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Australian live music and events industry
The business behind the stage. News, guides, and insider takes on Australian live entertainment.
Thirty years of gigs, festivals, and tours distilled into practical coverage of ticketing, venue ops, touring logistics, and the tech reshaping live events.
What we cover
- Festival and touring economics
- Ticketing platforms and audience data
- Venue management and regulations
- Event technology and production
What you can expect
- Insider perspectives from 30+ years in the game
- Practical advice for promoters and venue operators
- Honest takes on industry trends and policy
- Coverage of AI and tech in live entertainment
Latest posts
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Festival Volunteer Management Has a Technology Problem Nobody's Solving Well
Music festivals rely on hundreds of volunteers. Managing them effectively is a logistical nightmare that existing technology platforms only partially address.
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Venue HVAC and Crowd Comfort: The Hidden Factor That Kills Repeat Attendance
Temperature management in live music venues doesn't get much attention, but it directly affects crowd behaviour, bar spend, and whether people come back. Here's what venue operators should know.
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Artist Riders Have Changed More Than You'd Think. Here's What Venues Need to Know
The stereotypical rock star rider of champagne and M&Ms is mostly a relic. Modern artist riders focus on technical requirements, sustainability, and crew welfare — and venues need to keep up.
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Crowd Management AI Is Getting Smarter. Are Australian Festivals Ready to Use It?
AI-powered crowd monitoring and management tools are maturing rapidly. But adoption at Australian music festivals is slower than you'd expect. Here's what's available and what's holding things up.
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Regional Touring in Australia: The Economics Are Brutal But Not Impossible
Touring regional Australia has gotten harder for mid-level artists. Travel costs, venue capacity limitations, and audience fragmentation are squeezing margins. But some acts are making it work.
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Cashless Festivals: The Problems Nobody Warned You About
Going fully cashless at music festivals sounds simple in theory. In practice, it's created a new set of problems for organisers, vendors, and attendees alike.
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Dynamic Pricing for Concert Tickets: The Fairness Debate That Won't Go Away
Surge pricing has hit the live music industry and audiences aren't happy. Here's what's actually happening, why promoters are tempted, and where I think the line should be drawn.
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Backstage Power and Rigging: The Tech Improvements Nobody Sees
The most important technology advances in live entertainment are happening behind the scenes. Better power distribution and modern rigging systems are making shows safer, greener, and more ambitious.
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Festival Season Wrap-Up: What Worked and What Didn't in 2026
The 2025-2026 Australian festival season is done. Here's an honest look at the trends, the wins, and the stuff that didn't go to plan.
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Venue Noise Complaints: How Tech Is Helping Manage the Problem
Noise complaints are an existential threat to live music venues in Australian cities. New monitoring and management technologies are giving venues tools to stay open and stay good neighbours.
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The Real Economics of Artist Merchandise on Tour
Breaking down how merchandise works financially for touring artists, from manufacturing costs to venue cuts to what artists actually take home.
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The Psychology Behind Festival Headliner Announcements
Why music festivals drip-feed lineup reveals and how strategic announcement timing shapes ticket sales, media coverage, and audience anticipation.
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The Mid-Sized Venue Crisis in Australian Live Music
Why 500-1500 capacity venues are disappearing across Australia and what this means for artists, audiences, and the live music ecosystem.
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Festival Site Design and the Psychology of Crowd Flow
How music festivals use architectural design, signage, and psychological principles to move tens of thousands of people safely and efficiently.
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AI Crowd Analytics at Australian Music Festivals: The Honest Report Card
Heat mapping, density tracking, and predictive crowd models are being deployed at Australian festivals. After watching several in action over the past summer, here's what actually works.