Backstage at festivals, live-to-air broadcasts and innovative industry speakers, this was a year rich in experience, learning and more than a little fun.
So 2024 is wrapping up. Our first year is done and (nearly) dusted, and what a ride it has been! So what did our students get up to this year? And what can we expect to see next year? Check out the major highlights from 2024 to get a small glimpse into life as an Industri student.
FESTIVALS
Things kicked off with a bang with backstage passes to KNOTFEST, where we were treated to a tour from the production manager and a chance to watch Escape the Fate side-stage. Our crew got the chance to ask the promoter behind the event, Destroy All Lines, what it takes to put on such an epic production, plus created real industry connections.
Other festivals we were involved with, were RISING festival, Good things, Luliepalooza, Out On The Weekend, NYE On The Hill, Queenscliff Music Festival and Untitled’s Ability Fest.
INDUSTRI PRODUCED EVENTS
Sonic Stomp! was an all-ages minifest at The Tote Hotel. It was entirely run and produced by our Live Sound Production students.
With 7 bands on the line up this was a bonanza and the perfect way for our Industri Crew to get a feel for being the lead audio engineer on a busy show. Roles included stage management, audio engineering, bump in/out, stagehand, artist liaison and monitor balancing.
Meanwhile, our Live Music Business students had their chance producing and promoting a headline event at The Night Cat, Fitzroy. They booked acts with artist agents, liaised with venue bookers, learned how to run a digital marketing campaign, managed merch sales, and had a heap of fun.
The event featured a headline set from rising band, The Beefs, alongside support from Sophisticated Dingo and Loose fit. It was an absolute cracker of a first show selling over 200 tickets and it marked the inauguration of the students’ own promotion company, Pollen PR.
BROADCAST LOGISTICS
Our Live Sound Production students linked up with the fine folk at Triple R, Melbourne’s biggest community radio station, to assist as stage sound technicians for their LIVE AT 3RRR show. This live-to-air show takes place at a custom built live event space meets broadcast studio and showcases local and international talent, past guests include Wet Leg, Genesis Owusu and Angie McMahon.
Each week, someone had the opportunity to be mentored by the lead tech at Triple R to understand the mechanics of radio broadcasting a live show, setting up for a dual live audience and on-air transmitting, which is no easy feat! This was an awesome chance for our crew to immerse themselves in a stalwart station within community radio and learn valuable technical skills.
Other opportunities included work at The Northcote Theatre, The Curtin, Forum, Palais, The Corner Hotel, Reclink Community Cup, Northcote Social Club, The Gasometer and more.
GUEST SPEAKERS
And if all of that doesn’t make you wanna kick down the door and get involved we also had amazing guest speakers including:
- Cash Savage, ARIA nominated and Victoria Music Award winning local artist.
- Johann Ponniah, founder of record label I OH YOU (Confidence Man, DMAs) and manager of Rolling Black Outs.
- Bec Young, founder of booking agency Collective Artists (Kučka, Aldous Harding, Julia Jacklin).
- Sweetie Zamora, Head of Labels at Remote Control Records, looking after releases from Thom Yorke to Fontaines DC, Sweetie Zamora (Remote Control)
- Emily York, founder of Penny Drop, promoter for Caroline Polachek, New Order and The Dare.
- Bonnie Knight, Sound Engineer, Record Producer and Composer for Amyl and the Sniffers, Angie McMahon, ENOLA and Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers.
- Kurt Eckhardt, who owns the record and zine label Psychic Hysteria.
And a bunch more on high rotation!
JPJ Audio Placement
And finally, if this wasn’t all enough, our Live Sound Production students were offered paid work through our partner JPJ Audio, working alongside professional audio engineers at gigs across the Palais and Forum, including shows for Viagra Boys, Thelma Plum and The Dropkick Murphys!
At Industri Education our main goal is to immerse our students in the industry (get it?) and we’re gearing up for a massive 2025.
If there’s an opportunity out there for you, we will find it. If there’s an inspiring person you want to chat to, we will do our best to make it happen.
Buckle up, it’s gonna be a big one next year!
The places Industri has been this year
Rising Festival
Good Things Festival
Knotfest Australia
Places Industri Students undertook volunteering and paid work
Live At RRR
Northcote Social Club
Northcote Theatre
Reclink Community Cup
The Curtin Hotel
The Gasometer Hotel
The Forum Theatre
The Palais Theatre
Luliepalooza Festival
Ability Fest
Queenscliff Music Festival
NYE On The Hill
Out On The Weekend Festival
Companies Industri students visited:
Sound Merch
PBS Radio Melbourne
Music Victoria
