Governmental as anything
live music and law and order in Melbourne
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/prbt.v11i2.103Keywords:
live music, cultural policy, music regulationAbstract
On 23 February 2010, shoppers and café patrons in Swanston Street in Melbourne’s Central Business District were confronted by the sight of an estimated 20,000 musicians, fans, publicans, school children, parents and music industry workers marching to state parliament to protest the branding of music venues as part of the city’s problems relating to alcohol consumption and law and order. In this paper I document the arguments of both the government and the live music industry in a battle that raised important questions about Melbourne’s self-image as the cultural capital of Australia. It also provides a recent case study of how the live music venue remains a constant test case in government attempts to reconcile conflicting cultural, economic and urban policy.
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Williams, K. 2010. ‘Strings Attached in Live Music Fight’. The Age, 15 February: 16.
Bruce-Rosser, K. 2009. ‘Sour Note Setback’. Stonnington Leader, 29 September.
Cooke, D. 2010. ‘Live Music Not Tied to Violence’. The Age, 7 May.
Davoren, S. 2010. ‘Who Cleans Up After the Boozers Go Home?’ The Age, 25 January.
Dempster, R. 2010. SLAM rally speech online at http://www.slamrally.org/speeches/rickdempster/.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport (UK). 2009. ‘Boost for Live Music as Government Announces Plans to Exempt Small Venues’, online at http://www.culture.gov.uk/ reference_library/media_releases/6553.aspx/.
Department of Justice. 2010a. ‘Liquor Licensing Fee Calculator’, online at http://tinyurl. com/3588tas.
——2010b. ‘Live Music Agreement’, online at http://www.justice.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/justlib/doj+internet/home/alcohol/licensee+responsibilities/justice++alcohol+-+live+music+agreement+(pdf).
Donovan, P. 2010. ‘They’re Marching, Not Dancing, in the Streets for Live Music’. The Age, 24 February.
Dowling, J., and P. Donovan. 2010. ‘New Chief, New Take on Live Music’. The Age, 5 June: 4.
Dubecki, L. 2008. ‘Locking out Modern Life is Not the Answer’. The Age, 3 June: 15.
The Economist. 2008. Global Liveability Report. London: Economist Intelligence Unit.
Fyfe, M. 2010. ‘All Over the Place’. The Age, 4 April: 15.
Hall, B. 2010. ‘Brumby’s Ready to Rock’. The Melbourne Times, 27 January: 5.
Hardy, M. 2010. ‘The Slow Death of Sticky Carpet’. The Drum, 18 January, online at http:// www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/18/2794553.htm.
Hoegh-Guldberg, H. 2007. ‘Value of Music Sector’. Music in Australia Knowledge Base, online at http://mcakb.wordpress.com/statistics/value-of-music-sector/
Homan, S. 2008. ‘A Portrait of the Politician as a Young Pub Rocker: Live Music Reform in Australia’. Popular Music 27(2): 243–56. doi:10.1017/S0261143008004030
——2010. ‘Popular Music’. In S. Cunningham and G. Turner (eds.), The Media and Communications in Australia, 217–36. Sydney: Allen and Unwin.
Homan, S., and D. Newton. 2010. The Music Capital: City of Melbourne Music Strategy. Melbourne: City of Melbourne Council/Monash University/NMIT.
Houston, C. 2008. ‘Rush of Clubs Try to Evade Lockout’. The Age, 3 June: 1.
Johnson, B., and S. Homan. 2003. Vanishing Acts: An Inquiry into the State of Live Music Opportunities in NSW. Surry Hills: Australia Council and NSW Ministry of Arts.
Live Performance Australia. 2010. Size and Scope of the Live Entertainment Industry (Ernst and Young), online at http://www.liveperformance.com.au.
Mathews, P. 2008. ‘Yes to Real Vibrancy’. The Age, 25 February: 10.
Nieuwenhuysen, J. 2008. ‘Peace in Small Places’. The Age, 21 September: 21.
Parliament of Victoria. 2010a. ‘Questions without Notice’. Legislative Assembly, 25 February, online at http://tinyurl.com/2uuahjf.
——2010b. ‘Liquor Licensing: Live Music Venues’, Legislative Council, 13 April, online at http://tex.parliament.vic.gov.au/bin/texhtmlt?form=jVicHansard.sum&debate=live +music&parliament=2010&logic=and.
Rood, D. 2007. ‘Tough Laws Aim at CBD Violence’. The Age, 31 August.
——2010. ‘Liquor Tax Take Springs a Leak’. The Age, 6 May.
Roy Morgan Research. 2008. 2008 Brand Personality Survey.
——2009. 2009 Brand Health Survey.
Shaw, K. 2009. ‘The Melbourne Indie Music Scene and the Inner City Blues’. In Whose Urban Renaissance?: An International Comparison of Urban Regeneration Strategies, ed. Libby Porter and Kate Shaw, 191–201. London: Routledge.
Tippett, G. 2008. ‘Fear of the Dark’. The Age, 2 March: 20.
Waddell, R. 2007. ‘Update: Madonna, Live Nation Sign Global Pact’. Billboard, 16 October, online at http://billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i172f2c4d34dd57 66e64291d7752db92d?imw=Y.
Williams, K. 2010. ‘Strings Attached in Live Music Fight’. The Age, 15 February: 16.
Published
2011-02-27
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Homan, S. (2011). Governmental as anything: live music and law and order in Melbourne. Perfect Beat, 11(2), 103-118. https://doi.org/10.1558/prbt.v11i2.103
