Blackstone Band at Ross River in a workshop. Pic: Megan Spencer

The Desert Divas and Bush Bands Business programs were again hugely successful at the 2011 Alice Springs iNTune Music Conference.

Both Music NT flagship Indigenous music mentoring programs ran from September 7-10, with all of the participants  performing at major events at the 2011 Alice Springs Desert Festival.

The WOMEN…

Desert Divas commenced their songwriting workshops at CAAMA Music studios, with 2010 divas Jacinta Price and Catherine Satour this year taking on the important event coordinator and mentoring positions, and Izzy Brown from Combat Wombat one of this year’s principal mentors.

Musician Ollie MC also gave invaluable music and songwriting support in the workshops and at the showcase concert.

Eight young women from regions as far afield as Kalka (SA) and Yuenedemu (NT) participated in this year’s Desert Divas program, which is aimed at developing young Indigenous women singers and rappers from the desert region.

Rita Tomlins on stage at Desert Divas. Pic: Steve Pearce

They include Kaya Jarrett, Jessica Laruffa, Kirra Voller, Rita Tomlins (left), Sherelle Young and Courtney Singleton (along with Jacinta Price and Catherine Satour).

Day I saw the divas write a great group song called The Next Step. Full musical rehearsals were in full swing by Day II, for group and individual performances, with musical help from Ollie MC and mentor Izzy Brown, who also recorded lots of documentary footage.

The Desert Divas Showcase on Saturday September 10 in Alice Springs, saw the Divas perform two songs each, and two group songs together. They were backed musically by Ollie MC (guitar) James Winwood from Colourfide on drums, with local guitarist Corey Noll also accompanying the singers on several songs earlier in the concert.

The Divas delivered an extraordinary music Showcase in front of a packed and delighted crowd at the Play Stage of the Alice Desert Festival on Anzac Oval. Their hard work from the week payed off with giant results.

Hundreds of people watched as they delivered a wide variety of songs – from blues and soul to ballads and hip hop – their voices sounding powerful, and performances strong and graceful. They received noisy applause and were urged  on for an encore.

Strong sistas.. The Desert Divas at the end of their Showcase at iNTune Alice Springs, with 13 year-old Kaya Jarrett proudly acknowledgeding the crowd. Pic: Megan Spencer

Diva mentors Catherine and Jacinta also performed with Warren H. Williams and the Darwin Symphony Orchestra on Sunday September 11 at the Alice Desert Festival, in a very special music performance called ‘Songs From Big Sky Country‘.

It was another great musical spectacular, with Catherine and Jacinta shining on stage and reveling in the music.

Their confident, powerful and professional performances revealed the importance of having such music development programs as Desert Divas.

THE MEN…

Music NT‘s other major Indigenous music mentoring program Bush Bands Business played host to six bands this year, with over 12 mentors and up to 60 participants attending. It was a busy few days!

Blackstone Band at BBBiz. Pic: Oliver Eclipse

Music publisher John Ferris (Mana Music), Michael Hutchings (APRA), Paula ‘jonesy’ Jones (Jones PR), Delwyn Everard & Shian Sel-Barker (Arts/Law Australia), members of Narbarlek, Micko Smith (CAAMA Music), Cain Gilmour (CDU) and Matthew McHugh (Skinnyfish Music), and Megan Spencer & Vanessa Hutchins (Music NT) all gave workshops and consultations to the participating bands on Day II.

They included South East, The Tableland Drifters, Blackstone Band (left) and Sunshine Reggae, with Yatulu Yatulu arriving on Day III of the four-day ‘bandcamp’.

Alex Mann – reporter from triple j’s current affairs program Hack – also arrived at lunchtime on Day II to interview the BBBiz musicians and other participants for a feature radio story.

Photographer Oliver Eclipse and publicity manager Paula ‘jonesy’ Jones held a publicity photo shoot with all of the bands high on the hill overlooking the camping ground, which proved to be great experience for the bands, and a lot of fun.

The photos were given to the bands on site, for use to promote their bands from home.

South East perform at the 201 Bush Bands Bash, Alice Desert Festival. Pic: Megan Spencer

The bands also spent the much of their time at BBBiz in rehearsals for the Bush Bands Bash, a showcase of contemporary desert music at Alice Desert Festival, which was held on Saturday September 10.

The Bash was a massive five-hour music event, performed in front of over two thousand people on Anzac Oval in Alice Springs, who spent the night dancing.

MC’d by young performer, Sally Scales, Bush Bands Bash featured incredible performances by Iwantja Band (APY Lands), Blackstone Band (NG Lands), Yatulu Yatulu (Warlpiri), South East (Arrernte), The Tableland Drifters (Barkly Region), Sunshine Reggae (Western Desert), with special guests, Narbarlek (Arnhem Land).

See the photo gallery from Bush Bands Bash 2011,  images from the Desert Divas workshops and Showcase on Facebook, and images from Bush Bands Business.

Listen to the Hack story about BBBiz and Desert Divas hon the triple j website.

Words: Megan Spencer

Music NT 'After Hours Live' showcase artist, Bec Matthews.

As part of the 2011 iNTune Music Conference in Alice Springs, Music NT presented an original music showcase for local acts to display their talents in front of  visiting delegates, and a psyched  local crowd!

The bands in this year’s After Hours Live at The Rock Bar Showcase were:

• Friday September 9, 9.30pm: Catch The Fly*
  
• Saturday September 10, 29.30pm: The Unknown Artists and Gareth J. Dawkins
• Sunday September 11, 9pm: Ronja Moss, Triangle Park (Steph Harrison & Pia), and Bec Matthews (pictured right) & King Marong

A new addition to the iNTune Alice program, the After Hours Live music showcase featured nightly at popular Alice Springs live music venue, The Rock Bar (2/78 Todd Street, Alice Springs).

iNTune Alice Springs 2011 ran September 9-11, 2011 and featured many live and local acts throughout the program, in addition to panels discussions, workshops, masterclasses and more.

Read more about iNTune Alice Springs here. And view a gallery of the Showcase artists on the Music NT Forum.

Words: Megan Spencer

*Catch The Fly played instead of Minority Sun, who were unable to play the gig.

Big voices... Jacinta Price, Catherine Satour & Warren H. Williams.

Alice Desert Festival Twentyeleven (September 9-18) featured a huge line up of bands and artists from all over the desert – and the Territory.

Performed on Sunday September 11, 2011, Songs From Blue Sky Country was a major two-hour live music event featuring the singing talents of NT music legend Warren H. Williams, young singers and desert divas Jacinta Price and Catherine Satour, Alice Springs, uber-guitarist Cain Gilmour, and if that’s not enough – the Darwin Symphony Orchestra!

The Festival program said that Songs from Big Sky Country would “bring you sounds of the desert backed by the powerful sounds of strings, brass and percussion”, and promised it would be a “world class event you won’t forget”.

The DSO also performed an outdoor concert on September 13 as part of their Red Desert Tour 2011, with the spoken word talents of Territory Administrator, the Hon. Tom Pauling.

Performed at the Desert Park under the stars, Mark Smerdon who attended the event says, “The place was packed. They turned hundreds of cars away at the gates and many people walked the long walk into the park. Warren  H. Williams was on last, singing Nights in White Satin, Million Years and Earth Song by Michael Jackson, for which Larapinta Primary School Choir joined Warren and guitarist Cain Gilmour on stage, as the Grand Finale”.

“Warren dedicated Million Years to his father who died on 13th of September 2010, exactly one year ago. This was a highlight of the night, and Cain Gilmour played a guitar solo that many will remember for a long time. Beautiful and haunting”.

On Saturday September 10, the annual showcase of contemporary desert music Bush Bands Bash tore up Anzac Oval with an a amazing line up of bands from as far south as the APY Lands in South Australia, and as far north as Arnhem Land with guests Narbalek making a special appearance on the bill.

Bash bands Iwantja, Yatulu Yatulu, Blackstone Band, Tableland Drifters South East Desert Metal and Sunshine Reggae Band also participated in Bush Bands Business, a three-day ‘band camp’ mentoring program, which takes place in the lead up to the bash.

Presented by Music NT, this year The Seed Fund partnered to fund three professional mentors to travel to BBBiz: Michael Hutchings (APRA), Carlo Santone (Blue King Brown) and Paula ‘Jonesy’ Jones (Jones PR).

The Sunset Street Parade, and Opening Night Concert also showcased much local music talent, with Papunya’s Tjupi Band and hometown Alice faves Dr. Strangeways supporting Blue King Brown on the Main Stage on September 9.

Five NT choirs also dazzled audiences with a chorus of voices in the Desert Voice extravaganza taking place at the Araluen Arts Centre on Saturday September 5. The choirs included Asante Sana Community Choir, Areyonga Choir, Titjikala Choir, NT Music School Choir and Ngkatja Ntjarrala, and were led by choirmaster Morris Stuart.

Brilliant local hip hop/soul trio Catch The Fly are back again after their impressive dual iNTune Music Showcases held at the 2010 and 2011 Desert Festival.

This year Catch The Fly headlined at the Festival Club on September 15, now moved to Anzac Oval from previous venue, Television House.

Throughout, the Festival Club played host to a swag of talented NT artists in the Sunday Sessions.

The program featured eclectic Arrernte band Minority Sun (left), Kora-playing Bec Matthews and King Marong, “desert-inspired” Sami Chia and band The Cardboard Cutouts, and talented local guitar player Matty Whitney.

Alice Springs’ beloved Cats Meow Cabaret also featured an array of local singers and musicians in their Festival Club show Nine Lives Cabaret Club, with the much-anticipated second Desert Divas Showcase of Indigenous female singers dazzling all on Saturday September 10 at The Pod on Anzac Oval. It was proudly presented by Music NT.

At 10am in the same venue, Music NT also showcased six local bands and artists during the Feedback on 5ive, a professional music industry session, part of the 2011 iNTune Music Conference which runs in conjunction with the Festival.

And local musicians have also had lots of fun taking to Alice streets every Wednesday lunchtime in “Happenings” throughout the Festival, and at the Todd Mall Night Markets Thursdays from 5-9pm.

View Alice Desert Festival Twentyeleven‘s full local music program at the official Festival website.

Words: Megan Spencer

As the sun set on iNTune Darwin for another year, the Alice Springs music community geared up for its  own  2011  iNTune Alice Springs Music Conference.

Click this link for the full PROGRAM.

The three-day event promised even more music mentoring, masterclasses, panel discussions and flagship live n’ local music showcases, than 2010:

• Bush Bands Bash Indigenous desert music showcase
• Desert Divas young Indigenous women singers mentoring program, and
• Feedback on Five music development sessions
• After Hours Live music showcase at The Rock Bar – a new feature of iNTune Alice.

The expanded Desert Divas program featured more ‘divas’ in 2011 (9 young women in total) from even further afield, taking in Yuendemu, Kalka and Wingellina in addition to Alice Springs, and Hermannsberg.

Plus more mentors, including women’s management specialist Vicki Gordon, Combat Wombat’s Izzy Brown iand MC Ollie in key mentoring roles.

‘Face time’ with visiting music industry reps was also be a major feature of the 2011 program, with one-on-one consultations and ’round tables’ for face-to-face meetings woven into the program. Masterclasses  covered DIY promotion, home and bush recording, with advanced sound techniques presented by Charles Darwin University.

Many major Ausyralian music industry names wended their way to the desert for  iNTune Alice Springs 2011, creating a diverse and exciting speaker line up.

They included producer and musician Countbounce, Blue King Brown’s Carlo Santone, Sydney-based uber-publicist Paula ‘jonesy’ Jones, Street Press Australia’s Leigh Treweek, Arts/Law Foundation Senior Solicitor Delwyn Everard, Millie Milgate from Sounds Australia and the Australia Council Board Member Andy Rantzen (also one half of successful electronic music pioneers, Itchee & Scratchee).

Mana Music’s John Ferris also participated, as did Vicki Gordon (VGM) who specialises in women and music, and manages NT music star Ursula Yovich amongst others.

Clive Hodson from Perfect Pitch Publishing returned for his second year at iNTune Alice, on several panels, including the Feedback on Five industry session, where select local bands receive professional feedback after performing live to a panel of experienced industry members.

Vanessa Hutchins (Artback NT), Mark Smith (Music NT), Megan Spencer (Music NT) and Philip Eaton (APRA NT) also brought the Territory industry perspective to the Conference.

Visit this link to read full speaker bios.

Visit this link for the full program schedule.

Scheduled to coincide with the annual Alice Desert Festival, two major festival events also showcased the wealth of desert music talent in the Alice region during iNTune Alice Springs:

• Opening Night Concert, featuring Melbourne band Blue King Brown, supported by Tjupi Band (Papunya) and Dr. Strangeways (Alice Springs).
• Songs From Big Sky Country, featuring two 2011 Desert Divas, Jacinta Price & Catherine Satour (both from Alice Springs); local music legend Warren H. Williams (Hermannsberg) and the Darwin Symphony Orchestra.

And Hot Shots Music Photography Exhibition was another feature of the 2011 iNTune Music Conference in Alice. Presented by Music NT, it ran from September 2-23 at Alice Springs Public Library, and officially launched at the Library on September 7, 6.30-8pm. Visitors were able to vote for their favorite picture in the ‘Peoples Choice’ Award, or online.

Proudly presented by Music NT, the 2011 iNTune Alice Springs Music Conference took place at the Totem Theatre, adjacent to the Anzac Oval, Alice Springs.

Words: Megan Spencer

Round table sessions - chockas! Pic: Steve Lees

Some of the biggest names in the Australian music industry were front and centre at the 2011 iNTune Music Conference in Darwin, August 18-19, 2011.

Michael Chugg, John Watson, Ten Gardner, Countbounce, Urthboy, Anita Nedelijikovic, Rebekah Campbell, Mark Pope and over 20 other industry names spoke to over 100 delegates during the two-day event, across 20 panels, workshops and masterclasses.

The Conference was held at the Vibe Medina Conference Centre & Hotel, Darwin Waterfront.

Chuffed by the large turn out and high attendance, Music NT manager Mark Smith said that it was the biggest iNTune in the event’s three-year history.

He says “like last year the Conference sold out again the Monday prior to the event. It was an amazing 2 days of sessions, masterclasses and networking.  Local delegates took the opportunity to connect, ask questions and get help in furthering their careers”.

Broaden City perfoms in the Darwin Showbag. Pic: Nico Liengme

Music NT also took the opportunity to present another original local music showcase – the Darwin Showbag -  to the attending interstate audience.

The Darwin Showbag showcased 14 Territory bands and artists across three CBD venues on one night of local music, featuring alt.folk, rock, indie, ‘prog rock’, acoustic, hip hop, roots, blues and ‘heavy’ music genres, and Darwin electronic artist Broaden City, (left).

Mark said that significantly, “the showcase program brought original music to Mitchell Street, featuring performers from Alice, Tennant and Darwin”.

iNTune Darwin speaker, veteran music promoter Ted Gardner was interviewed by ABC presenter Kate O’Toole in ‘The Guestroom’ on Territory-wide ABC Local Radio the Friday prior to the Conference, with National Indigenous Music Awards ‘Hall of Fame’ inductee Bunna Lawrie from Coloured Stone featured the following Friday.

The NIMAs were another music event presented by Music NT to coincide with iNTune Darwin.

Northern Territory music was also the focus of national triple j Oz music program Home and Hosed, in a music special on Thursday August 18. Presenter Dom Alessio was also a guest speaker at iNTune Darwin, his second time at the event.

Inspired by his 2011 visit Dom says he “can’t wait to go back to Darwin!” Check out the NT playlist on the Home and Hosed web page, where you can also stream it.

Read more about iNTune Darwin here, and view the photo gallery from this year’s iNTune Darwin on the Music NT Forum.

Words: Megan Spencer.

Artist-to-Artist: Natalie Pa'apa'a

Four exciting new sessions were  added to the program for the 2011 iNTune Music Conference in Darwin.

iNTune Darwin took place at the Medina Vibe Conference Centre & Hotel, Darwin Waterfront, on August 18 & 19, 2011.

Twenty speakers sessions included 30 speakers participating across the two-day music industry Conference.

The additional sessions were:

• Artists-to-Artists with Natalie Pa’apa’a from Blue King Brown (Thurs Aug 18  2:30 – 3:30pm)

Discussing the do’s and don’ts’ for improving and developing stage presence and performance… Attending artists can play a tune or sing a song, and receive feedback and discussion. Or they can just ask questions about stage performance, and being in a band in general.

• POSSE.com Presentation (Thursday August 18 at 4:10 – 5.10pm)

Posse is a platform that enables bands to encourage their fans to promote their music, tours and merchandise.  Set quests for fans to post to Facebook, Twitter, blogs and email and reward them with prizes when they help sell out your show!  Set up and customise your own Posse social marketing page for free at www.posse.com.  Rebekah Campbell from Posse.com provided this special presentation at iNTune Darwin.

• The Silent Rehearsal Studio – Exploring the JamHub. Presented by Charles Darwin University. (Friday August 19, from 10am)
  

Panellists: Cain Gilmour, Lecturer, Contemporary Music, CDU/Chair Music NT Board, Jack Tinapple, Lecturer, New Media/Music, CDU, Bill Wade, Head of School, Creative Arts & Humanities, CDU/Music NT Board Member, and Cal Williams, Lecturer, Contemporary Music, CDU. iNTune delegates are invited to a demonstration of the revolutionary music education tool JamHub, a ‘mixer’ that allows 5- 7 musicians to adjust their own independent mix of their band mates and set their own volume level. Come and try it out, and participate in the discussion about this innovative ‘silent rehearsal studio’!

• POZIBLE Crowdfunding Presentation (Friday 12:30pm – 1.30pm) Crowdfunding is fast becoming a viable way for bands and musicians to support albums, tours and other projects.  iNTune speaker Rick Chen from Pozible.com gave a special presentation about crowdfunding and how you can get involved.  This was a great opportunity to hear the latest in band funding and support opportunities.

Over 100 delegates attended iNTune Darwin 2011, from all over the Territory and around Australia.

You can view the speaker sessions, full program and the line up for the Darwin Showbag original music showcase gigs at www.intune2011.sched.org

Read more about iNTune Darwin and the Darwin Showbag.

Words: Megan Spencer.

The 2011 iNTune Darwin Showbag line up included 14 Territory bands performing across 3 venues, all on 1 night of amazing live n’ local original music!

The Darwin Showbag is presented by Music NT every year at the iNTune Music Conference in Darwin, maximising the exposure of local artists to a national industry audience.

Darwin (and Territory bands in the region) were given the chance to send in expressions of interest to perform at the Showcase, with 14 selected for the original music program.

This year the Darwin Showbag fell on the first night of the Conference on Thursday August 18, and included the following bands and artists:

Unbroken Expanse, Jasmine Revolution, Erica Owns The Sky, Broaden City, RoyMackonkey, Terracotta Pigeons, DT3, Emma Rowe, Catherine Satour, Jillaine Jones, Danny Ammon, Wicked Garden, Sono & Cynic and Green Stone Garden.

The music covered the alt.folk, rock, indie, ‘prog rock’, acoustic, hip hop, electronic, roots, blues and ‘heavy’ genres. Entry was free to delegates and the public, and was held at CBD live music venues Kitty O’Shea’s, the Deck Bar and Happy Yess.

Over 100 people attended iNTune Darwin from all over the Territory and Australia. Conference registrations sold out the Monday prior, with ‘walks up’ tickets available only on Conference days for $25, where available.

On the second night iNTune Darwin delegates had the opportunity to experience the best in Territory and national Indigenous music, at the National Indigenous Music Awards, held at the Amphitheatre, Darwin Botanic Gardens, Friday August 19 from 7-11pm.

Read more about iNTune Darwin and the NIMAs.

Music NT congratulates the bands in this year’s Darwin Showbag live music showcase!

Words: Megan Spencer

It’s the biggest iNTune Darwin yet!

Music NT is delighted to reveal the second guest line-up announcement for the 2011 iNTune Music Conference Darwin, with a record number of music industry speakers attending from interstate!

There are some HUGE names on the way…

Michael Chugg – Founder/Director of Chugg Entertainment

Mark Pope – Producer of the ARIA Awards, Wave Aid, Live Earth and Sound Relief

Natalie Pa’apa’a & Carlo Santone, Blue King Brown

Rick Chen – Co-Founder of Pozible.com crowd-funding platform

Nick O’Byrne - General Manager of AIR (Australian Independent Record Labels Association)

Stephen King – Principal Director of Media Arts Lawyers

Scott Mesiti – Director & Co-Founder Festival of the Sun, Director Cross Section music label

Clive Hodson – Partner & Director of Perfect Pitch Publishing

Chris Johnson – Manager of AMRAP (Australian Music Radio Airplay Project)

Dom Alessio – Presenter of triple j’s Home & Hosed Oz music program

Iain Shedden – music writer & critic for The Australian & The Weekend Australian newspapers, author

Esti Zilber – Sounds Australia

Countbounce (aka Pip Norman) – music producer and songwriter (TZU)

Kris Keogh – musician, producer, artist & designer

Nico Liengme – based musician, photographer and promoter of Top End Terror

Zac East – musician, music promoter & social media strategist

They will join the following previously-announced 2011 iNTune Darwin speakers:

John Watson - Eleven Music, Manager (Silverchair, Missy Higgins, Cold Chisel, Goyte)
Ted Gardner – Cross Section Music, Ex Manager TOOL, Jane’s Addiction, Co-Founder of
Lollapalooza
Jaddan Comerford - Staple Group, Boom Town Records
Anita Nedelijikovic – Way Out There (booker for Falls Festival, Grooving the Moo, Northcote
Social Club + more)
Rebekah Campbell – Posse.com
Tim Levinson (Urth Boy) – leading Australian hip hop artist and Co-Founder of Elefant Traks

Headliner.. Oz music business veteran Michael Chugg is a guest speaker at the 2011 iNTune Music Conference, Darwin.

iNTune Darwin V. 3 will be held at the Vibe Medina Hotel Conference Centre, Darwin Waterfront, August 18-19, 2011.

Online registration is now open, with individual tickets $70.00, bands up to 5 members $150.00 and student tickets $25. (Please not that earlybird registrations have now closed.)

Online registration for iNTune Darwin closes 5pm, Tuesday August 16. (Tickets for daily sessions may be purchased from the venue subject to availability).

Register now to avoid disappointment – last year’s iNTune Darwin sold out the Monday before it opened!

Now in its third year, iNTune brings to Darwin Australia’s leading music industry figures, for two days of panels,  workshops and networking.

This year’s Conference includes 20 interstate speakers with 3 locals confirmed so far, and more to be added to the list. Music NT Manager Mark Smith says that “iNTune is fast becoming one  of the most in-demand music industry events in Australia”.

“The success of past Conferences – and  the expansion into Alice Springs – has meant that NT musicians now have access to the  best in the country – with great results. The 2011 Conferences are now even bigger, supported by  increasing demand from the NT industry ”.

Music NT will also present the annual iNTune Music Showcase gigs, with artists and venues to be announced soon. The iNTune Original Music Showcase gives local acts the opportunity to expose their music to key industry members and a large enthusiastic audience.

In fine form... The Moving Targets play The Lighthouse at the 2010 iNTune Original Music Showcase presented by triple j & Music NT. Pic: Megan Spencer

In 2010, iNTune Darwin had sold out by the time the doors opened. Seventeen speakers from interstate attended with a contingent of eight local speakers from Darwin. They participated in over 20 sessions and satellite events.

iNTune speakers come together to offer NT musicians and industry professional advice and the lowdown on Australian music. Musicians, bands, managers, teachers, students, producers, engineers and music composers from all over the Top End have attended each year in droves.

Read 2011 iNTune Darwin speaker bios here.

Register online before it’s too late!

Words: Megan Spencer

A great atmosphere.. iNTune Alice Springs 2010. Pic: Megan Spencer

The first line up of guest speakers has been announced for the Alice Springs iNTune Music Conference, September 9-11, 2011.

They are:

• Pip Norman AKA Countbounce from TZU (Producer, MC and Songwriter)
• Paula ‘jonesy’ Jones – Jones PR (Publicist John Butler Trio, Paul Kelly, Karnivool, and the Homebake Festival)
• Carlo Santone (musician/manager Blue King Brown & Katchafire, Indie label manager Lion House Records)
• Millie Millgate (Export Music Producer, Sounds Australia)

Read speaker bios on the Music NT website.

Now in its second year, iNTune Alice Springs will again feature its flagship development programs:

• Feedback on Five - feedback from music industry professionals of performances by local emerging artists
• Desert Divas – music workshops and showcase for young Indigenous women, and
• Bush Bands Business – a week-long professional development ‘band camp’ held in the lead up to the Bush
  

  Feedback on Five at iNtune Alice 2010: music publisher Clive Hodson, triple j's Sarah Howells & Alice Springs music venue owner, Dom Dilallo. Pic: Megan Spencer

  Bands Bash concert, at Alice Springs Desert Festival.

Music NT is also proud to introduce a mentor partnership with national arts fund, The Seed Fund .

The Seed will provide three professional music industry mentors for the 2011 Bush Bands Business program: ]Mark Grose (Skinnyfish), Carlo Santone (Blue King Brown), Paula ‘Jonesy’ Jones (Jones PR).

And the popular Hot Shots NT music photography exhibition will again be on display during iNTune Alice Springs, from August 29, with the winners to be announced at the conclusion of the Conference on September 11!

Alice Springs delegates will again be encouraged to vote for their favorite photo during iNTune Alice, as the ‘Peoples’ Choice’ Award is decided by popular vote during iNTune Music Conference.

iNTune Alice Springs will again be held at the historic Totem Theatre, Anzac Oval.

Early bird registrations are now open! Register online before August 15 and be rewarded with discounted entry prices.

• Individuals: $40 individuals ($50 after August 15);
• Bands: $80 bands up to four members ($100 after August 15);
• Students: $25 (with ID).

iNTune Alice Springs is a practical opportunity for local musicians to learn from the experts how to get ahead in the music industry! And a great way to meet other musicians and network with interstate industry professionals.

Read about iNTune Alice Springs 2010, and register here.

And visit The Seed website.

Words: Megan Spencer.

Desert Divas at iNTune Alice Springs, 2010 Alice Desert Festival. Cassandra Williams, Catherine Satour, Jacinta Castle, Kylie Sambo & Kirra Voller. Pic: Megan Spencer

‘Half The Sky’ is a concert celebrating International Womens Day through story and song, featuring  female performers from Central Australia.

The artists will include the Desert Divas – five young performers who came together during last September’s Alice Springs Desert Festival – Drum Atweme and singer Rhubee Neale.
Interested in performing?

Half the Sky is also calling for female performers for short open mic performances.

If you are interested in performing in the open mic please contact Kelly-Lee on 0437 305 708 or email her at cdt@asws.org.au. Limited places are vailable.

Half the Sky International Women’s Day Concert and Open Mic will happen 5 – 8pm Tuesday 8 March at the Uniting Church Lawns, Todd Mall, Alice Springs. Supported by Music NT.

More gig details on the Music NT Forum. Read more about the Desert Divas on the Music NT website.

Source: Red Hot Arts