A petition is underway to have the City of Port Phillip name a St Kilda laneway after local resident, Victorian music legend and cultural icon, the late Rowland S. Howard (Boys Next Door / Birthday Party / These Immortal Souls).

The proposed lane (currently unnamed) is between Jackson and Eildon Road in St. Kilda, close to where Howard, who died in 2009, once lived. The move is spearheaded by musician and close friend of Howard, Nick Haines.

City of Port Phillip councillor Serge Thomann told The Music Network he will support the move. “Rowland was a significant figure in St. Kilda, he lived here, performed in all the clubs here and he died in St. Kilda.”

A successful application would “also celebrate St. Kilda’s significance in the live music scene,” he added.

Howard was the subject of a recent documentary, ‘Autoluminescent’.

The Rowland S. Howard Laneway Project is online here.

Since 1999, NMIT's music business students have conducted an annual research project - 'State of Play - Live Music in Melbourne', to measure live performance activity in Melbourne venues.  Until recently, these findings were the only real data our local industry had - especially for the pub, club, bar venues that are the backbone of our live scene.

‘State of Play’ is compiled by the Advanced Diploma of Music Business students at NMIT and attempts to measure the health (or otherwise), of the live music scene in Melbourne. It is the only report of its kind in Australia and has been a valuable info source for the music industry and those responsible for making decisions which affect this vital sector of the creative/cultural economy.

Part of the project has been gathering vital data from audience members/music fans on their consumption of live music, and information from the musicians who perform in those venues.

As always, they need your help. On the NMIT website - www.stateofplay.net.au - there are two surveys: one for consumers and one for musicians.

Please take the time to fill one or both out as necessary. Your identity is not requested. The results will allow NMIT to feed quality data to the people who make the decisions about how best to support careers in the industry.

Update: The State of Play report 2010-2011 

Members of Music Victoria are now able to start taking advantage of a more musician-friendly baggage allowance thanks to an exclusive deal developed between Virgin Australia and national body The Australian Music Industry Network (AMIN).

In September 2011, AMIN and Virgin Australia announced a new initiative aimed at addressing the ongoing problems musicians face when travelling with musical equipment. The initiative has been well received by the music community who often have to deal with high and inconsistent excess baggage charges. The new Virgin Australia baggage allowances will have a major impact on the ability of Australian artists to tour more often and more cost effectively.

Virgin Australia is offering the music industry a baggage allowance of 32kg (across three pieces of checked baggage) for individual artists, with an additional 32kg able to be purchased in advance for just $15. Bands may also be able to ‘pool’ their baggage allowance across their travelling group. This baggage allowance is available on Virgin Australia-owned and operated domestic services only and must be booked or pre-purchased at least 48 hours prior to departure.

Details have now been finalised and information on how to access this initiative have been announced. Musicians and companies can access the new baggage allowance either via specialist entertainment travel companies or by contacting a dedicated Virgin Australia music liaison with your itinerary. 

The deal is available immediately to financial members of Music Victoria. To join Music Victoria as a member, apply online at www.musicvictoria.com.au/become-a-member-of-music-victoria

Music Victoria is also offering members the chance to win a Virgin Frequent Flyer Platinum Velocity membership for a year.  All current members as well as new members who sign up and pay by 31^st December 2011 will be eligible to win.

Music lovers will have a new guide to help find venues, music stores and other music resources with the release of Melbourne Music City – a guide to the Live Music Capital of Australia.

Melbourne Music City maps Melbourne’s main metropolitan entertainment hubs as well as venues in regional Victoria. The guide also includes a Victorian music festival timeline, a plotted history of key music events in the state plus information on gig guides, media, public transport and music-friendly accommodation.

Music Victoria, the state peak body for contemporary music, is a partner of the Face the Music industry conference, the Australasian World Music Expo and Melbourne Music Week, all of which begin this week.

This free 60 page pocket-sized booklet hits Melbourne and Sydney cafes, venues and tourist hot spots from this Friday in time for these three key events. You can also view it online here.

Austrade (the Australian Trade Commission) will distribute the guide through its offices in Los Angeles, New York, Tokyo, Toronto and Frankfurt, as well as through overseas embassies and consulates. The physical guide will be published annually and there are plans to develop a website and a smartphone application.

If you love music, then Victoria’s the place to be over the next fortnight. The Melbourne Music Guide will help locals and tourists alike discover some hidden musical treasures.

For information about event tickets or schedules, check websites:

facethemusic.org.au
melbourne.vic.gov.au/mmw
awme.com.au

The Age EG is thrilled to announce legendary Australian band the Hoodoo Gurus as this year’s inductees into The Age EG Hall of Fame and the headline act for the 2011 Age EG Awards at the Prince Bandroom in St Kilda on Wednesday 23 November.

Triple R’s own Jon Von Goes will host the awards this year, which will be opened by the four-sister phenomenon that is Victoria’s own Stonefield. The sizzling house band the EG All-Stars (including Pete Luscombe, Dan Luscombe, Ash Naylor and Bill McDonald) will be performing along with other guest stars on the night. 

Eight of the 10 EG Awards are chosen by EG readers, making it the largest reader-voted music awards in Australia, with last year’s online voting drawing  a record 45,000 votes. 

This year Patrick Donovan, Music Victoria CEO and Founder of the Age EG Awards will present two awards on the night - details TBA.

Online voting for the 6th Annual EG Awards opens on Friday 7th October at theage.com.au/entertainment.

Tickets are $45 and on sale at the Prince Bandroom website, princebandroom.com.au or through Moshtix.

All profits from the night go to Support Act Limited, the charity supporting musicians enduring financial hardship/loss of income due to illness.