CULTURE
When most of us think about why we have local councils, it’s usually to meet the basics — empty the bins, fix roads and footpaths and maintain parks. However, one Perth council has become a party promoter and so far it seems to be proving a big success.
Like many industries, live music has been copping the brunt of cost-of-living pressures, while also battling competition from international acts and shifts in how we consume music. In spite of these challenges, grassroots music events in Western Australia run by local councils or community groups are thriving.
South Perth Sounds, organised by the City of South Perth, attracted around 6,000 music punters in late February. People of all ages gathered along the Swan River foreshore.
Headline act was Fremantle group San Cisco.
“It’s great for the community and it's free so anyone can come, which is always great,” says bandmember Scarlett Stevens. “People get behind local bands and support Australian music. It’s a crucial time for that.”
San Cisco says playing at low-cost or free council events helps them reach new audiences.
The appetite for these localised events has been steadily growing, according to South Perth Sounds organiser Adrian Fabiankovits.
“There’s definitely been an increase over the last few years,” he says. “Festival promoters have a lot more pressure on ticket sales. They get a lot more affected by cost-of-living pressures and disposable incomes going down. We’re in a space where we’re happy we can run this event free. We don’t have that risk.”
Fabiankovits hopes as interest grows, there will be a flow-on effect among suppliers and musicians, enabling councils to hold bigger events. “This is something we can do, to do our part, to keep supporting the music industry as well,” he notes.
Many classic Australian music festivals have been cancelled post-covid, citing high operating costs and low ticket sales, among them the high-profile Groovin' in the Moo and Splendour in the Grass.
Jordi Davieson, also from San Cisco, says festival operators weren’t immune to rising costs “They’re not just cranking up the prices because they feel like it,” he says. “Everything across the board is costing more, so that’s where it comes from.”
A ticket to Laneway, a day-long music festival held in Perth mid-February, cost around the $200 mark.
For emerging Perth artist Finn Pearson, it can be hard watching as his dream industry struggles. “I don’t love it, put it that way. Seeing big festivals flop . . . it’s not good for my sense of how the industry is going,” he says.
Pearson has been playing gigs since he was 16. Nearly a decade later, he feels the scene has undergone immense change. “You end up with festivals having to charge more to turn over enough of a profit to make it worthwhile. But that gets passed on to the consumer,” he says.
WA Music CEO Owen Whittle pointed out a silver lining — rising prices mean more people look in their own backyard for Australian live music.
“[A ticket price of] $200 to $300 for a touring music festival is beyond many people’s capacity to pay at the moment,” says Whittle. “You can head to a gig in the city or regionally on a Friday or Saturday night and for 10 or 20 bucks see a line-up of amazing bands.”
Even though Pearson has played at bigger events such as Laneway, he often walks away from smaller gigs feeling like he’s connected more with the audience. “Genuinely, those smaller festivals have a much bigger impact in terms of growing your own fan base and building up your connection with the audience than those bigger festivals do,” he says.
Concertgoer Joe Ipsem says these events made council rates worth it. “Cost-of-living, everything’s going up and more expensive, also the council rates. So, it’s good to know we’re getting something for our council rates,” he says.
Another punter, Gracie Rae Winterstein, says these free events felt like a privilege, as she often sacrificed non-essentials because of the cost of living. “Live music brings people together. It’s an amazing vibe, good energy. And it’s always nice to be around this type of atmosphere,” she says.
ABOVE San Cisco playing to thousands at the South Perth show
PHOTO ABC News/Ruby Littler
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