News

UPDATED AT END: Leading Australasian live production supplier Norwest Productions (now known as NW Group) has been sold and restructured in a deal worth $27 million. The announcement reads: “NW Group management and Archer Growth completed a secondary buyout from AnaCacia in December 2015 following successful growth.” The deal provided AnaCacia Capital with a successful…

Returning in January with new dates, Soundwave Festival boss AJ Maddah hopes to repay millions to angry production suppliers, venues and bands. The recent collapse of the previous operating company saw 186 creditors unpaid with debts of $25.8 million. Soundwave was a profitable business for Maddah and his partner Joanna Ward, grossing $62 million in 2013. They took the profits and invested in…

Social media has given voice to punters as venues battle oppressive noise regulations and turn down the sound. Typical of recent complaints was the Tame Impala concerts at the Sydney Opera House Forecourt. Complaints flooded social media; one tweeter told the Opera House during the gig, “listen to the crowd! The music isn’t anywhere to…

Staging Connections changed forever in October when Freeman Company took over. Suddenly the crippling $40 million debt was gone. Now the company has an additional $90,000 a week that previously repaid debt and interest. That money could hire 50 top staff or fit out a cluster of venues each year. Previously the management were preoccupied…

The government student loan scheme called Fee Help has led to high prices for degree courses at the three big private college chains, SAE, JMC and AIM. All three now charge slightly under $50,000 for a two year bachelor degree. All three offer a degree based somewhat on sound, and music production. All three make…