SIX STEPS TO SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC....From the ground up. - By Alex Lahey
If you’re reading this, it’s highly likely that you are a fan of live music and are maybe wondering what you can do to help support your local scene. It doesn’t matter where you are in the world - the global live music industry is facing many of the same issues.
So here’s ALEX LAHEY’S SIX STEPS TO SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC and you can support live music wherever you are:
A few days ago, Splendour In The Grass announced it would not be going ahead in 2024. For those who might be unfamiliar with what this means - Splendour In The Grass is a three day music festival founded in 2001 that is considered the biggest music festival in the Australian calendar. To be programmed on the Splendour line up is a bucket list item for many Australian pop, rock, hip hop and dance acts. It holds an enormous amount of cache in the Australian cultural landscape, is a rite of passage for music fans and has typically been a “blue chip” event in an ever changing live music landscape.
Despite the domestic scene making noise about the waning state of Australian live music since the advent of the pandemic, it is the cancellation of a number of large scale events that has bought the conversation into the mainstream - I’m talking national television news coverage, discussions in Parliament and talkback radio deep dives.
However, the discussion about Splendour In The Grass and other domestic festivals being cancelled is bigger than a discussion about the festival market in Australia. It’s about Australian cultural identity and engagement. What has shifted and how to do we recover a market and scene that we know and has proven to be loaded with world-class talent and output?
Given the current cost of living crisis along with an appetite for a less conventional approach towards live music events (hey, Fred again..), I think it’s up to audiences, governments, artists and organisers to be investing in and supported to pursue a more grassroots approach towards live music.
The other week, I was working the door at Clingan Guitar Tone in Collingwood as four of Melbourne’s most exciting songwriters traded songs for 90 minutes as part of Deep Cuts Vol 1 - a songwriters in the round event organised and curated by the live music initiative founded by Sophie Payten and I called Over Our Dead Body. A small but captivated audience listened, sang, laughed and even cried as they were brought into the worlds of these songwriters and their music for a reasonable ticket price. Before me, I could see the genuine appetite for domestic talent and a desire for events that think outside the box and break the mold.
I don’t believe the Australian live music market has vanished, as some have suggested. I don’t think Gen Z is disinterested in live music and I don’t think that people over the age of 40 don’t want to go to gigs. But I do think there needs to be more of an emphasis on live music events that don’t break the bank for audiences to attend and for artists and promoters to put on. It’s times like these that we all need that kind of security and unfortunately, not everyone is getting that with the existing music festival model that we historically know and love.
But let’s zoom out for a second. If you’re reading this, it’s highly likely that you are a fan of live music and are maybe wondering what you can do to help support your local scene. It doesn’t matter where you are in the world - the global live music industry is facing many of the same issues.
So here’s AL’S SIX STEPS TO SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC and you can support live music wherever you are:
1. Pick a gig in your town that’s happening this month - it doesn’t matter if you’re familiar with anyone on the line up. Invite a mate (or fly solo) and buy your tickets IN ADVANCE. I know it’s sometimes tricky to know what your movements from one week to the next and you don’t want to commit yourself to something you might have to tap out of, but by buying a ticket in advance, you are communicating to the artists, agents, venues, promoters, managers and even your fellow audience that there is demand for a given show. Why do you think festivals are getting cancelled? It’s because they’re not convinced there’s enough consumer demand for the event (ie ticket sales), therefore making it too much of a financial risk to pursue.
2. Try to find set times and get to the show in time for the opener - this way you get your full ticket price’s worth AND you might discover a dope artist you’d never heard of before. [Hot tip: if you can’t find set times, the first act is generally on stage 30 minutes after doors]
3. This bit is super easy - enjoy the show! Be present, sing along, move around! Yeah, it might be a work night, but despite what your prior experiences of going to gigs may be, you don’t have to be drinking to enjoy live music - you could even have a couple of 0% beers or those sweet, sweet post-mix Diet Cokes and, get this, not have to shell out for an Uber and drive yourself home :’)
4. If you’re lucky enough to have a lil extra cash to burn, swing by the merch desk and grab a t-shirt or a record or a tea towel or a sticker. Even if you don’t have the pennies to snag some merch, it’s not out of the question that some of tonight’s performers might be lurking there and you should totally tell them they crushed it tonight - we love that shit.
5. Now, here’s an important but overlooked step: tell your mates about the show! Post a story to Instagram, tag the bands. You don’t even have to be that public - make a playlist for your buddy including some of the best songs you heard tonight. Live music is not to be gate kept. In fact, live music is a social phenomenon that doesn’t begin and end at the doors of the venue. In my experience, word of mouth is one of the most trusted ways by which people discover new music - far more than the ones and zeroes that dictate what comes up on our phone screens. So spread the word!
6. Repeat steps 1 through 6.
And there you have it. Some of the most transcendent experiences I’ve ever had have happened in small band rooms - I’ve made life long friends, fallen in love, learned new things, explored my identity, been inspired and exposed to things I never knew existed, let alone discovered a new band to obsess over at gigs. All that is waiting for you too. You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Support local music. Go to local gigs. Contribute to the culture. You won’t regret it. Until next time,
AL x
INTERVIEW: NEON PATTERN SUNDIAL (FKA BEN ALPINE) IS TAKING IT ALL IN HIS STRIDE
Gabby had a chat to Ben Alpine, all about his new release ‘All In Your Stride’, his creative process, influences, cover art, and his time in isolation - including his Top 10 Iso Tunes! Check it out >
![Ben Alpine - Press Shot 1 2020 [HI-RES].jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d96cb88130d950f0cc37e46/1596438079331-EV7XSPLCWXJJTFN04YIZ/Ben+Alpine+-+Press+Shot+1+2020+%5BHI-RES%5D.jpg)
Hey there Ben! First off, a huge congrats on your debut single 'All In Your Stride'! How has the single been received so far? Any favourite critiques?
Thank you! Yeah the reception has been really great and to be honest a little overwhelming! I’m not sure what I’d expected, but I don’t think I realised I’d be spending the entire release day responding to messages from friends and reading blog posts about the song. It was so cool though, definitely very very stoked and thankful.
Ben Madden wrote a review on the song which was so cool to read. I just feel like he took from the song exactly what I want people to, especially saying that “you’ll feel positive about your day by the end of it”. Otherwise it’s just been so cool to hear from friends. I had shown it to a few people that I’m close with as we were making it, but tried to keep it under wraps for the most part. So it was awesome to now have people really dig into it and ask about the details in the artwork and things like that, which is exactly what I want people to do.
Tell us about your creative processes; how did 'All In Your Stride' come to be?
I don’t really think I can say that I have a definitive creative process as that sort of thing always changes. it’s sort of split up into two parts….
Firstly, I’ll create the demo mostly by myself. I’ll just work on it whenever; in my bedroom, on trains, at uni, mostly with headphones. I’ll just record everything really rough and try to not get too caught up in lyrics or synthesis or getting the right take.
Then I’ll bring the demo to my friend and producer/mixer Marc Scollo, and we’ll go through and flesh things out, tidy up the arrangement and basically re-record everything at a much higher quality. Marc is basically like 49% of the project if you ask me. This is where we replace the sample drums with a live kit, and start arranging vocal harmonies and all that stuff. Usually the song changes a lot during this process. I definitely rewrote some of the lyrics right before recording them...
All In Your Stride was in it’s ‘demo’ stage for over a year before Marc and I started on what became the final production. And I started it at a time that I wasn’t very inspired so it sat dormant for months and months before I picked it up again. I rewrote a lot of the lyrics at the last minute which seems to be pretty standard for me at the moment. I don’t really consider myself that great of a lyricist and feel like I have a lot to learn.
My friend Bek Nafiz was pretty important in the process, we did a session mid-2018 that basically got the entire foundation of the song down. It was her idea for all those funky guitar lines. I should also mention Alex Siderov who played drums on the track.
I'm very intrigued by the single's cover art, it's quite beautiful. Tell us about the concept and the images you've used.
Yeah! The artwork seems to be getting a lot of attention which is so awesome. It was basically all Jack Mackinnon. I just gave him a bunch of photos I had taken that reflected the aesthetic of the song to me. Which were mostly these vast landscape images that gave off this optimistic feeling, to me at least. He picked those ones and put them together that way and I loved it immediately. He absolutely killed it I reckon.
The photos are either from my travels or places that I’ve spent a lot of time and are all important to me. I picked up photography about 2 years ago, and I wanted the aesthetic of this project to be very rooted in reality and that sort of dreamy representation of it, so using those photos was a no-brainer.
Some of your influences include Hippo Campus and The Japanese House, how do these artists inspire you and your music?
Like everyone I listen to a lot of different music, especially electronic music and a lot of pop, but I feel like those two artists reflect the more ‘indie’ guitar-driven side of my sound, especially on All In Your Stride. I was listening to Bambi by Hippo Campus and Good at Falling by The Japanese House a lot during making this so the input was definitely there, both of those albums are some of my favourites. The Japanese House’s tuned and harmonised vocal arrangements were 100% a huge thing for me.
COVID-19 has had an extreme effect on the music industry, and I’m sure you’re missing festivals and gigs as much as me. What was the last gig you went to? Any events you were looking forward to that were cancelled/postponed?
The last show I went to was my friend Earnest Jackson’s single launch for his song Sweaty, which is a massive tune and their performance really went off. Before that I saw Golden Features who is always amazing. And I was getting really really excited to see Bon Iver and Tame Impala before they both got postponed!
Give us your Top 10 songs that are getting you through lockdown.
In no particular order! A real mix here of random stuff I’ve picked up and had on repeat...
Phone Numbers by Dominic Fike & Kenny Beats
Ego Death by Ty Dolla $ign, Kanye West, FKA twigs & Skrillex
Playing On My Mind by The 1975
INTERVIEW: GAUDION
We caught up with indie singer-songwriter Gaudion to chat about the release of his latest single ‘TV Shows’, starring in a music video, guitars named after grannies, and his fav Aussie acts.
“A summery, folky affair that serves as a reflection upon love and loss, Gaudion’s latest track is undoubtedly one for those who love their music featuring guitars, soulful lyrics, and the skill to leave it bouncing around in your head for hours after the fact.
Reminiscent of artists like Dean Lewis and Ziggy Alberts, ‘TV Shows’ is a perfect accompaniment to those summer nights that you never want to end.”
- Tone Deaf
We caught up with indie singer-songwriter Gaudion to chat about the release of his latest single ‘TV Shows’, starring in a music video, guitars named after grannies, and his fav Aussie acts.
TV Shows was released at the beginning of this month, how do you think it has been received?
I’m over the moon with how my song TV Shows has been accepted into the world thus far. My goal with this track is to let people know I'm about to start releasing some more music again and make a few people smile while I do that. I’ve had some really awesome feedback on the song which means the world because this song is pretty special to me.
In your press release for TV Shows it mentioned that the song could be featured in a coming of age movie. What movie could you hear TV Shows sound tracking?
Haha, awesome question. I could see TV Shows being the song at the end of a Rom-Com where the two love finders drive off into the sunset together. Or pretty much any movie with a happy ending like that!
In the chorus you mention radio hosts Kyle and Jackie-O, where did this line come from?
It’s a pretty funny story of how the whole ‘Kyle and Jackie-O’ thing came into my mind. I’ve sworn I would say what it means if I ever get onto their show, however the lyrics give a vague idea of the story behind their mention.
What was it like starring in your first music video? Tell us about the processes involved.
Starring in a music vid is a bundle of emotions. I’ve never really been the kinda guy that likes to show off, or big-note myself, so i wanted to make my video the way it kinda came out. Plain and simple.
The process was pretty straightforward. I put an ad on Facebook Marketplace looking for anyone keen to star in it, found some kind-hearted young adults that were happy to and we went to the park with a camera and made a vid! From memory the weather was an absolute nightmare and we didn't get the video done by its due date because of it, but what goes to plan in the modern world anyway?
How did your first live stream go? Any difficulties or learning curves that you’ll be taking into the next one?
I was somewhat optimistic as to how much I knew about live streaming, so the 3 hours I allocated myself to set it up will be extended to 2 days for my next one. However, when I started performing everything felt really awesome, and I was so happy with the response. I’ve done a lot of busking in the streets and this whole live streaming thing is pretty much just a busk online so I think after a bit of practice it could be something I see myself doing even after Covid-19.
I’m sure you’re dying to get out there and play some proper gigs. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during lock down?
Yea it’s pretty hard when a musician hears that they can’t even busk anymore, let alone tour and continue to build their audiences, but everyone in the world is on a similar schedule. I think it is a really nice time to sit back and smell the roses. In lock down I've just been helping out back at home where I can. I haven't lived with my mum and dad for years so it's nice to feel like a kid again haha. I’ve also started decking out my van to tour in, which keeps me busy and I love this kind of work. I’m also trying to spend a lot of time on writing new music and working on old music as well.
Once everything COVID-19 has settled down, what do you see yourself doing?
Depending on when this pandemic ends will really help me to answer this question! However, I was planning to tour a little bit more in the tail half of this year! So we will see how we go. To answer the question though, I'm very keen to keep moving forward with shows. They are what I love doing and I want it to be the biggest part of my life right now.
Tell us about your guitar, Grace; there has to be something extra special about a musician creating their own instrument. Should we be expecting a line of Gaudion guitars in the future?
She is a beauty! I love that I'm fortunate enough to be able to play an instrument I made with my own hands. Grace is retired from gigging, but I always love to play her at home and write with her. I name my guitars after family members, Grace is one of my grannys.
I’d love to do more work with guitars in the future, however it is extremely time consuming. Hopefully haha, one day when I have my own house I will have a small workshop in there that I will build a whole range of things in, and hopefully a few more guitars as well.
Aside from your upcoming live stream on April 30, what can we expect next from Gaudion?
I’ve got a whole heap of music, videos and content to come this year. I have always planned on this being a big year for my development, so it’s definitely a good time to be watching if you like what I have to offer. I plan on doing live streams very regularly as well.
Gaudion’s current Top 3 Aussie acts:
The Dreggs: One of the last gigs I went to this year was The Dreggs, and man their music is something! Awesome, funny and down to earth guys as well. Absolutely love ‘em.
Meg Mac: I love this chicka’s tunes and I believe she is going to go a really long way when it comes to pop-music throughout the world.
Eves Karydas: I’ve followed Eves for a couple of years and I’ve always listened to her music on repeat for hours, even though she only has about an hour worth of tunes out haha. Such a cool voice and I’d love to collab one day.
A huge thank you to Gaudion for his time, and a massive congrats on his beautiful single ‘TV Shows’! Don’t forget to set a reminder and tune in to his next live stream happening on Thursday April 30, 7:30pm AEST on either YouTube or Instagram.
STREAM ‘TV SHOWS’ HERE.
FOLLOW GAUDION
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