The Mercury is launching the #bandtogethertassie campaign to highlight the individuals keeping our music industry alive.

IF you haven’t heard Kudu Joy’s smooth RnB, jazz-inspired pop then don’t worry – the outfit are performing in Tassie this summer with Aussie icons such as Grinspoon and the Veronicas.

Vocalist and trumpet player Sabine Bester, formerly of RnB group Lazer Baby, has been thrilled to play summer line-ups like the recent Boxing Day Gardens Party and the Veronicas concert, Mona Foma currently and upcoming March gig Day on the Lawn featuring legendary Gangsta’s Paradise rapper Coolio and Aussie rockers Grinspoon, plus a few extra sets with Vandemonian Touring to be announced.

Bester said the band was an amalgamation of genres brought in from the various members’ backgrounds.

“We’ve got roots in the guitar, neo-soul and jazz coming through with the keyboard player – a lot everyone brings to the table.”

Bester herself adds the jazz-funk flair to Kudu Joy’s singles Hot Blood and Cheap through her effortless vocals and trumpet.

The band’s upcoming EP will accompany a short film by Launceston filmmaker Jacob Collings through an arts grant the band received.

“We’re really excited for that because it’s such a cool opportunity to be artistic and creative and have that parallel visual with the sound.”

When COVID-19 hit, Bester’s gigs dried up and she focused on music teaching.

She has worked as a teacher’s assistant in the Mount Carmel music room, taught songwriting to Smithton High School students and young women affected by family violence, and held private vocal and trumpet lessons in Hobart

Beyond COVID-19, she said fellow artists were pursuing their craft with renewed vigour.

She hoped the greater community would passionately support performers, joining the Mercury’s #bandtogethertassie campaign to highlight local musicians after a rough few months.

“In the past it’s been quite a challenge to make money from local gigs because your friends will feel reluctant to spend $10 on the door which is sad because $10 is also a drink – it makes me ask ‘what do you value?’

“If people can learn anything from gigs drying up it would be how much they love and miss them and maybe now they’ll spend that tiny bit of money to support the whole scene and keep it going – we’ll see.”

Stay involved with the campaign

We’ll put out weekly stories with industry heroes bringing us their “top four” highlights and sharing their experiences, with more creative tips on how to support our locals. Follow and use the #bandtogethertassie hashtag when you post or share music content online; whether it’s details for upcoming gigs, links to your favourite home grown music videos or happy snaps from the latest event you’ve attended.

Emerging talent tackles music industry’s challenges

THE hardships brought about by COVID-19 might deter some from taking on the Tasmanian music scene, but Lasca Dry is one emerging local artist daring to embrace the challenge.

You may have spotted Lasca Dry busking anywhere from Devonport to Hobart or performing at festivals and venues across the state.

But, until now, her mesmerising acoustic guitar lines and smooth vocal melodies haven’t made the rounds on streaming platforms.

Hearing Dry’s voice scaling resonant heights and gliding into mellow lower tones on a good set of speakers or headphones is a new experience entirely.

Dry is the latest musician featuring in the Mercury’s #bandtogethertassie campaign encouraging locals to support the struggling live music sector.

In March, the Devonport-based artist released her catchy and inquisitive first single, Do You Like Me That Way, with its driving electric guitar riffs, spritely vocals and a nice shaker and tambourine groove.

Dry has returned with her new single, Better Than This — a slow ballad melding a poignant piano riff with gentle guitars and ominous bass, over which she sings about accepting life’s downsides.

“I never write songs about love, they’re always about my personal struggles,” Dry said.

“I had this huge realisation that you can try to imagine you’re going to be in a better spot later, but right now it can’t be ‘better than this’ – you have to accept right now is the best it’s going to be.

“Realising that has made every moment even better.”

Dry is always writing songs, but not necessarily finishing them.

Better Than This resulted when producer Neil Kelly suggested joining together two of Dry’s songs-in-the-making.

Her album, Sweet Sea Surrender, due for release late next month, will encompass one of her greatest struggles so far.

“It’s about surrendering my ideal of everything being perfect,” she said.

The true test for Dry has been networking during the pandemic.

“I’m starting to talk to more musicians and people, the industry has already been revived and there’s more going on – more new, interesting little shows and events,” Dry said.

Stream Better Than This via music streaming platforms or watch the music video, filmed in a Rhododendron Garden in Burnie and a “secret location” in Hobart, on Lasca Dry’s YouTube channel.

#bandtogethertassie to keep our industry bright

LOCAL artists, festival producers and more are encouraging readers to back the cause – like local punk rock band Luca Brasi.

The boys perfectly poised to seize an international audience and give their nationwide audiences a tour to remember before COVID-19 hit.

Frontman and bassist Tyler Richardson said the band went large with a European tour late 2019.

“We go overseas to get a following, we’re not there to make money,” he said.

“We come home and make that money back touring in Australia.

“But we didn’t get the offset this time because we just went over there and threw some money in the bin.”

The boys were left with a “massive amount of stress” as COVID-19 coincided with a management change.

“That was a kick in the guts, that couple of months was bad,” Tyler said.

The group missed the thrill from touring, but used the time to acquire equipment and record their fifth studio album at their own pace, with end product Everything is Tenuous set for release in February.

Since restrictions began easing, the band has already performed Tassie acoustic sessions featuring fresh material released this year, including punchy and melodic singles This Selfish Love, Dying to Feel Alive and Every Time You’re Here (I’m Gone).

Tyler said a national album tour was in the works but had been pushed back. He hoped locals would keep backing musicians and venues.

“It’s awesome to know people still want music,” he said.

“Just go out, go to a show, go to a pub, order some food.

“We’ve watched people put a focal point on supporting the industry and that’s been really cool.”

Tyler was stoked the band’s first live gig since restrictions on dancing and vertical drinking lifted was happening at Royal Park, Launceston for Mona Foma.

Mona Foma festival executive producer Shelley McCuaig said the festival coming to both Launceston and Hobart would highlight local acts, some of whom have never performed a festival, from Strahan, Bruny Island, Burnie and more.

Shelley said previous Mona Foma programs were evenly split with about 30 per cent local talent, 30 per cent interstate and 30 per cent international.

“If we were to look at just performing artists this line-up is more than 95 per cent Tasmanian,” Ms McCuaig said.

“It’s been challenging to pull together this festival across two cities bearing in mind the parameters and redesigning the festival to be something that works.”

Sales for the nearly all-local line-up were unprecedented, with tickets snatched in three hours.

“Stats wise, 49 per cent were from the mainland,” she said.

“The fact we haven’t needed a big international headliner to convince them to come to Tassie is a strong endorsement.”

Shelley hoped Tasmanians would support the local talent and “treasure them in any way we can” with the #bandtogethertassie hashtag.

“For us it’s about bringing together the bands with an audience and from there hopefully the audiences will discover more Tassie acts they love, jump online and get their merch and support them.”

Music Tasmania CEO Laura Harper said supporting festivals and events was about more than just the music.

“The production companies, the bar staff, the door staff, the current industry that supports live music in the state became very quickly unemployed pretty much overnight,” she said.

“If you are buying a ticket for a festival what’s included in that price is all the people who work behind the scenes – programming, local production companies, hospitality, security, box office – it connects the live music sector to other industries across tourism and hospitality.”

Ms Harper said seeing live music again after a long hiatus was “profound” for Tasmanians.

For those who missed out on Mona Foma tickets, Ms McCuaig has said not all hope is lost.

“We’re working hard to allow more people to experience the festival so stay tuned for some more announcements pretty soon and join the waitlist for any events you might be keen to see.”

Stay involved with the campaign.

We’ll put out weekly stories with industry heroes bringing us their “top four” highlights and sharing their experiences, with more creative tips on how to support our locals. Follow and use the #bandtogethertassie hashtag when you post or share music content online; whether it’s details for upcoming gigs, links to your favourite home grown music videos or happy snaps from the latest event you’ve attended.

annie.mccann@news.com.au