On the same day as Byron Bay Bluesfest founder Peter Noble announced next year’s event would be the last, Victoria staked its claim to be the nation’s home of live music by unveiling its third annual Always Live program, featuring a roster of international, Australian and local acts over 17 days in November and December. The program has been underwritten by the state government, to the tune of $20 million in 2023 and 2024, as part of its response to the ongoing crisis in the live music and festivals sector. Many of the challenges facing the industry are structural: rising insurance costs; uncertainty due to extreme weather events and late ticket purchasing; an unfavourable exchange rate.
Jack White will play an intimate show at the Corner Hotel. Credit: David James Swanson Live music and music festivals are big business, with ticket sales in 2022 totalling around $940 million nationally, according to the most recent report from Live Performance Australia. But the past 18 months have been tough, with a raft of venue closures and festival cancellations prompting many to call for urgent government intervention and support.
Just last week, the Live Nation-run Harvest Rock in Adelaide became the latest event to be cancelled. In response, a federal parliamentary inquiry has held hearings around the country, the newly established Music Australia delivered a report into the state of the festival industry, and the NSW government has undertaken a review of its contentious Music Fes.