Volunteers needed - Alice Desert Festival

Want to be part of the Alice Desert Festival?  

The biggest arts event in Central Australia is just around the corner (September 11-20 2009). The Festival still needs volunteers for several positions including: visual art and décor assistants, parade marshalls and in administration. To find out more contact Joe Pickett 8953 6111. Check out the festival program.

More good news in HOT AIR blog

Nick O'Byrne from AIR (Australian Independent Records) - one of the iNTune Music Conference speakers - posted a blog about his time in Darwin, catching great live performances by NT artists at the Darwin Showbag and the NT IMAs. Including MuNT Forum members Semishigure and June Mills in his highlights, Nick writes, "it's incredible to see the depth, complexity and vibrancy of the music scene in places like NT." Read more.

Talking 'bout Territory music...

Music NT manager Mark Smith went on triple j to talk about NT Music Month and Territory music with Zan Rowe. It was an AWESOME chat!! And great exposure for original NT music.  During his Take 5 segment Mark played Wildwater, Mei Lei Swan, The Aviators, The Moving Targets and The Bone Collectors.

Listen to it here. And read the full program for NT Music Month, on now!

Two thumbs up for NT artists!

Read Dom Alessio's Home & Hosed triple j blog - reviews about the 'Darwin Showbag' gigs, his time at iNTune and at the Unearthed Showcase gig at Darwin Festival! All good!!

And Moses - now En-Rhoda - played last night on Dom's Home & Hosed show on triple j - 'Salty Milk' - with 'Pilgrimage' by The Bone Collectors played on Monday. Rock on...

Hall of Famers play Desert Harmony

Fresh from their induction into the Hall Of Fame at the 2009 NT Indigenous Music Awards on August 21, NT icons The Tablelands Drifters (pictured above at Desert Harmony) kicked some serious live music butt on the weekend, playing the Desert Harmony Festival in Tennant Creek. The legendary band also left a big impression on Rolling Stone music writer Barry Divola who proclaimed guitarist Angus "the Mark Knopfler of the desert", after he saw the Drifters play a surprise gig at Happy Yess, post -IMAs.

Tennant metal band Unbroken Expanse also left their mark at Desert Harmony - catch a glimpse of their high energy performance, sent in by Music NT's Mark Smith.  Adrian reckons they were in "top form" (see sms review above). Desert Harmony - a part of NT Music Month.

The Bone Collectors - "CD of the week"

Jess Ribeiro & The Bone Collectors EP Pilgrimage is 'feature CD' on Radio National this week. See what 'Sound Quality'  presenter  Tim Ritchie, said about it here.

Tim was a speaker at the recent iNTune Music Conference.  He saw The Bone Collectors play at their Original Music Showcase gig at Darwin Festival, and decided to feature their music on RN. Tim has also been playing music by NT artists on his show as part of NT Music Month.

Find out what other original NT music Tim will be playing on his program during September by subscribing to Sound Quality.

iNTune: Music To Our Ears

iNTune - the biggest Music Conference ever held in the Territory - was a huge success with 70 delegates and 30 speakers packing out the Medina/Vibe Conference Centre, Aug 20-21, having travelled from all over the NT and Australia. Included the Indigenous Music Expo and the Remote & Regional Music Education Symposium.  

Check out photos at image gallery I  and image gallery II.

Send through iNTune feedback online

And read the latest report on the Music NT Forum.

Pictured above,  Robbie Collins APRA NT with NT music legend Barry Benning.

The Future of Concert Videos

Check out this amazing technology bring 360o concert videos to your computer. Video feed of a concert where you choose where you want to be and what you want to see. You'll need a pretty good internet connection but well worth a look. Check link here

Music's Never Been Better

Nick Crocker, iNTune panelist and leading online music commentator has written this great blog about the current state of the music industry and how it is not as dire as it seems. Check it out here. Nick was in Darwin for the iNTune Music Conference

The Aviators - "They nailed it!"

Darwin band The Aviators kicked butt at the triple j Unearthed iNTune Showcase at Darwin Festival, last Thursday August 20. 

Competing with over 100 bands registered in the Darwin region on the triple j Unearthed site, they won the opportunity to play at Darwin Festival's new purpose-built venue The Lighthouse.

Playing in front of a close to capacity crowd - including 70 iNTune Conference delegates and music industry players from around Australia - word came through that they well and truly "nailed it". 

Well done to The Aviators and a massive thanks to triple j and to all of the Darwin region bands who participated. 

Original Music Showcase at Darwin Festival 2009

Tickets are on sale for the Music NT Original Music Showcase at Darwin Festival 2009.

August 16 - The Moving Targets, 9pm

August 20 - Jess Ribeiro & The Bone Collectors , 9pm 

August 27 - Mark Hilton & The Lavender Girls, 6.30pm

August 29 - 2 Cats 1 Hat (pictured above) + Cooperblack, 9pm

Go along and support your fellow MuNT Forum members and Territory music! For more information about these Special Festival Shows, click here. 

NT IMAs 2009 - a massive success!!

It was a massive night under the stars for an audience of 2000 at the 6th annual NT Indigenous Music Awards, last Friday night, August 21st, proudly presented by Music NT.

Performers, punters and some of the biggest names in Australian music and media congregated at The Amphitheatre, George Brown Botanic Gardens, Darwin, to participate in the biggest night of Indigenous music in the Territory.

Palmo hip hop band - and Music NT members - Pott Street (pictured below) were recognized for 'Emerging Act of the Year', winning them a $10 000 touring grant, with MC Hora from Push Crew taking winning big with 'Peoples Choice – Song of the Year' for The Turn Around.

Elcho Island superstar Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu continued as one of the most recognised Australian artists in 2009, picking up two awards including 'Act Of The Year', while dance diva Jessica Mauboy won 'Album' and 'Song of the Year' (read more here), with both performers gracing the stage alongside Tjupi Band and Belyuen Kenbi Dancers.

  

Congratulations to everyone!! And you can read the full list of Winners & Nominees for this year's IMAs here.