News and commentary links
June - Sep 2010
New chief, new take on live music “Live music is not dangerous and does not necessitate extra security at venues, the new Director of Liquor Licensing, Mark Brennan, has declared.” - The Age 5/6
Revamped Tote set to rock again "In contrast to the sluggish response from the previous Liquor Licensing Commissioner, new commissioner Mark Brennan approved the new liquor licence at 4pm yesterday - within 24 hours of receiving the paperwork. The venue will be open four nights a week while the licensees apply to have its high-risk conditions rolled back." - The Age 10/6
Song in his heart, business on his mind Fergal Sharkey visits Australia: "Another of Sharkey's concerns is that the live music scene, in Britain and Australia, needs to be nurtured at the grassroots level rather than being thwarted by bureaucracy and legislation, as he believes is happening in both countries." - The Australian 10/6
Exclusive: The Tote Lives Again - mess+noise 10/6
Inside The New Tote - mess+noise photo gallery from June 10 media launch, 11/6
The Tote: A New Era Begins - mess+noise 11/6
THE TOTE LIVES "This is an amazing effort from not just Melbourne’s music community, but the support we’ve had nation wide. However, it must be remembered that the new liquor licensing chief – who we must admit is very band venue friendly – has a lot of work to do to repair the damage caused by Sue MacLellan, the ogre he replaced. Don’t sit back and celebrate, for the task has just begun." TONEDEAF 11/6
Live entertainment sings to tune of $2b Australia's live-entertainment industry generates almost $2 billion a year, making it a bigger business than film and video production, sports and physical recreation, book publishing, and horse and dog racing, a groundbreaking independent report has revealed. - The Age 17/6