Music Victoria’s new Women’s Advisory Panel is chaired by media presenter, RRR board member and Head of Journalism at the Australian College of Arts (Collarts), Tracee Hutchison. The panel includes program manager at the Foundation for Young Australians Rita Khayat; Mushroom Group’s digital communications manager Siobhan Kranz; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performer Jessie Lloyd; Dan ‘Mz’ Rizk, a DJ, broadcaster and advocate for women and people of colour and Dr Catherine Strong whose report on the career barriers to women screenwriters informed APRA’s gender equity initiatives. The Push’s online content manager and Swim Team band member Samantha Wass, joins, alongside Music Victoria’s office & membership coodinator Al Parkinson; blues singer and artist & festival publicist Diana Wolfe; research audiologist Siobhan McGinnity who is investigating ways to prevent music-induced hearing loss amongst sound engineers; former Spiderbait manager Fiona Duncan who is now arts events officer at Geelong City Council and a member of Creative Victoria’s Advisory Panel for the Music Works Program; Dr. Nat Grant who makes music and sound art with percussion and electronics; Girls Rock! Melbourne co-founder Shannon Driscoll; and singer-songwriters Rebecca Barnard and Sophie Koh.
A 23-year old man from Ivanhoe faces Ballarat Magistrates’ Court in March on charges of sexual assault, attack on a security guard and an emergency worker and using a drug of dependence at Rainbow Serpent. Police are still investigating a second alleged sexual assault. Festival director Tim Harvey was “heartbroken” such incidents happened “at a gathering founded on principles of peace, respect, love and community.”
Drake set a new milestone on the US charts with the most amount of Top 10 hits among rappers. Two tracks ‘God’s Plan’ and ‘Diplomatic Immunity’ came in simultaneously at #1 and #7 giving him his 21st and 22nd Top 10 hits, and shoving aside Jay-Z, who has 21. Others are Lil Wayne (20), Ludacris (18), Eminem (17), Diddy (15), Nicki Minaj (15), T-Pain (15) and Kanye West (15).
Melbourne singer-songwriter Alice Ivy joined the roster of Canadian label Last Gang Records. They’ve been involved with her soon-to-be-released debut record, I’m Dreaming, alongside Ivy’s Aussie label, Dew Process. I’m Dreaming drops this Friday February 9.
Two more Aussie acts have been picked for South by Southwest in Texas, coming in the form of Melbourne electro-soul duo Hoodlem and Sydney indie-folk band Sons Of The East.
Melbourne’s adoption of the Agent of Change – which protects music venues from noise complaints – has not only inspired a move in the UK but was also cited during a Live Music Roundtable in Newcastle as a way to save its venues.
Tony ‘Jack the Bear’ Mantz’s next Mastering Music, Mastering Life. Mental Health Summit is on March 25 at Croxton Front Bar at 3pm. The panel addressing mental health issues among creatives includes Matt Young (King Parrot), Morgan Leigh Brown (Acolyte), Ryan Hassan (Melbourne Centre of Healing) and Romina Di Benedetto (DJ Agent 86). Tickets via The Croxton website.
Josh Pyke brings back his Josh Pyke Partnership for a fifth year. It provides $7500 cash and mentorship from Pyke, artist manager Gregg Donovan and booking agent Stephen Wade.
