Live music is ‘broken’. This band is trying something radical to fix it

Melbourne band Cash Savage and the Last Drinks are taking a radical approach to their next gig.

Over two days this weekend, at not-for-profit venue Estonian House in Brunswick, 10 bands will play, all including at least one member of the Last Drinks. All the bands will also work shifts on the bar, stock fridges and pick up glasses in a collective effort to distribute proceeds from the festival among musicians.

“As our guitarist said, this isn’t DIY, it’s DIT: do it together,” Savage said. “We know so many musicians who don’t have jobs. The system is broken, so we’re trying something different.

Nick Finch and Cash Savage are taking over Estonian House in Brunswick late this month with two concerts aimed at supporting their local music community.Credit: Simon Schluter

“All our costs have gone through the roof. We don’t have the answers, but we’re trying to have some control about where the money goes ... and that’s to fellow musicians.”

It’s a risky venture for the ARIA award-nominated group, who are financing the event to the tune of $50,000, but bass player and manager Nick Finch said cost-of-living pressures had forced the band to find savings on everything from venue hire to booking fees and event staff.

“We’re doing everything, from hiring the venue to putting in the PA system and employing a bunch of musicians,” Finch said. “We are taking on more financial risk, but we’re hoping the pay-off will be a financial benefit for our music community.”

Smaller live music venues have been facing rising costs of utilities and alcohol and rocketing public liability insurance, leading some to call for tax offsets, including for payroll tax or land tax requirements.

Bands are also seeing fewer festival gigs go ahead. More than 20 festivals have been postponed or shut down since 2020. Bluesfest announced last week it wouldn’t return after next year’s 35th event, and Adelaide’s Harvest Rock was recently cancelled, joining major festivals such as Splendour in the Grass and regional touring festival Groovin’ the Moo.

Musicians have called for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to investigate the dominance of Live Nation in the industry.

In March, the federal government launched an inquiry into the challenges facing the industry and hearings are ongoing. In a submission to the inquiry, Music Victoria chief executive Simone Schinkel stressed the importance of investment and fostering a viable future for musicians.

“We need government to protect the music industry for its social and cultural contributions to society,” Schinkel said. “At the moment, artists aren’t winning.”

Cash Savage and the Last Drinks have toured Britain and mainland Europe several times in the past decade. Last year they won Music Victoria’s album of the year award with So This Is Love, but Savage said touring was increasingly difficult to finance, and festival spots continue disappearing.

The band will headline their two-day event on Friday night (August 23). They estimate a 40 per cent saving on venue hire and production costs by running the shows themselves. Not-for-profit organisation Humantix will donate all profits from ticketing fees to charity.

“This isn’t about making us money; it’s more about having control over where our money goes,” Savage said. “We’re putting our money where our mouth is, and taking a punt. We’ll see if it works.”

Cash Savage and the Last Drinks play Estonian House, Brunswick, with Real Sunnies and Joshua Seymour on Friday, August 23. Kutcha Edwards, Our Carlson, Georgia Knight, Kate Alexander, Howl at the Moon, Thomy Sloane & Lucy Waldron, plus DJ’s Rolling Blackouts play Saturday afternoon, August 24. For tickets online, go to cashsavage.com.au and lowandtight.com

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