Tag: support act

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Roady4Roadies Supports Music Crews

The arts industry has really taken a hit over the last couple of years. Our favourite performers are the public face of the struggle, but spare a thought for the more than 22,500 crew members who’ve also been stripped of their livelihood during the pandemic. Roady4Roadies is an annual event that puts them in the spotlight, and it’s happening this May.

Roady4Roadies, organised by CrewCare, raises awareness of the critical role that music crew play in the industry we all love. It’s also a whole lot of fun with a neighbourhood walk, family activities, and live entertainment. I know how much you’ve also missed that.

“The pandemic has seen the loss of at least eight stadium events in Adelaide. Each of these events has meant the loss of 450 production crew roles, 600 stadium staff roles and more than 250 subcontractor roles at a minimum of one week’s equivalent work. Multiply that by 5 major cities and that is 20500 crew who lost two month’s work each year since 2020 at minimum,” explained Peter Darwin, a freelance site manager. These are just the stadium events let alone the 52 plus entertainment centre shows … The industry is very, very damaged.”

Profits from Roady4Roadies go directly to Support Act’s “Crew” Fund. The tickets, available from Moshtix, are a steal at just $20. Get yours for a Roady4Roadies event near you and show your support.

1 May 2022 – Palais Theatre, St Kilda (Melbourne event 11 am start)
1 May 2022 – Lake Monger Recreation Club, Wembley (Perth event 11 am start)
1 May 2022 – Coopers Stadium, Hindmarsh (Adelaide event 11:30am start)
1 May 2022 – The Salty Dog, Kingston Beach (Hobart event 11:30 am start)
7 May 2022 – The Triffid, Fortitude Valley (Brisbane event 11am start)
7 May 2022 – Darwin Entertainment Centre, Darwin City (11am start)
7 May 2022 – Victoria Theatre, Newcastle (11:30 am start)
7 May 2022 – Hard Rock Cafe, Sydney (midday start)

Image used with permission from Ferris Davies PRM

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ausmusic T-Shirt Day is Just 10 Days Away!

Ausmusic T-Shirt Day is fast approaching, and it’s more important this year than ever before. More than just a chance to rep your favourite band, Ausmusic T-Shirt Day raises vital funds for Support Act. These guys have been there long before the pandemic assisting musicians, crew, industry workers, and their families doing it tough. As you might imagine with so many gig cancellations this year, they need your help now more than ever. Requests for Crisis Relief have increased by 883% since the pandemic began and calls to Support Act’s Wellbeing Helpline are up 52%.

So wear a T-shirt from one of your favourite Aussie bands on November 20. Might I recommend an up-and-coming act your friends might not know to spread the word about their music? If you’re not sure what to wear, check out Support Act’s premium T-shirt range, with exclusive, limited-edition designs from top Aussie acts including Amy Shark, Dope Lemon, Kate Miller-Heidke, and The Teskey Brothers. 100% of the net proceeds from all these shirts will go to Support Act. Alternatively, visit the merch section of your favourite bands’ websites. Use #ausmusictshirtday and tag @supportact, @triplej, and @aria_official to spread the word. And if you can (because I know many of us are hurting through this pandemic), give generously to Support Act. Their work will help our industry so much, ensuring it can return in full force once this nasty pandemic is over.

Isol-Aid will also run a very special Ausmusic T-shirt Day stream featuring Alex Lahey, Dave Graney and Clare Moore, Emily Wurramara, Gordon Koang, L-Fresh the Lion, Mahalia Barnes, Melinda Schneider, Memphis LK, Romy Vager (RVG), and Yirinda. Check that out from 3:55 pm on November 20.

Image used with permission from Ferris Davies PRM

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ali Barter & Oscar Dawson Release Iso Track for Support Act

Yesterday my husband and I marked one month since locking down. We’ve taken this shit pretty seriously, ordering our groceries and never stepping any further than the kerb to put the bins out. We’re getting a little sick of staring at the same four walls to be honest, something Ali Barter and her boyfriend Oscar Dawson of Holy Holy can undoubtedly relate to. They’ve just released a love song for the isolation age, “Four Days.”

Of course, any song written in the confines of the pandemic will hardly be roses and rainbows. This track addresses the frustrations that come from time trapped together. It came about after the pair spent two weeks together following Ali’s return from the USA. Triple J’s Hing and Hobba challenged them to write a song about the ordeal over 24 hours, including listener lyric suggestions. It’s all for a good cause, with proceeds from the song’s streams and sales going to Support Act’s COVID-19 Emergency Appeal.

”The crisis is having a massive effect on the music industry and especially the folks involved in touring – session musos, roadies, sound engineers who literally can’t work now,”Ali explained. “Support Act is the best way to get much-needed funds and assistance to those people. Super happy to put something out there to make people smile and raise some money!”

So get streaming or purchase the single to help the fundraising efforts! You can also make additional donations through the Support Act website.

Image used with permission from Inertia Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Get Involved in Roady4Roadies

Roadies are the unsung heroes of the music industry, the people who arguably work hardest before the musicians step on stage and enjoy the limelight. All that hard work takes a toll, with roadies having suicidal thoughts nine times more than the general population, according to research from Victoria University. One in six roadies follow through, putting their suicide rates at more than eight times the national average.

You could get bogged down by the statistics or you could do something about it and have a lot of fun at the same time. Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth will host Roady4Roadies events on March 10. Adelaide will join in on March 24. During the events, members of the public and music industry will join forces, walking in solidarity and raising funds for Support Act.

At the end of the leisurely 4-5 km walk, participants will enjoy access to performances from leading musicians and family-friendly activities. There’ll also be the Crewathlon, a fun competition for roadies featuring events like the Cable Comp, Stage Manager Spring, and Sound Crew Shimmy.

Registrations are open now online. Mark this one in your calendars music lovers; it’s going to be great fun for an amazing cause.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Get Ready for Ausmusic T-Shirt Day

Ausmusic T-Shirt Day is upon us, a day where we show off our favourite Aussie band T-shirts to raise awareness and funds for Support Act. This important charity supports musicians and music industry workers experiencing financial hardship and physical or mental health issues. Funds from this year’s event will expand Support Act’s Wellbeing Helpline.

On November 16, Ausmusic T-shirt Day, you’re invited to donate via the official website, snap a selfie wearing your favourite Australian band T-shirt, and share it on your socials using the hashtags #ausmusictshirtday, @supportact.

“The cool thing about the website is that it enables artists and music lovers to create teams so they can get their workplace, school or social media networks involved in the campaign,” said Support Act CEO Clive Miller. “It’s a really simple and fun way to raise funds for a great cause and we really hope that music fans across Australia can be our ambassadors and get their workplaces involved; and that artists can mobilise the support of their fans.”

Don’t have an Australian band T-shirt yet? I’d suggest you need to spend more time at merch counters! But Support Act has you covered, with specially commissioned band tees available through the Levi’s online store. Proceeds from the sale of these shirts go straight to Support Act.

Image used with permission from Ferris Davies PRM

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Levi’s & Support Act Release Web Series For Music Industry Mental Health

Levi’s and Support Act have teamed up to help improve mental health in the local music industry. Together they’ve created Tune Ups, a six-part webseries offering tips on mindfulness and other strategies to combat mental health concerns while highlighting the new Wellbeing Helpline for people working within the music industry. The online videos feature appearances from key music industry figures including Briggs, Alex the Astronaut, Joel Birch from Amity Affliction, and heaps more. Take a look at the video below to learn all about it.

“We are very grateful to Nicky Rowsell and Levi’s for being the driving force behind the campaign,” said Clive Miller, the chief executive officer of Support Act. “Tune Ups highlights how important it is for all of us to be aware of our mental health, and provides some great examples of how people in our industry manage their wellbeing. We hope it inspires anyone who may be doing it tough to know that they are not alone, and that they can reach out to our free, confidential Wellbeing Helpline at any time on on 1800 959 500 if they want to talk to someone about any aspect of their wellbeing.”

You can find the videos on the Support Act website, Vice Music channel Noisey, and other social platforms. While they’re made for music industry professionals, there’s plenty there for anyone who’s struggling with mental health issues. If you or someone you know is struggling, please make sure to take a look.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Stuart Coupe Celebrates Roadies with New Book, Panel Events

Roadies are the unsung heroes of the music industry, working tirelessly for the bands and solo artists who receive all the accolades. Until now. Stuart Coupe is giving roadies their due with his new book “Roadies – The Secret History of Australian Rock’n’Roll.” To celebrate its release, Chugg Entertainment and Support Act have joined forces for two very special lunchtime launch events in Sydney and Melbourne.

Each event will see Stuart in conversation with some of the roadies featured in the book. Sydney will hear from Nicky Campbell (The Rebels, Skyhooks, Renee Geyer, Cold Chisel) and Ross Ferguson (Little River Band, Tina Turner, Elton John, Beastie Boys), while Melbourne gets Howard Freeman (Sherbet, Dragon, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds) and Geoff Lloyd (Crowded House, Jimmy Barnes, Last Chance Café). The world’s first female roadie, Tana Douglas (AC/DC, Elton John, Status Quo), will fly from LA to speak on both panels.

The events will also feature special performances from Richard Clapton and Hoodoo Gurus’ Brad Faulker and Dave Shepherd in Sydney and Phil Manning in Melbourne.

The Sydney event will be held at The Factory on 26 September. The Thornbury Theatre will host Melbourne’s on October 4. Tickets are available now from the venues. Attendees will receive a signed copy of “Roadies – The Secret History of Australian Rock’n’Roll.” All money raised will benefit the Support Act Roadies Fund, administered in association with the Australian Road Crew Association.

Image used with permission from Chugg Entertainment

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Black Ryder Score International Releases and The Cult Support Slot

Things are on the up for moody psychedelic outfit The Black Ryder. The band has just inked deals which will see their debut album Buy The Ticket, Take the Ride released in Japan and the United States of America.

Rave reviews at home inspired Vinyl Junkie in Japan and Mexican Summer in the USA to take a chance on the Aussie duo. Of course, it’s not really much of a gamble. Aimee Nash and Scott Ryper earned international acclaim as part of The Morning After Girls, and the album features collaborations with Ricky Maymi of Brian Jonestown Massacre and Leah Shapiro and Peter Hayes of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

Live shows from The Black Ryder are somewhat of a rarity, which makes their recent appointment as support act for the Cult’s Love Live national tour this May even more exciting. You can see the Black Ryder and The Cult at the following shows around the country.

5 May 2010 – The Tivoli, Brisbane
6 May 2010 – Big Top Luna Park, Sydney
8 May 2010 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne
10 May 2010 – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide
12 May 2010 – Metro Theatre, Perth

Image used with permission from Original Matters