Event Management, Vol. 22, pp. 111–121 1525-9951/18 $60.00 + .00 Printed in the USA. All rights reserved. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3727/152599518X15173355843280 Copyright © 2018 Cognizant, LLC. E-ISSN 1943-4308 www.cognizantcommunication.com EVERYONE WANTS A FESTIVAL: THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S CONTEMPORARY LIVE MUSIC FESTIVAL SECTOR CHRISTINA BALLICO Queensland Conservatorium Research Center, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia This article explores the development and growth of Western Australia’s (WA) live music festival sector. Historically analyzing activity occurring between 1999 and 2009, festivals of varying scope are discussed, with a particular focus on those that heavily feature indie pop/rock music and include WA artists in their lineup. Seven legs of national touring festivals as well as WA-only and one-off events are examined, being the Big Day Out, Blackjack, Rock-It, Rollercoaster Festival, St Jerome’s Laneway Festival, Southbound, Wave Rock Weekender, and West Coast Blues ‘n’ Roots. These fes- tivals program local artists in one of three ways: as an opening or “support” act, as part of a local music stage or, as a “headliner.” Grounded in a discussion on the role of live music performances in the development and sustaining of musicians’ careers, the analysis presented draws predominantly from semistructured research interviews with promoters of the festivals in question. By examining the motivations behind development and growth of WA’s live music festival sector within the study’s timeframe, this article offers commentary on what this growth—and the resulting “saturation point” of the market—means for the present-day market, and critically, to the opportunities for local musi- cians to perform at these events. Key words: Music festivals; Live music; Local music scenes; Career development Introduction overall sustainability of the market (Baroni, 2015; Johnston, 2013; Lewis, 2013; Northover, 2015; Recent debates in Australia’s music media have Purtill, 2015). Changes to the ways in which music questioned the viability of the nation’s contempo- is paid for and consumed, coupled with music festi- rary live music festival sector. As a result of a string vals being viewed as a highly lucrative way through of festival cancellations, concerns have been raised which to stage a large-scale, diversified live music about the structure of these types of events, the event, have led to an influx of new festivals over high costs associated with their staging, and on the the past decade or so. A diverse range of large-scale Address correspondence to Dr. Christina Ballico, Research Fellow, Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre, Griffith University, 140 Grey Street, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia. E-mail: [email protected] 111 IP: 132.234.19.142 On: Mon, 27 Aug 2018 04:01:24 Delivered by Ingenta Article(s) and/or figure(s) cannot be used for resale. Please use proper citation format when citing this article including the DOI, publisher reference, volume number and page location. 112 BALLICO and multifaceted music festivals now occur within of musicians and industry members who worked the global contemporary music market, encompass- within and from Perth, or who providing exter- ing a wide range of genres such as: blues, dance, hip- nal support to activity occurring within this local hop and rap, jazz, metal, pop, and rock (to name but scene. All musicians had found success or recogni- a few). Due to this influx, the sector is now consid- tion beyond Perth with their music, and industry ered to have reached its “saturation point” whereby workers held a diverse range of roles in fields such it is overcrowded with events competing for a share as: artist management, record label management, of both performers and audiences. This competition music journalism, music venue booking, and festi- has led to an increase in artists’ performance fees val programming. Within this cohort, those work- and the scope of offerings at festivals, which has ing in the live sector—particularly in relation to ultimately resulted in an increase in ticket prices large-scale live music performance and festivals— for the consumer. In turn, numerous longstanding were especially prominent. As a result, shifts events have gone on hiatus or ceased altogether. within the live music sector were a strong focus One market in which this shift has been acutely felt of the research, with the growth in festival activity is that which supports contemporary music perfor- emerging as a critical factor to the development of mance in Western Australia (WA). In this market, this local industry in relation to a range of busi- music festivals play a heightened role due to the ness, career, and sector facets. geographical isolation of its capital city Perth, and This article draws specifically from interviews therefore there has been a significant increase in undertaken with four (n = 4) music festival promoters festival activity within the state. and bookers, as identified in Table 1. This article examines the impact of an increase The festivals staged by these interviewees and of in the number of festivals being staged on the via- the focus of discussion here facilitated audiences’ bility and sustainability of a select number of festi- engagement with a diverse selection of musical vals that took place in WA between 1999 and 2009. acts—broadly within the scope of the indie pop/ This was period in which there was a particularly rock genre—while also providing a platform for strong increase in the number of contemporary Perth musicians to engage with these large audi- music festivals being staged, as well as a period in ences. Perth musicians have been included in these which there was a heightened interest in the music events in one of three ways: as an opening or “sup- being created and performed by local musicians, port” act, as part of a “local music stage,” or in the many of whom have performed at the festivals case of the more established acts, as a “headliner.” discussed here. The analysis presented draws from As a result, these events contribute strongly to local Ph.D.-level research conducted into the city’s local music culture, particularly in relation to the ways indie pop/rock music industry. This overarching in which musicians can navigate and move within project focused on a combination of career, busi- different live music contexts, and in being able to ness, and sector development between 1998 and engage with audiences they would not otherwise. 2009—so a year prior to the analysis here—with a The festivals included here range from those which particular focus on activity pertaining to the genre are exclusive to WA, to those which have operated of indie pop/rock music. Semistructured research as part of a national touring franchise or east coast interviews were undertaken with a combination partnered event. Table 1 Music Festival Interviewee Cohort Interviewee No./Name Company Festival(s) 1. David Chitty Sunset Events Southbound; St Jerome’s Laneway; West Coast Blues n Roots 2. Jeff Halley Monster Management Rollercoaster 3. Ken Knight Altered State Big Day Out 4. Paul Sloan Supersonic Events Blackjack; Rock-It; Wave Rock Weekender IP: 132.234.19.142 On: Mon, 27 Aug 2018 04:01:24 Delivered by Ingenta Article(s) and/or figure(s) cannot be used for resale. Please use proper citation format when citing this article including the DOI, publisher reference, volume number and page location. EVERYONE WANTS A FESTIVAL 113 Music festivals provide a range of benefits to the multitude of ticketing options utilized by fes- both the music industry and music audiences. They tivals and therefore does not adequately represent can take on a range of formats, engage with a broad the nuances of the sector. Considering the breadth range of genres, and engage with a wide cross sec- of this established literature, this article examines, tion of the community. This diversity is evident in in a place-specific context, the motivators for a the cohort of promoters here, all of whom engage specific subset of growth in WA’s contemporary with a wide range of music activities beyond festi- music festival sector, the implications this has on vals, including: live music touring of local, national, the viability of the events in question, and the local and international artists, and artist management. sector as a whole. The discussion presented here Literature examining the structure, functioning, is contextualized within the role of live music in and role of music festivals within and beyond the musicians’ careers and how festivals can provide music industry is similarly wide reaching. These a vital platform through which to stage large-scale include: perceptions surrounding the ways in which and diverse live music performance. festivals can be staged and managed (Getz, 2008; Following an overview of the structure and Oakes & Warnby, 2011; Paleo & Wijnberg, 2006; functioning of Perth’s local indie pop/rock music Pegg & Patterson, 2010), motivations for, and atten- scene and a deeper discussion of the methods and dance of, audiences (Gelder & Robinson, 2009; approach used in the project from which this article Lee, Lee, &Wicks, 2004; Tyrrell & Ismail, 2005), draws, a discussion is then presented examining the the role of branding and sponsorship at such events role of live music in musicians’ careers and music (Cummings, 2008; Leenders, 2010; Luonila, 2016; festivals as a format through which to stage live Rowley &Williams, 2008), and festivals as a driver performance. The article then shifts to exploring for tourism (Gibson & Connell, 2003). Other works, the motivations for establishing and bringing festi- such as Cashman (2013), Cummings (2005), Dowd, vals to the state, as well as the opportunities for and Liddle, and Nelson (2004), and Gibson (2007) attitudes toward providing Perth musicians with an examined music festivals in more theoretical terms, opportunity to perform at these events.