It is with an extremely heavy heart that Sounds Australia announces the cancellation of Friday’s live-stream event 3 For The Stream.
This morning, Premier Daniel Andrews declared a state of emergency for Victoria, therefore we have decided that it would be irresponsible to proceed with our planned 3 For The Stream event in Melbourne this Friday, at a time when authorities are stressing the need for social distancing to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Last Monday we began to devise a contingency plan for the Australian artists set to showcase at SXSW 2020. What we came up with was 3 For The Stream: 3-song sets from 19 of those artists, filmed across multiple stages at Bakehouse Studios in Melbourne. At the time, this felt like the best way we could support those artists and their teams, who had invested thousands of dollars into an event that was no longer happening, as well as promote their music to an international audience of music industry buyers and potential new fans. The enthusiasm of the multiple partners for our event – Art Series Hotel by Accor, Bakehouse Studios, Comes With Fries, Facebook, SXSW, TAG and Young Henry’s – demonstrates how much support there is for these artists in incredibly challenging times.
However, a week is a long time in this environment, and the mood has greatly shifted as the impact of COVID-19 starts to worsen in many parts of the world. The decision to cancel 3 For The Stream was not taken lightly. Now is not the time for an event that will bring people into close proximity. We need to work together to flatten the curve, to protect those who are most vulnerable to this virus. Everyone must do what needs to be done to ensure the impact of the coronavirus is limited as much as possible.
The COVID-19 outbreak is having a devastating impact on the Australian music industry, which contributes $2.5 billion annually to the local economy. I Lost My Gig, an initiative of the Australian Music Industry Network and Australian Festival Association, has calculated the total lost income from cancelled events so far at $47 million, with 20,000 employment opportunities lost, affecting 190,000 people. Sounds Australia will continue to innovate and pivot to support Australian artists and industry as best we can in these unprecedented times.
While you’re practising social distancing and regularly washing your hands, here is a list of the 43 Australian acts who were poised to showcase in Austin, Texas this week as part of SXSW 2020. If you’re in a position to support them, we have included To Buy links for each artist. You can also listen to a song from each of them on our SXSW 2020 playlist.
Alex the Astronaut
Alexander Biggs
Ali Barter
Alice Skye
Anatole
Banoffee
BATTS
Betty Who
Borzoi
Cable Ties
Carla Geneve
Cousin Tony’s Brand New Firebird
Didirri
Eliza & The Delusionals
Evelyn Ida Morris
Flyying Colours
Fraeya
Gena Rose Bruce
Go Fever
Good Morning
Hachiku
HTRK
Jack River
Jack Gray
Jaguar Jonze
Jamie-Lee Dimes
Kota Banks
Lime Cordiale
Luke Howard
MANE
Pub Choir
Quivers
River Boy
San Mei
Shady Nasty
Sophie Hutchings
Sui Zhen
Surf Rock Is Dead
The Lazy Eyes
The Wonder
Thigh Master
Tim Shiel
Tom West
If you’re in Australia, we encourage keeping up-to-date and following advice from the Australian Government Department of Health. You can visit their website at http://www.health.gov.au. For health enquiries you can contact the Coronavirus Information Line 1800 020 080. The World Health Organisation has set up a page specifically for information relating to the coronavirus: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
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