Catch The Fly - Alice iNTune Unearthed Showcase Band

Alice Springs hip hop band Catch The Fly are set to showcase their wares in front of a pumped Alice Desert Festival crowd Friday September 10 – and national industry players in town to attend the iNTune Music Conference in Alice Springs, kicking off the same afternoon at Totem Theatre.

Catch The Fly will take to the Desert Festival Play Stage, Anzac Oval Alice Springs, from 9pm.

Colourfide playing at Annie's Place in Alice Springs on September 9.

Tennant Creek reggae band Colourfide (right) will also share the iNTune Music Showcase bill. The young band relocated from the Gold Coast to Tennant earlier this year, inspired by the landscape and location. Accomplished musicians, triple j presenter Steph Hughes was so impressed by the band when she met them at iNTune Darwin (also seeing their Happy Yess gig), she played a track from their EP on Home & Hosed.

Colourfide will also attend the iNTune Music Conference in Alice Springs as delegates.

Catch The Fly won the right to perform as part of the iNTune Music Showcase, by winning the Unearthed iNTune Band Competition run by triple j earlier this year.  Catch The Fly’s track ‘Let It Rain’ was also played Wednesday evening on the ‘After Dark’ program on ABC Radio, Territory-wide.

The Alice Springs hip hop band has worked hard over the last 3 years, building an appreciative local audience and honing their song-writing and performance skills.

Catch the Fly are MC/producer Dan The Underdog who hails from Adelaide via Buffalo NYC; local MC McDee – “born and bred in the Red Centre” – and talented local soul singer Sassy Dee aka Jacinta Castle, who’s been preparing for tonight’s gig at the Desert Divas workshop at CAAMA Studios, with singing legend and mentor Shellie Morris. (Read more about Music NT’s Desert Divas program here).

Catch The Fly

About winning the Unearthed iNTune Showcase Band spot, Jacinta says she is “absolutely wrapped” to be performing at tonight , and to “get some recognition” for the band after such a long time performing together. “Catch The Fly has been together for 3 years, and our hard work is slowly starting to pay off, so this is great.” She added that part of the pay off is to be in a position where she can also “inspire other young people who want to follow their dreams”.

They’ve got a big future ahead of them… Catch them at the iNTune Music Showcase in Alice Springs – event details here.

And check out Catch The Fly on Unearthed and MySpace, and Colourfide on MySpace.

Desert Divas: Shellie Morris & Jacinta Castle. Pic: Megan Spencer

The Desert Divas workshop series kicked off in Alice Springs at CAAMA Studios on Wednesday September 7, in preparation for the Desert Divas Showcase of Indigenous female performers from the Alice region – part of this year’s iNTune Music Conference program in Alice Springs.

The artists – from remote communities and Alice Springs – participate in a skills development workshop in the lead up to the their performance.

NT singer extraordinaire Shellie Morris is playing a major role in the workshops, mentoring the six young singers who will perform in front of iNTune speakers and delegates – and major players in the Australian music industry – at the Showcase gig, Saturday September 11, 12.30-1.30pm, Alice Festival Play Stage.

One of the Desert Divas is Jacinta Castle (29), a popular local performer who has been singing and performing since she was 15. Jacinta will also take to the stage at Alice Desert Festival, part of the iNTune Music Showcase on Friday night – she is one third of the Catch The Fly trio, who won the triple j Unearthed Showcse Band slot at this year’s iNTune Music Showcase.

Jacinta said she was “absolutely wrapped” to be performing at the Showcase, and to “get some recognition” for the band. “Catch The Fly has been together for 3 years, and our hard work is slowly starting to pay off.” She added that part of her mission was to “inspire other young people who want to follow their dreams”.

Jacinta was also really looking forward to the Desert Divas workshops with Shellie, from whom she hoped to learn much during the workshops.

Equally excited about taking part, Shellie is in town specifically for the DD workshops. She will then head to Melbourne for a showcase gig at “Long Paddock”, then to Tokyo where she is performing at an international writers festival as a guest of the Japanese Embassy. She will also give a talk at a local University while she’s there – “I’m wrapped to be going overseas to be able to share my story and sing my songs” she said. www.shelliemorris.com

Desert Divas: Indigenous Women’s Music Showcase is also another initiative presented by Music NT, designed to showcase emerging contemporary Indigenous female musicians and singers from Central Australia in front of the national industry.

The Desert Divas performance will take place 12.30-2pm, Saturday September 11, Alice Desert Festival Play Stage, Anzac Oval, Alice Springs.

For event information about the Desert Divas Showcase at Alice Desert Festival, visit this link.

See more pictures from the Desert Divas – and iNTune Alice – here.

A record 65 participants and 7 bands are attending this year’s Bush Band Business in Alice Springs, in the beautiful surrounds of the Ross River Resort and East McDonnel Ranges.

Bush Bands Business (BBBiz) is a series of workshops for Indigenous musicians and technicians preparing for the Bush Bands Bash performance, 6pm, Saturday September 11^th at Alice Desert Festival, Alice Springs.

Sounds of great music float all over the ‘compound’, as the musicians rehearse full tilt in the lead up to their big gig at the Desert Festival. They are also attending recording sessions lead by Darwin engineer Duane Preston, and gathered at a media and promotion workshop conducted by Radio National Awaye! co-producer Rico Adjrun and members of Music NT, Miyika Scales and Megan Spencer. APRA NT’s Rob Collins also gave sessions about copyright at BBBiz, with CDU’s Cain Gilmour holding one-on-one performance and skills workshops where needed. Much valuable information is being passed on by all the mentors involved - with Jeff McLoughlin (Tableland Drifters) and Mark Smerdon on hand with power tools for a couple of essential guitar repairs for Iwantja Band!

The desert's answer to Vampire Weekend: Iwantja Band with their manager Mark Smerdon, at the 2010 Bush Bands Business.

See the photo album from BBiz here.

The BBBiz bands include Tjupi Band (winners of the triple j’s One Night Stand Competition in Alice Springs), Desert Mulga, Iwantja Band, and Sunlight Band and Alunytjuru Band from the successful Turlku 4 CD, currently receiving national media attention and airplay. Mentors for BBBiz include Manuel Ngulupani Dhurrkay, Tableland Drifters, Lorrae Coffin from NG Media and legendary singing star Warren H. Williams.

Now in its third year, the goal of BBBiz is professional development. Music industry trainers and professional musicians and technicians mentor the Bush Bands Bash musicians, with the bands able to rehearse under the guidance of experienced mentors.

This year the Bush Band Business runs September 8-11^th at the Ross River Resort Campground. This three-day ‘Band Camp’ provides the musicians with invaluable skills development and rehearsal opportunities, as well as the chance to focus completely on their music before their ‘big gig’.

The Bush Bands Business is program part of the iNTune Music Conference Alice Springs and also NT Music Month.

Music NT’s Indigenous Music Development Officer Micah Wenitong is clocking up the miles again, on another music mission!

Over coming days he’ll travel to Tennant Creek to work with musicians at the Desert Harmony Arts & Cultural Festival (poster below), on Saturday 4th – Sunday 5th of September.

From there he will travel to Alice Springs, September 6-12th,  to be a part of the Bush Bands Business (BBBiz) mentoring, education and professional development program for musicians performing at this year’s Bush Bands Bash, held at Ross River Resort and presented by Music NT. Micah will also support the bands performing at the Bush Bands Bash gig, on September 11, from 6pm, at Alice Desert Festival.

After a big week in Alice, Micah will journey from Central Australia to far northern NT, to Milingimbi just off the coast of Arnhem Land, to work with musicians living in the Milingimbi Community (Friday 17th – Tue 28th September).

These events are all part of NT Music Month, presented by Music NT.

If you’d like to meet Micah while he’s on the road, please email him at micah@musicnt.com.au or phone him on 0438 856 137.

Ali Mills performs 'Waltjim Bat Matlida' at IMAs 2010.

The seventh annual Indigenous Music Awards (IMAs) were held at the Amphitheatre in Darwin’s historic Botanical Darwins on Saturday August 28, 2010, in front of a 1500-strong crowd from all over Darwin, the NT and Australia.

The slickly-produced live show featured amazing performances by Warren H. Williams, Saltwater Band and Gurrumul Yunupingu, the Chooky Dancers, Ali Mills, Tableland Drifters, with Natalie Pa’apa’a from Blue King Brown – in town for Darwin Festival – also teaming up with Saltwater Band for a suprise collaboration towards the end of the show.

Elcho Island world music superstar Gurrumul Yunupingu – also part of Saltwater Band – was wildly welcomed to the stage by the crowd, as the recipient of the 2010 ‘Act of the Year’ Award. Garrangali Band picked up 3 awards, including ‘Album Of The Year’ with Wildflower ‘Best Emerging Act’.

Ali Mills and Rob Collins did a great job of hosting proceedings, with Ali Mills also receiving the ‘Special Recognition Award’, “for her significant contribution to the Indigenous music industry” after performing a cracking version of ‘Waltjim Bat Matilda’ to a delighted crowd. In another surprise appearance, Elcho Island’s famous Chooky Dancers performed a special tribute dance dedicated to their founder and mentor, the late Mr Garawirrtja.

And winners of the ‘School Band Award’ – Seven Star Band from Yirrkala CEC – will have a music video produced by the ABC as part of their prize, with other development and training also part of this Award.

See the IMA photo gallery on the Music NT Forum.

And the Awards also heralded an important development: it was announced that from 2011 the IMAS “will open nationally to all Indigenous musicians” around Australia.

Music NT would like to extend a massive congratulations to all of the winners, nominees and performers, and those involved in delivering such a great production.

The full list of winners for the 2010 Indigenous Music Awards are listed below.

Gurrumul: Winner of the 'Act of the Year', 2010 IMAs.

Act of the Year – Gurrumul Yunupingu

Emerging Act of the Year – Wildflower

School Band Award – Seven Star Band, Yirrkala CEC

Artwork/Design of the Year – Garrangali Band

DVD/Film Clip Award – ‘History’ by Gurrumul Yunupingu

Traditional Award – ‘Sea Rights Bungul’ – Mulka Project & Dhuwa Dhapi – Mulka Project

Song of the Year – ‘Sea rights’ by Garrangali

Album of the Year – ‘Garrangali’ by Garrangali Band

Hall of Fame – Kumanjayi Murphy

Special Recognition Award – Ali Mills

More news about the IMAs on ABC online, photos on ABC Darwin website, in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian and the Koori Mail Part I, and Koori Mail Part II.

The very first iNTune Music Conference will be held in Alice Springs from September 10-12, 2010. Music NT is very proud to present iNTune Alice – the first of an intended future regional rollout for iNTune, for the Northern Territory.

Milyika Scales is Music NT’s Alice Springs coordinator; she and Manager Mark Smith have programmed iNTune Alice, tailoring it to meet the specific and unique needs of Alice Springs region musicians and industry.

Roots N All presenter Sarah Howells from triple j, one of the guest speakers at iNTune Alice Springs.

Speakers: Sarah Howells (above, from triple j), Clive Hodson (Perfect Pitch Publishing), Cain Gilmour (CDU), Vanessa Hutchins (Artback NT), Andy Rantzen (Australia Council), Susan Benham Page (Australian Business Arts Foundation), Warren H. Williams (musician) / Trevor Brown – (musician & composer) / Dom Dilallo (venue manager) / Darren Pfitzner (Arts NT Regional Arts Broker), Mark Smith (Music NT), Alice Rae (musician) / Katie Harford (Country Arts WA), Rob Collins (APRA), Vicki Gordon (VGM Media & Marketing), Nick O’ Byrne (AIR), Di Mills (Woodford Folk Festival, Dreaming Festival), Scott Large (Red Hot Arts, Alice Desert Festival), Rebecca Matthews (manager and musician), Tammy Brennan (composer), Stephen King (Media Arts Lawyers), Megan Spencer (Music NT/DIY marketing/broadcaster/filmmaker).

Read iNTune Alice speaker bios here.

There has been a last minute cancellation to the iNTune Alice line up; Music NT regretfully announces that Dan Sultan won’t be attending iNTune or the Bush Bands Business this year due to unforeseen personal circumstances. Although we are disappointed, particularly about losing him as a mentor for the seven Indigenous bands attending the Bush Bands Bash, we are happy to say that both events will continue with fantastic line-up of speakers and mentors such as country music great Warren H. Williams, triple J presenter Sarah Howells, and Australia Council Music Board representative and music producer Andy Ranzten. (Please note that Dan Sultan will still appear at the Alice Desert Festival).

And – don’t be surprised if there are some more great speaker and a session additions at the last minute! We’ll keep you up posted on the Music NT website.

Register here for iNTune Alice. The final deadline for online registration is September 9.  (NB Earlybird registration for iNTune Alice has now closed).

And don’t forget that the Hot Shots Music Photography Exhibition will be traveling to iNTune Alice – on display for the duration at the Totem Theatre. Vote for your favorite pic at iNTune where the winners of Hot Shots will also be announced!

10-12 September, 2010

Totem Theatre, Anzac Oval Reserve, Alice Springs, Northern Territory

$50 INDIVIDUALS / $120 BANDS (UP TO 4 MEMBERS)

www.intune.net.au

PROGRAM

Day 1: Fri 10^th September

5pm, Registrations & launch, Totem Theatre

6pm–midnight, Conference Club, Totem Theatre (backyard) sponsored by The Rock Bar

Network and relax with iNTune Alice delegates & panellists, to the sounds of the Desert Festival in the background. Sponsored by the Rock Bar.

6pm-7pm, APRA Connect, Totem Theatre (inside)

Facilitator: Rob Collins

Calling all APRA members, songwriters & composers!  APRA Connect is an informal session aimed at helping you make the most out of your membership. APRA’s NT & National Indigenous Representative, Rob Collins will be on hand to answer any questions you have about music copyright, industry advice, and of course talk about APRA’s wide range of services, grants & opportunities, including the up-coming APRA Professional Development Awards.

8.20pm, Unearthed iNTune Showcase Band presented by Music NT and triple j, Alice Desert Festival Main Stage

triple j Unearthed winners Catch the Fly grace the Alice Desert Festival Main Stage with their unique local hip hop and prize-winning sound.

Day 2: Sat 11th September

Session 1: 10am, ‘Feedback on Five Bands’, Alice Desert Festival Play Stage

Panellists: Sarah Howells, Clive Hodson, Dom Dilallo

Local bands play their best 5 minutes of music to industry experts who will give them critical feedback and suggest directions in which they could move forward in their work.

Session 2: 12.30pm – 2pm, ‘Desert Divas’: Indigenous Women’s Music Showcase, Alice Desert Festival Play Stage

All delegates & panellists

Desert Divas showcases emerging contemporary Indigenous female musicians and singers from Central Australia. With artists hailing from both remote communities and Alice Springs, Desert Divas represents the strength and diversity in Indigenous women, and the culmination of skills development workshop in the lead-up to the festival.

Session 3: 1.30pm-2.30pm, Long Way to the Top End 2011 – OHS Session, Totem Theatre (outside)

Speaker: Alice Rae (others TBA).

This is an opportunity for bands signed up for the Long Way To The Top End tour to catch up, brainstorm and talk OHS. All aspects of the tour including travel, accommodation, insurance, sponsorship, fundraising, publicity, getting ready to tour, with Health and Safety will be on the table for discussion.

Session 4: 2.40-3.30pm, ‘Raising Money’, Totem Theatre (inside)

Facilitator: Nick O’Byrne. Panellists: Andy Rantzen, Susan Benham Page, Darren Pfitzner.

Arts funding can assist musicians to tour, develop and record music. This session looks at different funding streams available and how to maximise your chance of getting that grant.

Session 5: 3.50pm – 4.50pm, ‘On the Road: Touring within and without the NT’, Totem Theatre (backyard)

Facilitator: Mark Smith. Panellists: Katie Harford, Vanessa Hutchins, Alice Rae

Touring has survived the downturn in the music industry with more and more artists hitting the road and building audiences.  This session will give an insight into opportunities available for touring as well as the realities of being on the road.

Session 6: 5pm – 6pm, APRA Songwriter Speaks, Totem Theatre (inside)

Facilitator: Rob Collins. Panelists: Warren H. Williams, Trevor Brown

6pm  Bush Bands Bash, Alice Desert Festival Main Stage **NB This is an Alice Desert Festival Event**

6pm-12am, Conference Club, Totem Theatre (outside), sponsored by The Rock Bar

Network and relax with delegates & panellists with the sounds of the Desert Festival in the background.

DAY 3: Sunday 12th September

9am, Registrations, Totem Theatre

Session 7: 10 – 11.30am, ‘Feedback on Five Acoustic & Singer Songwriters’,  Totem Theatre (inside)

Facilitator: Megan Spencer Panellists: Clive Hodson, Trevor Brown, Andy Rantzen

Local singer-songwriters play their best 5 minutes of music to our panel of music industry experts, who will give them critical feedback and suggest directions in which they could move forward in their work.

Session 8: 11.30am – 12.30pm, ‘Women in Music: Directions & Perspectives’, Totem Theatre (backyard)

Facilitator: Sarah Howells Panellists: Vicki Gordon, Nick O’Byrne

What does it mean to be female in the contemporary music industry? How have things changed the past few decades and where to in the future?

Session 9: 12.40-1.40pm, ‘On the Bill’, Totem Theatre (inside)

Panellists: Di Mills, Scott Large

So you’ve done some gigs around town and are now looking out to other opportunities.  Festivals are still a major launching pad for many acts but how do you get noticed?  What are they looking for from an act and if you are booked how can you make the most of this opportunity?

Session 10: 1.50 – 3.15pm, ‘Remote Control’, Totem Theatre (backyard)

Facilitator: Matt Hill Speakers: Warren H. Williams, Nick O’Byrne, Megan Spencer

An interactive session that seeks innovative solutions to a unique situation. Explores traditional pathways, cutting edge technology and social media to distribute and market music from remote areas.

Session 11: 3.20-4.20pm, ‘Sync & Publish: Your music in other peoples products’, Totem Theatre (inside)

Facilitator: Stephen King. Panellists: Clive Hodson, Nick O’Byrne, Tammy Brennan, Megan Spencer

There’s more than one way to skin a cat. Learn how & why to get your music featured in film, TV, advertising, video games, theatre and more.

Session 11: 4.30-5.15pm, ‘Management: DIY or ?’, Totem Theatre (inside)

Facilitator: Megan Spencer. Panellists: Rebecca Matthews, Vicki Gordon

A look at the role of management in a changing music industry.

5.15pm, Desert Voice, Totem Theatre (inside) **NB This is an Alice Desert Festival Event**

7pm, Sunday Night Concert: Dan Sultan & Dallas Frasca, Totem Theatre (inside) **NB This is an Alice Desert Festival Event**

Full house at the iNTune Music Conference Darwin, 2010.

The speakers arrived from all over the country for the 2010 iNTune Music Conference..

Seventeen from interstate attended with a contingent of eight local speakers from Darwin.  Surprise speakers were also added to the program at the last minute, including ex-Living End drummer Travis Demsey and James Mangohig from Sietta, with Music NT Board member Adrian McNamara (Winanjikarri Music Centre) also stepping in to chair the Festivals masterclass. Metal drummer extraordinaire David Haley gave a great, sold out drumming masterclass at Happy Yess – and a brilliant live radio interview on ABC Local Radio Breakfast, with Leon Compton – and Steven Schram‘s Production masterclass at Subsonic was one of the Conference highlights for local music producers. Briony Petch from ‘After Dark’ on 105.7 ABC Darwin was a also a welcome addition to the iNTune program, giving great advice to local musicians on the ‘Radio Daze’ panel.

The Conference reached capacity and was sold out by the time doors opened at 9am Friday August 27. Musicians, bands, managers, teachers, students, producers, engineers and music composers from all over the Top End attended in  droves. The  iNTune Music Showcase featuring Worldfly and Unearthed iNTune Showcase Band The Moving Targets, was a big hit with delegates and speakers, as were the Darwin Showbag gigs at Happy Yess, and Leah Flanagan‘s album launch at the Lighthouse on Thursday evening (seriously rave reviews all round from the interstate speakers who attended..) Nhulunbuy band Sleeveheads – who were front and centre at iNTune – also played a killer set at the Darwin Railway Club late on Saturday night, after the IMAs. Opportunities were also being discussed between a number of local acts and visiting music publishers, programmers and bookers…

The 7th annual Indigenous Music Awards – hosted by Ali Mills and Robbie Collins and presented by Music NT – were another huge success on Saturday August 28, with hundreds attending the live concert and awards ceremony in Darwin’s Botanical Gardens. Interstate speakers were blown away by the night, sitting with the crowd at the front of the Amphitheatre to soak up the NT Indigenous music extravaganza. It included amazing performances by Warren H. Williams and band (featuring Music NT Chairman/axeman Cain Gilmour on lead guitar), 2009 Hall of Famers Tableland Drifters, Ali Mills, the Chooky Dancers, Saltwater Band with Gurrumul Yunupingu, and many others. What a stunning night of music!!! (Full details on the winners and the big night to come on the Music NT website soon!

iNTune speaker Steph Hughes – presenter of triple j’s Home and Hosed – has literally stepped off the plane home, and written a blog praising the many NT bands she encountered at iNTune. Read it here.

Congratulations and thank you to all of the artists involved in the events above; massive thanks to all of the speakers and delegates who attended iNTune and made the Conference such an incredible experience, and massive thanks also to the volunteers and staff at Music NT who made the event so enjoyable and professional. Can’t wait until next year!

Zack from Tennant Creek band Colourfide - all smiles at iNTune!

It will all happen again at iNTune Alice in a few weeks time – register now before it sells out too!

Check out the photo gallery of the iNTune Music Conference Darwin here.

View iNTune Darwin conference program here and speakers bios here.

Renowned Territory band Worldfly will headline the iNTune Music Showcase at Darwin Festival, presented by Music NT.

iNTune Darwin 2010 is not only bringing some of the leading music industry figures to Darwin, it is also providing a platform for some of the best NT musicians to make an impression. Leading the charge is Worldfly, one of the Territory’s recent success stories.

Worldfly

“Straddling the vast distance between Darwin and Europe, Worldfly truly is a band of the world. Their rhythmic beats, soaring strings, harmonic choirs and impassioned vocals create urban anthems of the type you want to sing along to at the top of your voice. Catch them before they’re swept away to worldwide triumph.”

Worldfly will be supported by another local band, The Moving Targets, who won the auspicious spot though the Unearthed iNTune Showcase Competition, presented by triple j and Music NT.

Tickets for the iNTune Showcase at Darin Festival are on sale now – visit this link for more details about the gig, and this link for more on Worldfly.

Get out there and support local bands this NT Music Month!

This will be the first year that Alice Springs has hosted it’s very own iNTune Music Conference. Music NT is very proud to present iNTune Alice – the first of an intended future regional rollout for iNTune, for the Northern Territory.

Milyika Scales is Music NT’s Alice Springs coordinator; she and Manager Mark Smith have programmed iNTune Alice, tailoring it to meet the specific and unique needs of Alice Springs region musicians and industry.

Speakers: Sarah Howells (triple j), Clive Hodson (Perfect Pitch Publishing), Cain Gilmour (CDU), Vanessa Hutchins (Artback NT), Andy Rantzen (Australia Council), Susan Benham Page (Australian Business Arts Foundation), Darren Pfitzner (Arts NT Regional Arts Broker), Mark Smith (Music NT), Katie Harford (Country Arts WA), Rob Collins (APRA), Dan Sultan (musician), Scott Wilson (musician), Vicki Gordon (VGM Media & Marketing), Nick O’ Byrne (AIR), Di Mills (Woodford Folk Festival, Dreaming Festival), Scott Large (Red Hot Arts, Alice Desert Festival), Rebecca Matthews (manager and musician), Tammy Brennan (composer), Stephen King (Media Arts Lawyers), Megan Spencer (Music NT/DIY marketing/broadcaster/filmmaker).

There are still a few weeks to go before iNTune Alice, so don’t be surprised if there are some great speaker and a session additions at the last minute! We’ll keep you up posted on the Music NT website.

Register here for iNTune Alice. The final deadline for online registration is September 9.  (NB Earlybird registration for iNTune Alice has now closed).

10-12 September, 2010

Totem Theatre, Anzac Oval Reserve, Alice Springs, Northern Territory

$50 INDIVIDUALS / $120 BANDS (UP TO 4 MEMBERS)

www.intune.net.au

PROGRAM

Day 1: Fri 10^th September

5pm, Registrations & launch, Totem Theatre

6pm – midnight, Conference Club, Totem Theatre (backyard)

Network and relax with iNTune Alice delegates & panellists, to the sounds of the Desert Festival in the background. Sponsored by the Rock Bar.

8.20pm, Unearthed iNTune Showcase Band presented by Music NT and triple j, Alice Desert Festival Main Stage

triple j Unearthed winners Catch the Fly grace the Alice Desert Festival Main Stage with their unique local hip hop and prize-winning sound.

11pm Jam Session, Totem Theatre (backyard)

Jam it up with Music NT and local musicians at the Conference Club until late.

Day 2: Sat 11th September

Session 1: 10am, ‘Feedback on Five Bands’, Alice Desert Festival Play Stage

Panellists: Sarah Howells, Clive Hodson, Megan Spencer

Local bands play their best 5 minutes of music to industry experts who will give them critical feedback and suggest directions in which they could move forward in their work.

Session 2: 12.30pm – 2pm, ‘Desert Divas’: Indigenous Womens Music Showcase, Alice Desert Festival Play Stage

All delegates & panellists

Desert Divas showcases emerging contemporary Indigenous female musicians and singers from Central Australia. With artists hailing from both remote communities and Alice Springs, Desert Divas represents the strength and diversity in Indigenous women, and the culmination of skills development workshop in the lead-up to the festival.

Session 3: 2.40-3.30pm, ‘Raising Money’, Totem Theatre (inside)

Facilitator: Vanessa Hutchins. Panellists: Andy Rantzen, Susan Benham Page, Darren Pfitzner.

Arts funding can assist musicians to tour, develop and record music. This session looks at different funding streams available and how to maximise your chance of getting that grant

Session 4: 3.50pm – 4.50pm, ‘On the Road: Touring within and without the NT’, Totem Theatre (backyard)

Facilitator: Mark Smith. Panellists: Katie Harford, Vanessa Hutchins

Touring has survived the downturn in the music industry with more and more artists hitting the road and building audiences.  This session will give an insight into opportunities available for touring as well as the realities of being on the road.

Session 5: 5pm – 6pm, APRA Songwriter Speaks, Totem Theatre (inside)

Facilitator: Rob Collins. Panelists: Dan Sultan, Scott Wilson

6pm  Bush Bands Bash, Alice Desert Festival Main Stage **NB This is an Alice Desert Festival Event**

6pm-12am, Conference Club, Totem Theatre

DAY 3: Sunday 12th September

9am, Registrations, Totem Theatre

Session 6: 10 – 11.30am, ‘Feedback on Five Acoustic & Singer Songwriters’,  Totem Theatre (inside)

Panellists: Clive Hodson, Dan Sultan

Local singer-songwriters play their best 5 minutes of music to our panel of music industry experts, who will give them critical feedback and suggest directions in which they could move forward in their work.

Session 7: 11.30am – 12.30pm, ‘Women in Music: Directions & Perspectives’, Totem Theatre (backyard)

Facilitator: Sarah Howells Panellists: Vicki Gordon, Nick O’Byrne

What does it mean to be female in the contemporary music industry? How have things changed the past few decades and where to in the future?

Session 8: 12.40-1.40pm, ‘On the Bill’, Totem Theatre (inside)

Panellists: Di Mills, Scott Large

So you’ve done some gigs around town and are now looking out to other opportunities.  Festivals are still a major launching pad for many acts but how do you get noticed?  What are they looking for from an act and if you are booked how can you make the most of this opportunity?

Session 9: 1.50 – 3.15pm, ‘Remote Control’, Totem Theatre (backyard)

Facilitator: Matt Hill with Megan Spencer

An interactive session that seeks innovative solutions to a unique situation. Explores traditional pathways, cutting edge technology and social media to distribute and market music from remote areas.

Session 10: 3.20-4.20pm, ‘Sync & Publish: Your music in other peoples products’, Totem Theatre (inside)

Facilitator: Stephen King. Panellists: Clive Hodson, Nick O’Byrne, Tammy Brennan

There’s more than one way to skin a cat. Learn how & why to get your music featured in film, TV, advertising, video games, theatre and more.

Session 11: 4.30-5.15pm, ‘Management: DIY or ?’, Totem Theatre (inside)

Facilitator: Nick O’Byrne. Panellists: Clive Hodson, Rebecca Matthews, Vicki Gordon

A look at the role of management in a changing music industry

5.15pm, Desert Voice, Totem Theatre (inside) **NB This is an Alice Desert Festival Event**

7pm, Sunday Night Concert: Dan Sultan & Dallas Frasca, Totem Theatre (inside) **NB This is an Alice Desert Festival Event**

The Totem Theatre, venue for the 2010 iNTune Music Conference, Alice Springs.

The 7th annual Indigenous Music Awards is one of the biggest events in music in the Northern Territory – and it’s only weeks away!

On Saturday August 28th, under the night skies of Darwin, a who’s who of the Territory’s Indigenous musicians will assemble at what’s fast becoming known as the  “ARIAs of the Aboriginal music scene”.

Established and emerging artists alike are part of this years’ IMAs, including Gurrumul Yunupingu (right) and the legendary Saltwater Band, Jessica Mauboy, Tableland Drifters, Warren H. Williams, Ali Mills, Garrangali Band, Pott Street, Tjupi Band, Wildflower and many more…

The IMAs have contributed towards significantly increasing the profile of NT Indigenous music throughout Australia and internationally – also an attractive draw card for music media from across the country. National publications such as Rolling Stone, The Australian and Australian Musican Magazine have all featured major articles on NT Indigenous music – and the IMAs – as have the Brisbane Courier-Mail and The Age.

triple j radio is also a regular supporter of NT Indigenous music, with members of the national network also attending the 2009 IMAs. triple j recently added the Turlku 4 CD to weekly rotation, and selected Indigenous hip hop group Catch The Fly (Alice Springs) for the prestigious Unearthed iNTune Showcase Band slot at the Alice Desert Festival in September. And music writer Barry Divola was so taken by his trip to the IMAs in 2009, he wrote an ‘ode’ to the NT for the Sydney Morning-Herald.

Music NT is proud to present the IMAs along with major supporter the Northern Territory government. Literally thousands of people from across the Territory turn out to support the event held at Darwin’s beautiful Amphitheatre at the Darwin Botanical Gardens. The IMAs is also a signature event of the Darwin Festival program, the Awards coinciding with the last weekend of of the Festival.

So come along and support the best in the land! Tickets are on sale now… Bookings: (08) 8980 3333 or  www.darwinentertainment.com.au $20 pre-sales / $25 door. Doors open 6pm.

Read more about the 2010 IMAs finalists, the IMA headline acts here, and event details here.