Over the last few years, the camp at ARIA have been working hard trying to use their brand to the best of its abilities; extending beyond the awards in an age where sales are down, profits are low and a TV audience is reducing. In 2010 they introduced a concept that saw its nominated artists play a series of live concerts overlooking the Sydney Opera House. Sponsored by iTunes, the exclusive events were made available for download soon after their performance with the hope it would increase interest in the awards, held at the end of the week on the Sydney Opera House forecourt. But I daresay we all remember how that event went.
Keeping things simple for the 25th anniversary of the awards last year, the week long event concept returned for 2012 as “ARIA Week”, a concept which partnered ARIA up with a variety of companies, from Sony to Inertia, to FasterLouder and MGM, resulting in a series of industry festival style showcases (think SXSW or BigSound). In the first night of this series, Universal Music got the showcase series on the road, with a showcase not of ARIA nominees, but rather of its best new talent, plus one favourite to draw in the crowds. Though industry were invited to the night, this was as much a public event as it was anything else, a defining change from some of its concepts in the past.
By the time this review has been published, we’ve enjoyed three days of showcases and of course the big event itself. In my personal opinion, the concept is a great move forward for the brand. It takes the concept of the ARIAs beyond the already celebrated, and moves it into its logical conclusion: using the exposure the awards gives to local music to embrace all aspects of it, including the new bands, some of whom will no doubt be future winners themselves. Speaking of which…
The Universal showcase kicked off with Melbourne solo artist Harts, who performs with a three piece behind him in the live setting. Though he’s the sort of artist who plays all his instruments on his record, and does this from his bedroom, his live show is very much focused on his skills on the guitar, which are nothing short of impressive – though arguably a bit much at times for a gig of this nature. The music itself is nothing revolutionary but shows off an artist fine tuning his craft and fine tuning a sort of international rock and roll sound that will get him noticed – indeed it’s gotten Universal’s attention. What interests me more is where he goes from here, which should be very interesting indeed.
For Sydneysiders, a band that needs little introduction are The Preatures (pictured above, formerly The Preachers, a name change adopted upon signing with Universal to ensure they’d be easier to Google). Led by the energetic Isabella Manfredi and the stylish Gideon Bensen, both vocal powerhouses in their own rights, the five piece have always brought together influences of soul, rock and roll and more in a way few bands have been able to muster, especially in Sydney.
The band are in an interesting time in their creative cycle as they balance the pressures of a major label signing, while trying to retain the credibility as artists that they have worked so hard to build up over their years trudging around the Sydney scene. It’s something most bands hope for; that they can turn their music into something which supports them financially, though a conundrum that many bands later come to regret. However, I daresay few bands have arrived at this position with their heads on their shoulders as tightly as this band.
What I hear in their music now is a band fine tuning this balance, readying their sound for wider recognition. Until tonight, I had yet to hear the new song that convinced me they had reached this point, but I cautiously say they have at least found one song to take them down that road, which I think may have been called “Want To Keep You”. I’ve always been a fan of the band and can only wish them the best of luck in their undoubtedly difficult task ahead. I for one can’t wait to see what comes next… and I’m told that will be a new EP in the New Year. Stay tuned!
Art of Sleeping are a Brisbane based band who have been making their names known widely across the industry with a string of much talked about shows over the last six months, as well as a brilliant EP in Like A Thief. The band have been dealt quite a few comparisons to bands like Boy & Bear and Mumford & Sons with their folk influenced music, and though this is founded, this band is definitely much more than a mere comparison, with pop and rock just as much of their sound as anything else. These influences takes the folk genre to a whole new level. Their new track of the night was truly solid, a great sign of things to come, while the rest of their more established material only gets better with each performance. An incredibly solid band, very much one to watch in 2013.
Finally, Bertie Blackman, the night’s headliner (and no doubt a supporter of ticket sales for the event), arrived on stage hitting the drums with a bass guitarist and a supporting drummer. The set that followed was epic to say the least. Heavy drums layered the set, which was mostly laden with new material off her forthcoming record. Also hitting the keys and the guitar throughout her performance, Bertie reminded us all why she’s one of the most respected performers in the industry, putting on a high energy show and making us all eagerly anticipate the new record.
No matter what people make of the awards, or what people think of who won what, this is definitely a concept that should continue. The more they use their brand to create wider exposure of the local market, the better it is for everyone. Decreasing profits don’t just affect them, they affect the whole marketplace; from the bands within it to the labels and management that support them. Weeks like ARIA’s latest concept can surely do nothing but great things for all involved. Here’s to 2013!
Of course the Universal showcase isn’t the only one we’ve covered this week on the AU review, click HERE to see all the rest of the ARIA Week action!
