We also need to have a basic pay scale that weeds out the 'Beer & a Sandwich' performers & ersatz karaoke acts who are depriving professional musicians of a living wage
My earnings as a live performer have not changed in 16 years! This has effectedly lowered my earning in proportion to all other sectors in the work market! We need action!
I support this petition because Australians have a right to hear the music of their choice in a setting of their choice including family friendly places such as restaurants. Play on!
the live scene needs to be reinvigorated to enable new talent to be properly developed. With the small number of venues available for artists to play thewre is little chance that any will develop into world class acts. If you look at how bands from earlier years have learnt their trade you come to realise that the more they get to play the more proficient they become (taking an overseas example, look at the hours The Beatles put in in Hamburg and how talented they became afterwards).
Sydney music used to be thriving, like the Melbourne scene. Now it's almost extinct. Australian music suffers because of it, while DJ's and poker machines take over. We've gone from the best, to the worst live-music city in the country - wake up NSW Govt, this is not just a cultural disaster, it is tourist dollars you're losing!
The live music scene in Sydney is dead compared to what it was like in the 70' & 80's. There also needs a law bought in that if u buy a property near a live music venue you cannot complain at all about the loise. Put up & shut up or buy elsewhere......
Live music is the heart of culture and encourages not only musicians to meet and share ideas but other fledgling artists also.
It should be given as much support and encouragement as possible.
Regards
David
I also encourage the Government to include appropriate channels for community arts organisations (in addition to hospitals, etc) to receive funding from revenues derived from poker machine and other gaming operations.
