the past couple of year, it has been notoriously difficult to get a ticket to the Splendour in the Grass Festival. This year, to accommodate for larger crowds (and possibly a redevelopment of the Byron Bay site if I remember correctly?) the festival is being moved to Woodford, just outside of Brisbane. Bigger space not only means more room for punters, but more room for more acts. And ohmygod this year’s lineup is nothing short of phenomenal.
 

The Pixies
The Strokes
Mumford and Sons
The Temper Trap
Band of Horses
Passion Pit
Florence and the Machine
Laura Marling
Grizzly Bear
 
Band of Skulls
Surfer bloos
Alberta Cross
Miike Snow
The Drums
Two Door Cinema Club
 
LCD Sound System
Broken Social Scene
Midlake
Foals
Frightened Rabbit
Goldfrapp
Kate Nash
Jonsi
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
 
Scissor Sisters
The Ting Tings
Hot Chip
 
Yeasayer
Ash
Ben Harper and the Relentless 7
We Are Scientists
Richard Ashcroft and the United Nations of Sound
K-Os
Delphic
Fat Freddy’s Drop
School fo Seven Bells
The Magic Numbers
 
Angus and Julia Stone
Empire of the Sun
Wolfmother
The Vines
Tame Impala
Paul Kelly
Operator Please
Lisa Mitchell
Midnight Juggernauts
Little Red
Space Invadas
British India
Oh Mercy
The Middle East
Bluejuice
Washington
Whitley
Dan SUltan
Cloud Control
Miami Horror
Clare Bowditch
Philadelphia Grand Jury
John Steel Singers
Violent Soho
The Mess Hall
Jonathan Boulet
Boy and Bear
Gypsy and the Cat
Last Dinosaurs
Ernest Ellis
Tim and Jean
 
Plus more apparently?!?! The festival is going to be spread over three days this year, starting Friday July 30 and ending Sunday August 1. Tickets will go on sale May 6 – pretty sure you’re going to have to get in quick for this one.

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RIP Malcolm McLaren

It has been reported that former Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren has died on April 8, aged 64. Mclaren had been suffering from cancer for quote some time, when things took a turn for the worse yesterday. McLaren was most notorious not only for being the manager of the British punk rock band the Sex Pistols, but also for his controversial publicity stunts. He was a leading figure in punk rock, with some saying he founded it in Britain. Music journalist Jon Savage claimed, “without Malcolm McLaren there would not have been any British punk.” McLaren also had a successful recording career as an artist himself, and managed several other bands including the New York Dolls.

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Freedom for Amanda Palmer

 
Over the past couple of years, songstress Amanda Palmer has been quite vocal about her battles with her record label, Roadrunner. There were alleged arguments about what she could and couldn’t do with her music, where she could post it online and what she could make available, and when. And Palmer was apparently barely even seeing a cent of it. Then there was also the controversy of the Leeds United video, where the label wanted to edit the video to get rid of the shots where Palmer looked ‘fat’. There was a massive backlash from fans, sending photos of their ‘bellies’ to the record label with various protests. (and we won’t even touch on the ‘Oasis’ controversy…that’s pretty self explanatory!)

Fast track to today, and many legal battles later, Palmer announced today on Twitter that she had finally broken free and was released from her contract with Roadrunner. She released a more detailed blog entry as well, explaining in simple terms why she wanted out, and it’s pretty fair to see why she did.

And, to commemorate the occasion, she released a track to download from her site, for free or for any donation. Grab it and celebrate.

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