News : Long Live Live Music Rally

The live music industry in Victoria is under threat due to a change in Victoria’s liquor licensing laws. Venues are closing or canceling all of their live gigs, musicians are losing employment and punters are finding fewer live music venues.

The cost to our once vibrant live music industry in Victoria is massive, not just at a financial level but the social costs and the slow death of our cities culture.

A Rally for the Long Live Live Music Campaign, will take place on Sunday November 1st 2009 @ The Pub in Bendigo, to raise awareness, and afford stakeholders of the live music industry a voice and show of support in the effort to bring to the fore and find an antidote to the new pesticide created by the Victorian Government, that is sweeping across Victoria. In doing so, we hope to grow and become a strong voice for all in the Australian Live Music Industry,

It is understood that the current situation has arisen due to the State Government is being publicly active on the issue of alcohol related violence. However such initiatives must consider all factors including the effect on all stakeholders in the music industry. It is not good enough to say that the effect on live music is “collateral damage”. For a long time there have been requirements for all live music venues, especially when amplified. No one challenges this. We also accept the need for venues to comply with licensing requirements in an effort to curb the problems of violence related alcohol.

New to the regulations however is the creation of a “Compliance Directorate” comprising 40 civilian inspectors. This occurred in June 2009, slipping under the radar of the majority of music industry members. The role of these civilian inspectors can be found here.

Whilst the inspectors have guidelines and risk factors which are identified – with more under review – anecdotal evidence tells us that Victoria is fraught with venues closing down, musicians losing residencies and other gigs, as the government places even more restrictions and fees on the venue operators. This is having a direct result on the number of venues that musicians can play in and the remuneration they receive barely covers their costs of performing.

Venues are vanishing, violence is on the rise, punters are feeling the pinch with the dollar and drink driving, pubs are being snapped up by the investors who replace play space with pokies or bums on seat space. Creeping up on us all is the scanning of our identification to enter some venues. Privacy issues abound on this topic, as how are we to know what is done with our information, especially with identity theft a growing problem globally.

What is right about the industry is that there are plenty of people out there who are not willing to give up. So, the Independent Musos Network Inc and Infinite Entertainment Pty Ltd have listened to a lot of you and have organised a rally, Long Live Live Music on the 1st November @ the PUB in Bendigo. The rally will start at 1pm. There will be a forum and live music of course!!

You can join us and support us by attending the Long Live Live Music Rally, become a fan on the facebook page, refer to the Independent Musos Network site and email your voice to cangroup@primus.com.au and get yourself on the campaign email list through GiG TXT.

http://www.infinitentertainment.net
:jacinta.infinitentertainment@gmail.com
Jacinta Gascoigne – 03 95881047

Note: The LONG LIVE LIVE MUSIC campaign is an initiative of the Independent Musos Network Inc on behalf of the members of the Australian music community including musicians, venue operators, associated trades and services and music lovers who have expressed their concerns via various means to the IMN Inc LLLM committee. IMN Inc does not hold responsibility nor necessarily agree with views outside of this campaign.