PETER NOBLE’S STATEMENT – BYRON BAY BLUESFEST

To my friends in the music industry …. their families and those who love music. As we are soon going into our second year, of little, or no gigs as a result of Covid …. let us not forget what we need to do.

Let’s support each other… continue to check in and ask how we are doing … be positive that a day is coming when we WILL get back to performing live, safely…. and do what we can to be a part of that wonderful day.

We need to remain positive, uphold our industry, where you see negativity in any area,
including media…gently remind that it is through supporting our industry that we will ALL do better in the end.

Let’s not forget that although a large percentage of people have been able to get back to work …the live music industry, along with much of the hospitality and tourism industry
hasn’t …. many of our favourite musicians and event company workers are on the dole, and suffering mental health issues. …  we need our media to report positively on us, and support the return of live music regularly in their reporting.

Let’s push the music media to agitate on our behalf. We need government to find money to get us through this time, lots of it… we need them to Save Our Stages, as has been done in the US and across Europe through large grants, tax write offs and investment… and as well create a business interruption insurance policy to incentivise event presenters to put on events… and be protected in not going to the wall should an out break of Covid shut down their businesses at short notice… and protect that artists, crew  and Suppliers will get paid should that occur… the Federal government did it more than six months ago for the Film Industry to get them back to making movies… why are we still waiting?

If you possibly can… please hold on to your tickets, as concerts and events are RE-scheduled again.

Do you know that for each ticket refunded, there is a service charge from the ticket
agency… up to $8?

The show presenters , facing up to two years of no shows… are charged for this, after having paid staff to work on the show, bought advertising and paid a deposit to the artist which will be returned with costs deducted… this isn’t sustainable for our industry… and will result in less promoters and less shows… particularly in the indie area.

Our issues haven’t gone away… they just aren’t being discussed regularly… and they aren’t being reported, as our industry… endures this marathon of waiting… and in so many cases not being able to wait any longer… and businesses closing, as well as very talented people leaving our industry.

It’s up to us to look out for each other and Live music… I know many of you are suffering in silence. However, it’s time to raise our voices…. we are the Live Arts… and we love what we do, and we are a fundamental part of society… and it is unjust for government not to support us more than they have financially …simply by extending Job Keeper to those industries they have regulated not to be able to get back to work without major restrictions… the Live Music Industry, we will see many of our fellow workers be laid off when it end in March. How can that be justified on any level.?

There is so much for us to do. please feel free to share your ideas, as well as my post. Let’s find the way to get back… we can do this, and have each other’s back at the same time.

Thank you
Peter Noble OAM
Bluesfest
Bluesfest Touring

These incredible artists join an extraordinary Bluesfest 2021 line up

OCEAN ALLEY
JOHN WILLIAMSON
TEX PERKINS THE MAN IN BLACK
JON STEVENS
ASH GRUNWALD & JOSH TESKEY
VIKA & LINDA
GARRETT KATO
MIA DYSON

The Bluesfest 2021 Line-up So far:
JIMMY BARNES | TASH SULTANA
ZIGGY ALBERTS | THE TESKEY BROTHERS
JOHN BUTLER | XAIVER RUDD |THE CAT EMPIRE
KASEY CHAMBERS | THE CHURCH | THE WAIFS
IAN MOSS | THE LIVING END | THE ANGELS
ROSS WILSON AND THE PEACENIKS | RUSSELL MORRIS
KEV CARMODY | TROY CASSAR-DALEY | BRIGGS
HIATUS KAIYOTE | KATE MILLER-HEIDKE
WEDDINGS PARTIES ANYTHING
THE BLACK SORROWS | THE BAMBOOS
CHAIN | BACKSLIDERS | ASH GRUNWALD
BLUE KING BROWN | MELBOURNE SKA ORCHESTRA
HARTS PLAYS HENDRIX | JEFF LANG | NATHAN CAVALERI
MICH THOMAS’ ROVING COMMISSION
KIM CHURCHILL | HENRY WAGONS
MAMA KIN SPENDER | DAMI IM
PIERCE BROTHERS | EMILY WURRAMARA
RAY BEADLE | PACEY, KING & DOLEY
ALL OUR EXES LIVE IN TEXAS | KARA GRAINGER
HUSSY HICKS | ROSHANI
DANIEL CHAMPAGNE | LITTLE GEORGIA
BYRON BAY BUSKING COMPETITION

ALL TICKET TYPES ON SALE NOW: www.bluesfest.com.au/tickets/