Broadbeach bar Den Devine and tech startup VemYou join forces with Tiki Taane to save live music

A Gold Coast bar has unveiled a groundbreaking collaboration - featuring Kiwi star Tiki Taane - to fight back against nationwide live music venue closures. Read about their plans

A Gold Coast bar has a plan to fight back after the country’s small to mid-size live music venues sector was decimated during and since the Covid pandemic.

Broadbeach live music venue Den Devine is doing its part to save what many say is a dying industry.

The venue has joined forces with local tech startup VemYou – developing a new concept to stream undiscovered artists and industry professionals from the Gold Coast to the world.

Den Devine owner Dan Eagles said noise complaints, interest rates rises, rent increases, soaring electricity costs plus government alcohol tax increases had pushed his business to the brink.

Artist and VemYou CEO Joseph Brown at Den Devine. Picture: Glenn Hampson

On the verge of “giving up”, Mr Eagles was successful in securing a $62,000 Federal Government grant to assist in developing a state-of-the-art sound and recording facility to showcase emerging, local and international talent via podcasting – while connecting local and global audiences with live music.

“It won’t just be musicians. We’ll have industry experts targeting all kinds of aspects of the industry to get a well-rounded discussion happening while publicising what the live music industry is all about,” he said.

New Zealand musician and producer Tiki Taane - formerly of huge Kiwi group Salmnonella Dub - and musical duo TJ & Huri kicked off the start of the new venture – Den Devine Sessions – on Saturday providing industry insight and trade tips.

Singer Tiki Taane.

“It’s basically how musicians can help themselves in the industry – that’s the purpose of the podcast while having a bit of fun at the same time with music,” Mr Eagles said.

The podcast will be released on YouTube. Artist Chev Wilson from the Joe Cocker Show and female duo Salt and Steel are already lined up for future episodes.

“You can go online these days and see things like Tiny Desk concerts held in New York City, then you’ve got Sugarshack Sessions in Florida, but there’s nothing really like that over here in Australia,” Mr Eagles said.

TJ & Huri performing for Den Devine's new podcast in partnership with VemYou called "Den Devine Sessions". Picture: Supplied

“We’re drawing inspiration from them, but it’s not going to be a copy of them by any stretch of the imagination. We’re going to be our own thing.”

VemYou CEO Joesph Brown said the collaboration was intended to educate people on struggles facing the industry.

“We’re not going to get another flow of the next superstars if we don’t have these sort of venues that groom the superstars,” he said.

Tiki Taane performing on the new stage at Den Devine, with new sound and lighting. Picture: Supplied

“Ed Sheeran started off in a little pub, and if Ed Sheeran never got that start, he wouldn’t be who he is. So that’s sort of what we’re trying to do – educate people on the importance of supporting the local industry.”

Mr Brown said just because live music “was back” in a post-pandemic world, didn’t mean the industry was flourishing.

“It’s only the top five per cent of the industry that’s flourishing – the other 95 per cent is suffering,” he said.

“We just want to talk about that and bring people in on the conversation.”

Originally published as Broadbeach bar Den Devine and tech startup VemYou join forces with Tiki Taane to save live music