‘Teetering on extinction’: Queensland music industry’s desperate fight for survival

Queensland’s live music industry has hit out at the ‘double standards’ between music venues and sporting grounds as a two-week Brisbane music festival is announced in an attempt revive the arts.

Queensland’s biggest music names, Brisbane’s Lord Mayor and nearly 20,000 petitioners have hit out at the “double standards” between sporting grounds and music venues as the industry faces “extinction.”

Full capacity is permitted at sportings grounds with to 52,000 allowed to cheer on their team, but indoor live music venues like Fortitude Music Hall are operating at a third of their capacity.

Owner and former Powderfinger bass player John Collins said it’s unfair and “it’s the square metre rule that holds us back”

There are strict density rules around capacity and social distancing at live music venues. Photo: Steve Pohlner

“This is not about making money it’s about surviving, it’s not about trying to get back to 100 per cent capacity, its about getting capacity that allows an industry to survive without handouts,” Mr Collins said.

Mr Collins suggested a three person every four square metres with over 18,000 people signing a petition to end the “crippling restrictions.”

“It’s a real struggle, we might not be here in six months,” he said.

“We’re going backwards and that’s what the industry is doing and for us I hate to think how long its going to take us to turn a dollar.”

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner penned an open letter to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk calling for an urgent review of the restrictions.

“We want our industry to thrive, we have such an incredible, creative, talented industry here yet it is being strangled and is teetering on the edge of extinction,” Mr Schrinner said.

“To have two sets of rules, one for sporting events and a different set of rules for music events is not fair for the industry and if we don’t act now many in the industry will not survive.”

L to R, John Collins with Amy Sheppard. Photo Steve Pohlner

Amy Sheppard from the ARIA award-winning band Sheppard were only able to play in front of just 1000 of a potentiall 3000 people at their album launch, ending up losing money from the project.

“I’ve never seen it in the turmoil it is in now, I am scared for our future, I am not sure when our next gig will be and if we’ll be able to continue,” Ms Sheppard said.

The group played in front of a full Gabba Stadium at the AFL Grand Final last year.

“We have toured nationally and internationally but right now I am not sure we are going to make it through because we don’t have any gigs.”

But in a boost for the industry, inuagural two-week music festival, Winter Music Festival, was announced with bands to perform at 12 venues over two weeks.

The festival is currently in the planning phases with the venues in Fortitude Valley, the CBD and surrounds hosting gigs which are expected around June.

Amy Sheppard after Adrian Schrinner Lord Mayor announced a Brisbane-first two-week music festival. Photo Steve Pohlner