A brief glimpse at goings-on in the WA music industry, rounded up by WAM aka West Australian Music.
VALE GRAHAM WOOD
Our deepest respect and sympathies for Graham Wood, who after a four-year-long battle with a rare form of cancer, has passed away at age 46. A previous Best Jazz Act winner, Golden WAMi nominee, co-owner of The Ellington Jazz Club, an Associate Professor at WAAPA and a Western Australian of the Year Awards finalist, we can forever be thankful for the way Graham’s helped shape and champion the jazz scene in Perth.
WAM MEM-BENEFITS
WAM has just expanded the membership programme, with now nearly 40 discounts and free offerings available to all WAM members. New partnerships include Foxhole Studios, Near Me Phone Repairs, John Butler Studio, Ktown Productions, Kickarts Grants, Sanicki Lawyers, Ditto Music, Grow My Music and YHA aka Youth Hostels Australia.More reasons why, if you’re a WA musician or music business, you can’t afford not to be a WAM member. You’ll make your money back in no time, plus you’ll be providing support to WAM’s ongoing programme of activities that champion West Australian music.
MUSIC (CAREER) MATTERS
For managers, self-managed artists and others in the music industry, the rest of the year is packed with opportunities to take advantage of and help further your career. First up is BIGSOUND (5-8 September), Brisbane’s huge showcase and conference also currently on the lookout for music tech start-ups to add to the programming.Then it’s Music Matters (9-13 September), Asia’s biggest music conference, held in Singapore. Finally Perth’s WAMCon (3-4 November) will see early birds and first line-up details being announced soon.
REGIONAL WAMFEST APPS CLOSE SOON
While 2016’s festival was a WAMazing four days with over 14,500 music lovers filling 26 music venues, WAMFest 2017 is set to be even bigger. We’re also expanding our regional focus, showcasing local venues and artists in regional WA, plus more focused Perth showcases of regional talent. Apply now for paid performances running the week before the metro celebrations on 2-5 Nov.LAUNCHPAD (upcoming local launches)
• Angus Dawson (EP) - Jack Rabbit Slim's, 5 August• Toby Beard (EP) - Clancy's Fish Pub Fremantle, 5 August + multiple dates around WA til 21 October.
• Feels (single) - The Bird, 5 August
• Tracey Barnett (album) - Indi Bar, 6 August
• Errol H Tout, Mike Gorman and Eliot McCann (album) - Gate One, 12 August
WAMORE…
• Promoting all genres of original music from bands all over WA, entries close soon for Gozzy Rock. With a prize pool worth over $10K, best enter asap.• Got the turntable skills to earn dem bills, plus beat WA reigning champ Bace Kadet? Entries are open for WA acts to show them off at the DMC World DJ Championships, hitting Universal Bar 27 August.
• WA filmmaker Mat de Koning’s documentary 'Meal Tickets' (starring local acts The Screwtop Detonators and Will Stoker) was a Revelation Perth International Film Festival highlight, also winning Best Australian Documentary at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival.
For more info head to wam.org.au
