Category: International News

THE AUSSIE BBQ SummerStage Returns To NYC This June

Posted on by Dom Alessio

Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage and Sounds Australia are thrilled to present the return of THE AUSSIE BBQ SummerStage in Central Park, New York City on Saturday 17 June, in association with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

An unmissable mini-festival celebrating Australian music, THE AUSSIE BBQ SummerStage features iconic and rising acts ranging from pop, soul, alt-rock and cutting-edge hip hop. Now in its third year, the free event annually attracts thousands of New Yorkers keen to experience the breadth, diversity and history of Australian sounds.

This year’s lineup features 1300, Amy Shark, Budjerah, L-FRESH The LION, Peach PRC and Spiderbait.

Now in its third year, the event annually attracts thousands of New Yorkers keen to experience the breadth, diversity and history of Australian sounds. At the inaugural showcase in 2019, almost 5000 people came to THE AUSSIE BBQ SummerStage to see A.B. Original, Hermitude, The Teskey Brothers, Tkay Maidza, San Cisco and WAAX perform.

After a hiatus enforced by COVID lockdowns and international travel restrictions, THE AUSSIE BBQ SummerStage returned last year with a stellar lineup which featured Baker Boy, Electric Fields, G Flip, Haiku Hands, Peking Duk and You Am I.

2023 is set to be just as exciting for so many reasons. 1300, L-FRESH The LION and Peach PRC will all make their US debuts at THE AUSSIE BBQ SummerStage. It will be one of Amy Shark‘s first performances outside of Australia since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic – and her stint as a judge on Australian Idol.

Having supported Vance Joy across the world in 2022, and fresh from supporting Ed Sheeran on his recent Australian tour, Budjerah has set himself up for a massive year. And with their cover of Ram Jam’s ‘Black Betty’ going viral on TikTok, many in New York will be thrilled for the long-awaited return of cult heroes Spiderbait.

“We are so excited to host THE AUSSIE BBQ at SummerStage once again this year. This key partnership allows us to support and showcase some of the best new artists from Australia, furthering our mission to bring the world to New Yorkers’ for free.” Erika Elliott, Executive Artistic Director, SummerStage

THE AUSSIE BBQ SummerStage is a free event, with gates opening at 4pm. Set times will be announced closer to the day. For more information on the artists showcasing, head to soundsaustralia.com.au/summerstage2023.

Groundbreaking Fund To Support South Australian Live Music Export

Posted on by Dom Alessio
South Australian act Tkay Maidza showcasing with Sounds Australia at THE AUSSIE BBQ SummerStage in New York City in 2019.

South Australian musicians will have access to an Australia-first initiative to support their journey to specific international music events throughout 2023.
 
Through an Export Contribution Fund, the South Australian Government’s Music Development Office and Sounds Australia will provide a non-competitive $3,000 contribution to travel costs for eligible artists who receive an official invitation to showcase at Folk Alliance International (Kansas, USA), SXSW (Austin, USA), The Great Escape Festival (Brighton, UK), Americanafest (Nashville, USA) and The Reeperbahn Festival (Hamburg, Germany).
 
This partnership recognises the increasing barriers to market entry for South Australian export-ready artists and is aimed at easing their financial burden, allowing them to make the most of their international opportunities.
 
The inaugural beneficiaries of the SA Export Contribution Fund include Dean Forever, Germein, MANE, PINES, Teenage Joans and TUSHAR, who have all been invited to officially showcase at SXSW in Austin, Texas this March.
 
“One of the best ways to grow the profile of our many talented musicians here in South Australia is to assist with music export.” says Andrea Michaels, South Australian Minister for Small and Family Business, Consumer and Business Affairs, and Arts. “It is great to see that five South Australian acts have already been invited to be showcased at SXSW – the most we have ever had from our state – and they will benefit from this initiative.

“The South Australian Government – through the Department for Industry, Innovation and Science’s Music Development Office – is proud to partner with Sounds Australia on the Export Contribution Fund to help showcase our talented South Australian musicians all over the world. We want to continue to build on Adelaide’s status as Australia’s only UNESCO City of Music and being able to perform at these events will work towards this goal.
 
Sounds Australia’s Executive Producer, Millie Millgate, says: “The creation of a dedicated Export Contribution Fund is the first of its kind in Australia and we are inspired by the South Australian Music Development Office who have seriously thought about where their artists need tangible support and have strategically created such a simple and effective program. Sounds Australia is proud to partner in its delivery and look forward to working with the South Australian acts and industry in their forthcoming export endeavours.”

More information on the fund and the application process is available here: https://soundsaustralia.com.au/funding/sa/

Sounds Australia Welcomes National Cultural Policy Announcement

Posted on by Dom Alessio

January 30th 2023 is a date we will not forget.

The announcement on Monday by Minister For The Arts Tony Burke MP and the Albanese Government to inject $69 million into the music industry, with the creation of Music Australia, is unprecedented and truly celebrated.

The very fact that the Labor Government recognises that “one of the best ways you can support artist incomes is to help them gain an international following, which includes helping Australian artists share the stage at festivals around the globe” is inspiring.

It’s also extremely refreshing to hear the Arts Minister recognise the value of “investing in strategies to support creatives with the ambition of landing commercial hits”.

We welcome the continued and increased funding for Sounds Australia by the Department for the Arts and look forward to seeing Australian music grow worldwide in the coming years through targeted investment and tailored export initiatives via Music Australia.

YOU CAN READ THE NATIONAL CULTURAL POLICY HERE

Global Music Match Returns For 2022

Posted on by Dom Alessio

Following the resounding success of the first two editions in 2020 and 2021, Global Music Match returns for a third year.

The groundbreaking initiative was recognised by the international music industry at WOMEX last October, receiving their prestigious Professional Excellence Award. The latest iteration of Global Music Match will feature 58 artists from 16 countries and four continents in an export academy for developing artists. Participants from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Catalonia, Chile, Denmark, England, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Scotland, Taiwan, USA and Wales are set to collaborate over the coming three months, in what is widely considered to be the world’s largest online musical collaboration program.

Five Australian artists will take part in this year’s Global Music Match:
Camille Trail
Hannah Acfield
Kelly Brouhaha
Kim Yang
Mickey & Michelle
 
Born out of the COVID-19 pandemic, and created by founding partners Sounds Australia, Showcase Scotland Expo, English Folk Expo and Canada’s East Coast Music Association (ECMA) as a unique and direct response to the sudden limitations imposed on the worldwide music industry and, in particular, international showcasing, Global Music Match has become a valuable artist development program. 

The Australians taking part in Global Music Match: (L-R) Camille Trail, Hannah Acfield, Kelly Brouhaha, Kim Yang, Mickey & Michelle

The third iteration of Global Music Match has evolved to focus on emerging artists who are just starting to explore and embark on their international careers. The 59 selected artists will develop their social media skills, learn about new markets, interact and collaborate with fellow musicians online all while creating new and engaging content.

Participating artists are grouped into international teams of six, from different countries, and over the coming 14 weeks will collaborate with each other online. Each act has an assigned ten-day Spotlight period, during which time their five teammates will introduce them to five new international audiences – an invaluable opportunity, given that many of these artists haven’t yet had the opportunity to tour internationally.

Each team is led by an international coach – all of whom are leading festival directors, programmers and publicity managers within the folk/roots genres. Artists will be coached throughout the project by respected figureheads from events including Glastonbury Festival (England), New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (USA), Knockengorroch Festival (Scotland), Manchester Folk Festival (England), Montelago Celtic Festival (Italy), AmericanaFest UK (England), Vancouver Island Music Fest (Canada) and World Music Festival (Chile). 

Participating organisations for 2022 include the founding partners (Sounds Australia, Showcase Scotland Expo, English Folk Expo and Canada’s East Coast Music Association (ECMA), alongside returning export music offices (EMOs): the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA), Catalan Arts (Catalonia), Chile Música, Export Music Sweden, FOCUS Wales, Folk Alliance International (USA), Iceland Music, LUCfest (Taiwan), Music Finland, Music Norway and Tempi (Denmark). In addition two new EMOs have joined in 2022: Brasil Música & Artes (BM&A) and Why Portugal. 

The inaugural Global Music Match program culminated in a four-hour-long online broadcast at Folk Unlocked, the acclaimed digital edition of the Folk Alliance International conference in the USA in February 2021. Following on from the WOMEX award, the success and popularity of Global Music Match continues to grow and gain worldwide recognition. Discussions are now underway to hold a live showcase event at Showcase Scotland 2023 as part of Celtic Connections festival, where artists from previous editions of Global Music Match will feature.

To see all the artists participating in this year’s edition, head to globalmusicmatch.com and follow the #globalmusicmatch hashtag on socials for the next couple of months to discover the amazing collaborations and content being created.

Sounds Australia Welcomes SXSW Sydney Announcement

Posted on by Dom Alessio

SXSW has long been a critical exporting platform for Australian artists, with 490 Australian acts having showcased at the premier music festival in Austin since Sounds Australia’s inception in 2009 and many of those multiple times.

As a result of showcasing at SXSW, Australian acts have secured countless deals, instigated key partnerships, garnered global media attention, won over legions of new fans and kick started their international careers.

Gang Of Youths, THE AUSSIE BBQ SXSW 2018, Australia House

The momentous announcement made today by the NSW Government, committing to the delivery of SXSW Sydney, is a gamechanger and the opportunities an event of this magnitude can garner for the Australian music industry are enormous.

SXSW Sydney is a much welcome antidote to the COVID shut down our live industry has suffered over the past two years, with an event of this scale promising significant economic benefits, along with the capacity to change the cultural landscape of a city that is primed to rise.

Kwame, Australia House, SXSW 2019

The opportunity for Australian artists and industry to commence or build upon their global networks and advance their international pathways on home soil honestly couldn’t come at a more needed or important time. International touring has never been harder, with the combined impacts of COVID-19, inflation, gas prices, supply chain shortages, climate change, US Visa processes, currency fluctuations and the current and potential unrest and conflicts.

Vera Blue, THE AUSSIE BBQ SXSW 2017, Brush Square Park

Thrilled to see its inclusion on the international music events calendar, SXSW Sydney brings a globally-renowned premier event to our doorstep and an enviable stage for us to shine the spotlight on our world-class pipeline of talent, at a fraction of the exporting costs.

Opportunities like this don’t come around very often and for Sydney to have secured the first SXSW outside of Texas in over 35 years is a significant coup for Destination NSW and one Sounds Australia is keen to embrace.

THE AUSSIE BBQ Returns to Summerstage in Central Park

Posted on by Dom Alessio

On Saturday June 18, 2022, Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage and Sounds Australia will present THE AUSSIE BBQ for the first time in three years to showcase a new class of undeniable Australian talent, in association with the Australian Consul-General, New York and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Since 2020, lockdowns and travel restrictions have kept American audiences particularly deprived of live music from Australian performers. Now finally back and able to export a line up showcasing the breadth, diversity, and history of Australian music, attendees will see sets from Baker Boy, Electric Fields, G Flip, Haiku Hands, Peking Duk and You Am I.

For more than ten years, Sounds Australia has provided an integral platform for introducing the international music industry to the best new Aussie music. THE AUSSIE BBQ SummerStage made its debut in 2019 and saw almost 5000 New Yorkers turn up to see A.B. Original, Hermitude, The Teskey Brothers, Tkay Maidza, San Cisco and WAAX perform. 

Of this year’s much-anticipated upcoming event, Erika Elliott, the Executive Artistic Director at SummerStage, says, “We are thrilled to have THE AUSSIE BBQ return to SummerStage this year. International artists are a key aspect of our festival, as we seek to offer the best music from around the world to New Yorkers each summer. Our partnership has allowed us to give platform to a crop of diverse and exciting talent from Australia that we expect people to be able to say they saw here first!”

Australian Consul-General in New York, Nick Greiner, says: “The Australian Consulate General in New York is proud to be supporting THE AUSSIE BBQ this year at SummerStage in Central Park. We are thrilled that the Australian community in New York is coming back together to see performances by this diverse selection of outstanding Australian artists.”

For more information, head to THE AUSSIE BBQ SummerStage 2022 page.

Sounds Australia Announces Second Round Of Recipients For Export Stimulus Grant

Posted on by Dom Alessio

The second round of Sounds Australia’s Export Stimulus (SAES) package has been awarded to more of Australia’s local music industry made up of artists, producers, songwriters, composers, managers, publishers and crew. The funds will support wide-ranging international activity including touring, songwriting, producing, industry meetings and tour/technical support.

32 Applicants were awarded AU $434,878.35.

“After such a brutal 2+ years of rescheduled tours, show cancellations, lockdowns and border closures, it feels unbelievable that we are able to actually tour internationally. This funding gives us support in what is really a super fragile economic arrangement for us. We’re playing some of the biggest shows of our careers, nominated for Grammys, yet it could all fall over at any second with no Covid insurance policies out there! We depend on groups like Sounds Australia to have our backs and am grateful for the support they have granted us.” – Si Jay Gould, Wondercore Island (Manager, Hiatus Kiayote).

The SAES program has been explicitly designed to assist established artists and industry professionals in re-entering the international music market, playing a significant role in presenting Australia as a nation of sought-after talent, reigniting foreign trade networks and triggering much-needed income for these important Australian music businesses.

The targeted funding aims to specifically counter the increased costs associated with exporting in a time of COVID-19, including increased insurance premiums, COVID-19 compliance consumables and expediting visas.

“Once again, we have been overwhelmed with the amount of international activity scheduled for Australians in the coming months – a time when the competition for opportunities, performance dates and venues has never been fiercer. It’s imperative that after a 2-year absence our top talent is able to re-engage audiences by returning to international studios and stages.” – Millie Millgate, Executive Producer, Sounds Australia.

Round 2 of the Sounds Australia Export Stimulus Grant has been made possible with the support of the Australian Government, APRA AMCOS, ARIA, PPCA, the Australia Council for the Arts, and Creative Victoria. 

Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cites and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, said the package, under the first two rounds, has supported 224 Australian music industry professionals to return to international touring and business, and maximise the opportunities this brings. 

“The Morrison Government is proud to be supporting the Sounds Australia Export Stimulus program to get our talented artists, crew and music professionals back on the global stage to reaffirm our position in the international music market, and to bolster foreign trade and income for broader Australian music businesses,” Minister Fletcher said.

The extremely high quality and increased quantity of submissions was again judged by an external panel of experienced assessors made up of Cameron Adams, Leanne de Souza, Paul Mason, Sam Cook and Sosefina Fuamoli.

Round 3 for the SAES Grants will open on Monday 13th June 2022 for activity taking place internationally from 1st August 2022.

SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS FOR SAES ROUND 2 can be found HERE  

Sounds Australia At SXSW 2022

Posted on by Dom Alessio

Sounds Australia is excited to announce its first physical international showcase in more than two years, taking place at SXSW in Austin, Texas next week.

10 Australian acts will showcase to international music industry from 12pm on Wednesday March 16 at Australia House, 77 Rainey St Austin:

Alex the Astronaut
Eliza Hull
Grace Cummings
Jack Gray
Jo Schornikow
Little Quirks
MANE
Phebe Starr
Tom West
Wanderers

Like in both 2018 and 2019, Lucille Patio Lounge on Rainey St in downtown Austin will be rebranded as Australia House, an all-encompassing Australian experience presented by the American Australian Association and G’Day USA.

Australia House will feature technology showcases, music performances, keynote speakers and interactive displays by some of Australia’s leading experts in the film, music, thought and innovation sectors.

Sounds Sessions: Touring The UK & Europe In A Pandemic

Posted on by Dom Alessio

With restrictions beginning to ease, borders starting to open, and more Australians looking to tour internationally, what can we learn from those who have already started travelling abroad?

On Wednesday December 8 at 9am AEDT, Sounds Australia in partnership with the Association of Artist Managers will present Touring the UK & Europe In A Pandemic. Moderated by Sounds Australia’s Dom Alessio, this virtual panel will feature speakers who’ve worked on 2021 UK & Europe tours for Amyl & The Sniffers, The Chemical Brothers and Passenger, as well as events such as Americanafest UK.

You’ll hear what it takes to put on a COVID safe and compliant tour, what it’s like being in the UK and Europe right now, and what you need to consider to start preparing for your own activity.

The panel will feature:
Ben Madden (Stage Manager, The Chemical Brothers)
Dan Medland (Artist Manager, Passenger)
Renae Brown (Festivals & Event Manager, Arby Projects)
Simone Ubaldi (Artist Manager, Amyl & The Sniffers)

It’s free to attend but registration is essential. You can do that via Eventbrite:
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/sounds-sessions-touring-the-uk-and-europe-in-a-pandemic-tickets-212220937537

This session is also part of the AAM’s Right Here Right Now virtual management week program (December 6 – 10).

I Picked This: ARCA Desk Tape Series

Posted on by Dom Alessio

Each month Sounds Australia invites an Australian, or group of Australians, to curate a playlist for our I Picked This series. In November, we’re thrilled to have ARCA (the Australian Road Crew Association) create a playlist of live songs selected from their Desk Tape Series.

The ARCA Desk Tape Series, distributed through Black Box Records, is an initiative dedicated to the welfare of live production roadies and crew in Australia. Roadies have amassed a treasure trove of live recordings spanning more than 40 years and made ARCA their custodian. From international stars to iconic cult heroes, these tapes document the cultural significance of the Australian live music scene and serve as important historical records, requiring a release to ensure they may never be lost. 

The series was created to raise much needed funds for roadies and crew in crisis, with money from the sales and streams of these recordings providing financial, health and mental health services, as well as counselling to those who are the backbone of Australia’s live music sector.

20 live albums have so far been released via the ARCA Desk Tape Series. You can purchase the albums from the ARCA website.

You can listen loudly to ARCA’s I Picked This playlist on Apple Music, Deezer , Spotify and YouTube – and hear all the albums at the ARCA website via Black Box Records.

TRACKLIST:

The Models (Live at the Overlander Hotel 1980):
Whisper Through The Wall
The Other People Incident

Australian Crawl (Live at Billboard 1981):
Things Don’t Seem
Boys Light Up

Men At Work (Live in Christchurch 1982):
Down Under
It’s a Mistake

Crowded House (Live 92-94, Pt. 1):
Distant Sun
Don’t Dream It’s Over

Crowded House (Live 92-94, Pt. 2):
World Where You Live
When You Come

Doug Parkinson and the Southern Star Band (Live at Gobbles, Perth, 1979):
I’ll Be Around
Same Feeling Different Song

Wendy Matthews (Live at Bunnamah Estate ’94):
I Don’t Wanna Be With Nobody But You
Token Angels

Goanna (Live at The Canberra Workers Club, 1985):
Razor’s Edge
Solid Rock, Sacred Ground

Neil Finn (Solo at the Seymour Centre, 2010):
Message To My Girl
Something So Strong

Albert Lee & Vince Gill (Live at the Prince of Wales Hotel 1988):
Colder Than Winter
Tiger Rag

Dutch Tilders (Live at The Commune 1973):
That’s Alright Momma
Two Bob Head Blues

Redgum (Live in Melkweg, Amsterdam 1985):
I Was Only 19
I’ve Been To Bali Too

Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons (Live at San Remo NYE 1976):
Dancin’ Shoes
The Honeydripper

Russell Morris and the Rubes (Live at the Palladium 1982):
Wings Of An Eagle
Hush

TISM (Live at the Corner Hotel 30 May 1988):
Mistah Eliot – He Wanker
Get Thee in my Behind, Satan

Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band (Live at Ormond Hall 2011):
My Canary Has Circles Under its Eyes
Your Feet’s Too Big

Jimmy and the Boys (Live at the Astra Hotel 1982):
In Hell With Your Mother
Chattanooga Choo Choo

Dave Tice and the Headhunters (Live at Yella Rock 1991):
Baby Please Don’t Go
Don’t Worry Baby, It’s Gonna Be Alright

The Party Boys (Live at the Tivoli Sydney 1987):
Hold Your Head Up
Roadhouse Blues

Ted Mulry Gang (Live at the Fairfield Hotel 1982):
Jump In My Car
Honky Tonk Women