“When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro” – Hunter S. Thompson
Celebrate all that was Hunter S. Thompson at Revolver on July 17th, from Fear and Loathing until Freak Power.
Live sets from Hey Fever, Wilfred Jackel and Franco Cozzo, $10 – doors at 8pm.

Radio Star – Goodbye, Goodnight Tour

Radio Star announce national Goodbye, Goodnight Tour.

Described as “part early Strokes, part Jimmy Eat World” Melbourne indie-rockers Radio Star are taking their latest offering, Goodbye, Goodnight on the road throughout May and June.

The boys are jumping in their 2 door Celica and visiting Brisbane, Sydney, and (after some sincere apologies to a female security guard and some very upset hostel owners) they are finally allowed back in Adelaide.

The Goodbye, Goodnight tour kicks off in Adelaide in May so get on the boys Myspace for all the details.

Goodbye, Goodnight – available now through Byrneside Records or Thosedirtyboys.com

Radio Star – Goodbye, Goodnight Tour

3rd June – The Espy, Melbourne, VIC

4th June – MUM @ The World Bar, Sydney, NSW

11th June – Jive Bar, Adelaide with The Battery Kids

18th June – FANS @ The Cubbyhole, Brisbane, QLD

For more information - www.myspace.com/theradiostarband

March 2010: News and Shit

Yep, i know, I was meant to update this monthly but i’m pretty shit at schedules. Anyway, I just looked at my back balance and it has become apparent that this months rent is going to be an issue, so i thought i better do some work….

There are some surgical students who are offering $10 000 to cut off your toe and reattach it, by my calculations, i have 10 toes so I could make $100k. If you want to save my toes, here’s some ideas as to how you can make me some money.

NEXT THURSDAY – HEY FEVER INFLATABLE PARTY

Get pumped up with Hey Fever at 161 on Thursday 25th March.

Also – for all you little kids, there is an all ages afternoon show as well at Body Pleasure Piercing, 173 Greville St, Prahran (2 minutes from Prahran train station) Get involved.

The boys are touring Aus at the moment so keep an eye on myspace.com/heyfeversounds to see when they’re in your city.

Good Friday – Radio Star EP Launch

Scroll down for all the details on this one, tickets are selling faster than hot cross buns so buy them quick so you aren’t the only sad sack sitting at home while everyone else parties on.

The Boo Hoo Hoo’s – Residency

How good are Friday nights? The Boo Hoo Hoo’s will make them better in April with a residency at the Royal Derby on Brunswick St in Fitzroy. More details coming soon so hit up myspace.com/theboohoohoo for more information

Yep, all fun bought to you by me

I’m gonna go get my toes cut off

Radio Star EP Launch: April 2nd East Brunswick Club

Looking for a way to make your Good Friday a Great one? Grab a Fish Burger and head to The East Brunswick Club to party with Melbourne’s most god-fearing indie-rockers Radio Star.

In honour of the occasion the boys will be getting down like it’s 33AD and selling copies of their brand new EP ‘Goodbye, Goodnight’. The bar will be serving both water and wine (as well as other assorted beverages) and we’ve got some special secret guests coming down to join in the Festivities.

Cross out all your other plans and head to Thosedirtyboys.com to get yourself a pew at one of this years hottest shows.

BUY A TICKET – $8

Radio Star – Goodbye, Goodnight

The 283 kilometres between Beechworth in northern Victoria and the heart of Melbourne city can feel a whole lot longer. Radio Star, who left Beechworth for bigger things in 2007, know that better than most.

Their second EP, Goodbye, Goodnight, traces that journey. “We went from a town of 3000 people to a city of 3 million” frontman Zac Buchanan recalls “the songs are about my first 2 years living in Melbourne, the people I’ve met and the situations I’ve found myself in”.

After 18 months playing all over Melbourne and selling out of their debut release, Radio Star signed to management group Those Dirty Boys, before accepting a recording offer from Byrneside Records. With the support of these people, Radio Star have been able to produce a stellar EP which tells the story of leaving home, struggling through tough times and finding their place in a big city.

Co-Produced by Greg Arnold (Things Of Stone And Wood) and Jeremy Giddings at Hothouse studios, Radio Star spent literally months working on the 5 tracks in an exhaustive effort to find the perfect sound. Taking influence from the new romantic era combined with modern day indie-pop, despite the title, Goodbye, Goodnight is definitely only the beginning.

Purchase the EP from

Update from Michael O’Brien MP

Dear friends and supporters of live music,

Today the Liberal-Nationals Coalition brought forward a motion in the Victorian Parliament on liquor licensing fees, conditions and live music.  A copy of it is below.

As you can see, it specifically refers to the unfair licensing fees and conditions that are threatening the future of many live music venues across Victoria, as well as the closure of the Tote Hotel.  The motion also gives examples of other organisations that have been hurt by the Brumby Government’s ridiculous fees and regulations.

Unfortunately, the vote on the motion was lost: 17 votes in favour, as against 18 votes opposed.

The 17 votes in favour consisted of Liberal and National MPs, and even the DLP MP.

The 18 votes against were all Labor MPs.

The 3 Greens MPs refused to vote on the motion, thus ensuring it was defeated.

Despite one Greens MP telling me earlier in the week that the Greens would support the motion, they decided to abstain and caused its defeat.  I can’t tell you how disappointed I am that the Brumby Government will now be strutting around thinking they have won a great victory and that the Tote’s closure counts for nothing.

You might like to let your friends, music networks and contacts know about what happened in the Parliament tonight; that we could have passed a motion that would have sent a loud and clear message to the Brumby Government that they had made a huge mistake in imposing unfair liquor licensing fees and conditions and were threatening the future of live music in Victoria.

Unfortunately, that opportunity has now been lost because of Labor and the Greens.

Despite this setback, the Liberal-Nationals Coalition will continue the fight for a fair and genuinely risk-based liquor licensing system all the way to the State Election on 27 November.

Regards,
Michael
_______________________________________

Michael O’Brien M.P.
Member for Malvern
Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs
Parliament of Victoria

http://www.twitter.com/michaelobrienmp


3*        MS LOVELL — To move —

That this House —
(1)        notes the hardship caused to many social, sporting and community clubs, small licensed grocers and bottle shops, live music venues, smaller pubs, vignerons and other licensed venues as a consequence of the Brumby Government’s unfair liquor licensing regime;
(2)        notes the Brumby Government’s unfair liquor licensing regime directly threatens the future of Victoria’s live music scene as demonstrated by the closure of iconic live music venue the Tote Hotel in Collingwood with the consequential loss of opportunities for musicians and the loss of jobs for full time and part time staff;
(3)        notes that uniform licensing conditions requiring security staff to be engaged at licensed venues featuring live or amplified music are making the performance of live music at some low-risk venues financially unviable with serious consequences for Victoria’s music industry;
(4)        notes the unfair fee increases which have seen the liquor licence fee for a small grocer in Port Fairy increase from $249 to $6330, and the liquor licence fees for many small licensed grocers and bottle shops exceed those payable by large liquor supermarkets, and many smaller, family owned pubs with no adverse compliance history being required to pay fee increases of thousands of dollars;
(5)        notes the Brumby Government’s statement that despite increasing liquor licensing fees from $15 million in 2009 to $35.8 million in 2010 “The proposed risk-based renewal fees are not considered a burden on businesses”;
(6)        condemns the Brumby Government for its failure to implement a genuinely risk-based liquor licensing regime that provides for licensing fees and conditions appropriate to the venue and activity; and
(7)        calls on the Brumby Government to immediately scrap its unfair liquor licensing regime in favour of a system that is both fair and genuinely risk-based.

The Greens Policy on liquor licensing with relation to live music.

I received this from the very helpful and sensible Kathleen Maltzahn, it outlines the greens policy in regards to live music.

Please have a read and feel free to give your thoughts

-TDB

Keep Melbourne Live.

Preventing harm from alcohol-related violence is crucial. However, live
music mitigates violence: it does not cause it and the government’s own
studies agree*.  Live music must be addressed as part of a commitment to a
strong and robust music culture, not just an issue considered within liquor
licensing.

The Greens’ four simple steps can save live music.

1.  Target violence, not talent: Make the trigger/s for special licence
conditions; a history of violence, levels of alcohol consumption, late
night operations or patron numbers, NOT the mere prescence of live or
amplified music.

2.  Strike the right balance:  Liquor licensing policies and laws should
support the aims of a state Live Music Policy.  Those policies should make
it clear that major changes to licence conditions MUST be assessed for
their impact on live music’s viability as well as reducing alcohol related
violence.

3.  Give live music the attention it deserves:  As a major feature of
Melbourne’s culture, protecting and promoting live music should be a key
job for the Arts and Tourism Ministers. They should create a forum where
all parts of the Live Music scene can be a sounding board for proposed
changes to licence conditions.

4.  Abandon the 2am lockout: The state government has a law before the
parliament to introduce a 2am lockout.  The Greens oppose this because the
trial simply didn’t work, leaving people wandering the streets and making
everyone less safe.

Peter Batchelor: New Minister For Arts

We were excited this morning to receive word that Peter Batchelor, the minister for energy, resources and community development, has been handed the arts portfolio and we hope that he will approach the job with the passion and energy that has been lacking.

We hope that Peter Batchelor will make a priority of defending live music venues, as we have had word today that The Arthouse will no longer be able to survive after May 2011 under the current licensing arrangements. It is important, that we as musicians, industry people and music lovers work to remind Minister Batchelor of how passionate we are and how much we believe in protecting these venues into the future.

I have drafted a letter which I ask anyone who is passionate about the music industry to pass on to Mr. Batchelor regarding this issue.

To: peter.batchelor@parliament.vic.gov.au

BCC: anthony@thosedirtyboys.com

Mr. Batchelor,

Congratulations on the new appointment.

As a member of the Victorian music community, I am writing to advise you of the plight many of our live music venues are facing as a result of the new liquor licensing laws. We have, in recent months, lost 2 venues (Manchester Lane, The Tote) due to the increase in liquor licensing costs for these venues. Another beloved venue, The Arthouse in North Melbourne, is also under threat from these laws.

As Minister for Arts, we are asking for your help. The venues which are being forced out of business by these laws are not rough places, they do not operate in the same manner as large night clubs, and do not deserve to be classed in the same risk-category. The Tote was viewed by the local police station as a safe place, they have not contributed in any way to the apparent rise in alcohol-fueled violence, and yet it is them, and other similar businesses that are being hit the hardest.

These venues, as well as being a huge part of Melbourne’s artistic heritage, continue to be a breeding ground for young musicians. They provide much needed opportunities for exposure, as well as providing incomes for music managers, booking agents, record labels and sound/lighting technicians.

The Melbourne music venue needs your help, we can not survive without these venues.

I look forward to your response,

(name),

Melbourne music lover.

Thanks everyone.

Updated Press Release: Re: The Tote

Those Dirty Boys continue to express their outrage at the lack of protection given to live music venues by Lynne Kosky and the current state government.

Our company website has gone into meltdown with nearly 20 times our regular daily traffic, our Facebook group has grown to include nearly 300 live music lovers in under 18 hours, and we anticipate these numbers to increase heavily over the next 24 hours.

This is an issue that Victoria is passionate about, and we are disappointed to have not received any correspondence from Minister Kosky.

We would like to also thank both Ted Bailleu MP and Michael O’Brien MP who have assured me they are doing “everything they can” to assist the Tote and protect live music venues.

We have put together a list of requests for the government in regards to the ongoing survival of the Victorian music industry, and the hundreds of people who are dependent on it.

These include:

Compensation for venues who are unfairly affected by changes in liquor licensing:

We understand and appreciate the need to keep patrons safe, and acknowledge the efforts made by the government and Victoria Police thus far in this regard. However it is the responsibility of the Minister For Arts to ensure business owners are protected from legislation that may impact them negatively.

We are not looking for exemptions from security laws or liquor licensing fees, and instead asking the government to assist venues with the costs of providing security and heightened licensing fees.

These venues are essential to the survival of the Victorian music industry, and are an essential part of the culture and history of Melbourne, and it is imperative that they are protected.

A review of the banning of licensed all ages music events, with a view to reinstating them.

We wish to see evidence that the banning of licensed all ages music events has had an effect on underage drinking or violence. If there is no proof shown that this banning has been successful, the right of venues to hold licensed all ages music events should be reinstated.

These measures are essential to ensuring not only the survival of the Victorian music community over the next few years, but also to ensure that the industry has a vibrant future.

We welcome submissions from both Lynne Kosky MP and Ted Bailleu MP in regards to this matter.

Those Dirty Boys also stand by our call for Minister Kosky to resign.

Contact:

Anthony Bieniak

Anthony@thosedirtyboys.com

0419 342 164

www.thosedirtyboys.com

The Facebook group is online at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=279206373973

Press Release from Michael O’Brien, Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs

Hi everyone, I have just received this from Michael O’Brien MP.

It is great to see so much response from The Liberal Party, unfortunately we are yet to hear from anything from Labor, I will keep you updated if i hear anything.

I will have a phone call with Michael O’Brien this afternoon, if anyone has anything they would like me to ask him, please let me know.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE:

“Friday 15 January 2010
LABOR’S LIQUOR LAWS ARE KILLING LIVE MUSIC, COSTING JOBS
Melbourne live music icon, the Tote Hotel in Collingwood, is the latest victim of the Brumby Government’s unfair $20 million liquor licence fee hike.
Announcing the closure of the Tote, owner Bruce Milne said in a statement “I can’t afford to keep fighting Liquor Licensing … I can’t afford the new ‘high risk’ fees they have imposed”.
This is despite Collingwood police Sergeant Nathan Kaeser’s reported comments that the Tote Hotel is “not one of our trouble spots in the area”.
Labor’s incompetence means two full-time and 16 part-time employees will lose their jobs and another live music venue will close.
“The Tote’s closure is a direct result of John Brumby’s greedy and incompetent management of liquor licensing in Victoria,” said Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs Michael O’Brien.
“John Brumby’s desire to rip an extra $20 million in fees from licensed venues is closing businesses and killing jobs across Victoria.
“These fees are not risk-based – they don’t distinguish between pubs and nightclubs and they don’t distinguish between small licensed grocers and liquor supermarkets,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Live music venues are already under pressure thanks to the Brumby Government’s ridiculous licensing regulations, which would force a pub with 30 senior citizens listening to a banjo on a Sunday to employ two bouncers on the door.
“This year’s huge fee hike has been the last straw for the Tote, and its closure is a massive blow to Melbourne’s live music scene,” said Mr O’Brien.
The Tote’s owner, Bruce Milne, said “It’s too late to save the Tote but not too late to try and save other inner city venues that are feeling the same pressures”.
“The Tote’s closure is further proof of the damage caused by Labor’s policies for Melbourne’s live music scene,” Mr O’Brien said.
“John Brumby needs to act today to scrap his unfair liquor licensing fee system and abolish his regulations that threaten the viability of live music venues.”

“