A state parliamentary inquiry into live music in NSW has been raised, looking to serve live-music goers across Greater Sydney.
The Sydney music scene is struggling, but not because people don’t want to see live music.
An industry that has funding issues described as “fragile” by the Australian Festival Association, despite the introduction of Sound NSW, and dedicated ministers focused on music and the night-time economy.
A lack of transport and high travel prices continue to limit access to live music.
Not only is there a lack of safety due to the shortage of nighttime transport, but accessibility also drops off after a certain hour, most of the time around 12 to 1 AM.
A close friend of mine makes the round trip from the Northern Beaches to the CBD every time we go out, rushing to catch a train, then the final bus around 12 AM. Most of the time, people with longer commutes opt to stay at a friend’s, stay out until the first bus in the early hours of the morning, or simply not attend concerts that could finish anywhere after 11 PM.
Late-night buses run every 30 minutes (if you’re lucky, otherwise it’s hourly), which pushes people toward rideshares, another expensive option, especially with turbulent fuel prices at the moment and additional charges attached to petrol-fuelled vehicles.
With my own train line being shut for the last two years, I’ve had no choice but to cough up a hefty rideshare bill to get back to south-west Sydney.
This becomes a deterrent not only for people who want to catch live music, but also for anyone just wanting to go out in general.
The cost of living crisis shows us that not only is it expensive to get to and from a gig, it’s also expensive to put one on in the first place. Small, independent artists are constantly being misled, with a lack of cost transparency around policing and liquor licensing.
Chief executive of The Australian Festival Association, Olly Arkins, says, “New South Wales is the absolute most expensive jurisdiction in the country to do an event in, when it comes to government-imposed charges.”
I have faced this problem firsthand, responding to a CBD venue advertising ‘Free Gig Space Hire’. I got in contact and began an email exchange, only to jump through hurdles and eventually be blocked by several financial barriers, high minimum spends, ticket price cuts and fine print terms and conditions.
Independent artists are hit with bills left and right, from production, to photography, advertising campaigns, and playlisting. From paying instrumentalists and backing vocalists to being told you need to pay for brand management and master classes to strengthen your image, it is a constant uphill battle.
Musicians who just want to play and perform their music are blocked by a system that is not allowing them to thrive.
This is an issue that needs to be addressed within government, one impacted by the economy, urban planning, public transport and venues. Though it seems like a difficult pill to swallow, Sydney musicians and concert-goers know it is worth it.
Because when you strip it all away, music will always be a weed amongst cement; outlasting, outgrowing and surviving any barriers you place in front of it.
Read the full inquiry here, including proposed solutions and make a difference by contacting your concerns with the Minister of Music and Night-Time Economy, Transport and Arts, John Graham.
