An internship is a great way for a student or graduate to gain experience in the field, and better yet – it gives you the ability to move freely around the entire business and truly find where you ‘belong’.

At Peer Group Media (PGM) our internship program provides access to all of our businesses departments and therefore a wider range of skills and experience can be achieved. Whether it’s PR, Commercial Rights, Client Services, Creative or New Media, there is something in it for everyone.

Here are some stories from existing interns at Peer Group:

Lisa Vote started an internship at Peer Group during her second year at uni. She felt the assessments and lectures were tedious, so made the decision to devote her energy into something real.

Working in the Commercial Rights department as an intern, she adapted to the environment and began to love working for the company. Her experience at PGM includes two outrageously brilliant Big Day Out National tours, and being involved in all Fuzzy events including Parklife, Harbourlife, and Field Day.

Lisa is still in the Commercial Rights team, although she is no longer an intern. Her career has seen her from intern, to Sponsorship Assistant, to Coordinator and now in her current position as Commercial Rights Executive. She is constantly setting goals for the future and can see herself as Manager of Commercial Rights someday soon.

Her advice to aspiring interns:
Be on time, be proactive, be passionate and don’t be scared to contribute. Set a goal and keep on working towards it, focus on the quality of your work and remember that presentation is everything.

(Lisa working as Sponsorship Assistant at Big Day Out 2010)

Carla Wainer began as a Sponsorship Assistant intern within the Commercial Rights department, where she gained insight to the world of festivals, in a different way than she usually had as a patron.

After four months, she was given the opportunity to prove herself as Receptionist. Now, she assists all departments and learns something new everyday. Without knowing the company from the ground up, you would miss out on key skills that could make your career.

Carla says ‘I’ve learned that you need all the basics before you can proceed to a higher level in any company. You have to be prepared for the best and the worst, get in there and do the nitty gritty and have fun doing it. Plus, the best thing about internships is that you can come in and show the company what you’ve got and hopefully get a job out of it. If you don’t, at least you have the experience you’ll need for the next interview!”

Her advice to aspiring interns is:
Be positive in your attitude, be professional and a smile goes a long way.
Your hard work will pay off, as long as you stick by your dreams and ambitions, you will succeed.

(Carla as Sponsorship Assistant at Parklife 2009)

Elle Benjamin completed an Advanced Diploma in Event Management in 2008. She started an internship at PGM straight away, not wanting to waste any time. During her internship in the Production Department, she gained experience working on accounts such as Toohey’s Extra Dry Uncharted, Big Day Out, and Bacardi Express.

Elle was then offered a job at reception where she was thrown into the deep end, but quickly learnt to swim. Six months later, she was promoted to Production Assistant, where she became a part of the amazing Production team.

Elle says “I’ve been here nearly a year and a half now and I have enjoyed every moment, there is never a dull moment at Peer Group”.

Henry Roberts began an internship in PR whilst he was completing a Bachelor of Music at the Australian Institute of Music. Henry wasn’t sure what he wanted to do, but knew he wanted to be in the Music Industry.

He says, ‘Peer Group is an all round Music Company’ which has allowed him to explore his passions in the industry.

After spending a couple of months in PR, he progressed to Artist Management for Parker and Mr French (another one of PGM’s companies), where he learnt the indispensable skills he now uses today. He has landed a job at Peer Group as a Client Services Executive for Major Label, a fresh new singles only record label, co-owned by General Pants Co.

Henry says ‘Peer Group is a great company with a great vibe and charisma I enjoy coming to work each day and I’m glad I stuck out my internship because I have been rewarded with my dream job.’

His highlight thus far, which he declares to be ‘the best day of his life’, was being sent to Big Day Out on the Gold Coast with Alex Don. This experience was a gift from Peer Group for their hard work throughout their internships. With a AAA pass, they were allowed backstage where they met the likes of The Temper Trap, Muse, Tame Impala and more!

Alex Don carried out an internship at PGM part time for 5 months. Working on accounts such as Toohey’s Extra Dry and Bacardi gave him the knowledge and skills to land a job working at Ogilvy as an Account Coordinator for American Express.

His highlights at PGM were organizing the Toohey’s Extra Dry Uncharted Competition and hanging out with bands such as; with Art vs. Science, Yves Klein Blue, Miami Horror and the Cassette Kids on the Bacardi Express photo shoot. Alex jokes, “The backstage pass to the Gold Coast BDO wasn’t too bad either.”

His advice to aspiring interns is:
Be organized, confident, and proactive and lastly, the best thing you can do is ask questions!

(Alex and Henry at Big Day Out Gold Coast 2010)

KIRIN PRESENTS GO FONT UR SELF* CHAPTER 4
AN EXHIBITION OF TYPE BASED ARTWORKS

FEATURING:

ABOVE / RAZA UNO / ISTAN SZUGYICZKY / SARAH A. KING / ADRIAN GRAY / BLENDS / PAUL NOLAN / MARIN HORIKAWA / SAYNT / TIMBA SMITS / SUPER EXPRESSO / YOK / ROB ABEL / HELEN MYCROFT

Typography is at the centre of our everyday lived experience. It gives us a voice to express ideas, tell stories or articulate meaning. Proudly presented by Kirin© GO FONT UR SELF* is back for another round with Chapter 4 arriving on Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane shores in March and April 2010. The touring exhibition, which is a firm favourite in the wonderful world of type, brings you 14 artworks from the world’s most critically acclaimed typographers.

Outside the bounds of traditional typesetting, and beyond the scope of familiar media, letters can become the source of experimentation, taking on a personality of their very own. The restraints of legibility are loosened to the whim of illustrated characters, deconstructed forms or references to the vernacular.

GO FONT UR SELF* embraces letterforms as the inspiration for these works of art from international artists, designers and typographers. Whether it’s in the sweeping strokes and swashes or pixelated punctuation; the alphabet becomes the source for exploring lyrical modes of visual expression.

The GO FONT UR SELF* Typography Initiative is an ongoing showcase of typographic works presented by Kirin and produced by Peer Group Media.

HEADLINING ARTISTS:

ABOVE’ (CALIFORNIA, USA)
ABOVE has been creating public art since 1995. ABOVE is an international contemporary street artist who keeps his identity concealed and is widely known for his social and political stencils, wooden “arrow mobile” installations, and witty word play paintings. ABOVE started traditional graffiti of tagging freight trains in California in 1995 and moved to Paris at the age of 19 where he started painting his trademark arrow (pointing above all around the city). Since then, ABOVE has been consistently travelling around the world doing many large self-financed “tours” with each tour exploring a new medium or style of artworks.

YOK (PERTH AUS)
For some years now, the droopy eyes and twisted moustaches of Yok’s black-lined characters have been staring aimlessly from Melbourne alleyways, zines and gallery walls. They seem to sleepily go about their business like everyone else, either happy or resigned to a life they didn’t choose. Yok currently works from a home studio in Melbourne and has exhibited in Tokyo, New York, Berlin, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taipei. He also edits the independent art periodical King Brown.

TIMBA SMITS (MELBOURNE AUS)
From Melbourne but currently residing in London, Timba Smits is founder and Art Director of Wooden Toy Quarterly – a designer and artist of sorts who definitely likes to keep busy. He was awarded the Desktop 2007 designer of the year, winner of the 2009 Realise Your Dream Awards and was one of the guest speakers at the 2009 Semi Permanent conference.

SUPER EXPRESSO (BARCELONA SPAIN)
Superexpresso is Michele Angelo. He was born in Italy and studied painting, then visual and industrial design. Some years later he moved to work as a graphic designer in Barcelona. He currently works as a freelance designer, still giving life to his weird creatures full of love at night. Michele believes in a hand-crafted approach to design and loves the contrast between modern tools and classic “human” techniques. He likes to experiment with new ways more than following existing trends. This approach can be used in all fields and offers interesting new solutions depending on the project.

THE FREE 2009 GO FONT UR SELF* BOOK – AVAILABLE AT 2010 SHOWS

The complete year of 2009’s GO FONT UR SELF* shows has been archived into a 56 page book showcasing a retrospective of the first three chapters of the GFUS* typography series.

The front and back cover is black foil on 450 GSM Notturno matte black Stock
The sheets are 150 GSM Novatech.

This limited edition book is not for resale, but there will be a chance to take one home from the 2010 GO FONT UR SELF* shows.

There is also a chance to take home a complimentary set of limited edition postcards of 16 of the 44 artworks from GFUS* 2009.

Want to visit the exhibition nearest you? Here are the details:

BRISBANE / Thursday 11th March / Nine Lives – 694 Anne Street, Fortitude Valley, 4000 QLD / RSVP gofonturselfbrisbane@peergroupmedia.com
SYDNEY / Wednesday 17th March / Peer Gallery – 153 Bridge Road, Glebe, 2037 NSW / RSVP gofonturselfsydney@peergroupmedia.com
MELBOURNE / Thursday 1st April / No Vacancy – 47 Jane Bell Lane Melbourne, 3000 VIC / RSVP gofonturselfmelbourne@peergroupmedia.com

There will be drinks and food available, plus Bad Wives DJ’s spinning tunes for Sydney.

For more information, artist profiles and images from past GO FONT UR SELF* exhibitions visit www.gofonturself.com.au <http://www.gofonturself.com.au> .

-ENDS-
For images, artist interviews/Q&As and press contact Hannah Cooper / hannah@peergroupmedia.com / 02 9552 6333 / 0431 985 018

Peer Group Media – Australia’s leading brand entertainment agency today announce their appointment with defiant youth retailer General Pants Co. The partnership will give birth to a new initiative, Major Label.

Major Label is a pioneering singles only record label wholly owned by General Pants Co. where the artist maintains ownership of copyright, has full creative control and receives 100% of the royalty income through the sales of music through digital retail stores. The concept behind Major Label is for the 700 street-savvy General Pants Co. staff to act as talent scouts, street teams and publicists for the label and its artists. The staff will seek out the next hot Australian acts and submit them to the Major Label music blog housed on the General Pants Co. website. Each month three acts will be chosen and their single released through Major Label. The singles will be available for streaming on the General Pants Co. website and available to purchase through selected online retailers.

Peer Group Media will be responsible for managing the overall campaign, creative, PR and artist liaison.  The initiative launches on 1st March 2010.

Jethro Lyons, Brand Manager, General Pants Co. said: ‘Major Label is about discovering up and coming hot new Australian acts and throwing them a lifeline. The program engages our staff and customers and puts General Pants Co. on the dance floor of the Australian music scene, which is an exciting place to be right now.’

Adam Zammit, CEO of Peer Group Media said: ‘Major Label is the first of its kind in Australia and Peer Group Media are delighted to be involved in the creation and delivery of the campaign. Our proven expertise in creating engaging projects within the entertainment industry makes us a perfect fit for this campaign and we are looking forward to delivering really strong results.’

-ENDS-

If you’re in a band and want to become a Major Label artist, contact Henry Roberts: henry@peergroupmedia.com. Artists can take their demo recordings into any General Pants store for consideration from March 1st.

For media enquiries, please contact Hannah Cooper: hannah@peergroupmedia.com <hannah@peergroupmedia.com>  / 02 9552 6333  / 0431 985 018.

For more information on General Pants, visit www.generalpants.com.au

ALL STAR CAST OF AUSTRALIAN TALENT ADDED TO THE BACARDI EXPRESS TOUR 2010

LA ROUX ARE JOINED BY ART vs SCIENCE, YVES KLEIN BLUE, MIAMI HORROR, THE CASSETTE KIDS & DJ SAMPOLOGY

FIVE BANDS, ONE TRAIN, FOUR CITIES: ONE HELL OF A RIDE

All aboard the BACARDI EXPRESS! Australia’s only touring music festival on rails just got a whole lot noisier! Headliners La Roux will be joined by Art vs Science, Yves Klein Blue, Miami Horror and The Cassette Kids, with DJ support from Sampology completing the stellar line up on board the BACARDI EXPRESS 2010.

The BACARDI EXPRESS, an iconic 1960’s train, will take the bands on a rock and roll journey from 25th – 27th March 2010, stopping off to play exclusive concerts along a new route in Brisbane, Coffs Harbour, Newcastle and the final destination of Sydney.

Mixing travel, live music and good times has long been a BACARDI tradition. Back in the 1920’s, the BACARDI family would invite top Cuban musicians to ride in the back of their convertibles and drive around Havana igniting impromptu street parties. The BACARDI EXPRESS is a modern interpretation of this tradition with talented musicians jamming, living and partying together for 48hrs under one roof. With its fifteen bespoke carriages and a host of onboard entertainment including a jamming carriage, gaming carriage and ‘Made to Mix’ carriage, the creative juices are set to flow with the performers both on and off the stage. Expert bartenders will serve everyday classics like the BACARDI Cuba Libre and the Original BACARDI Mojito – everything needed to keep the music magic happening!

With nearly 100 fans, cooks, bartenders and crew packed into fifteen carriages on the BACARDI EXPRESS, it’s no surprise the bands joining La Roux on the 2010 tour can’t wait to find out what happens on board;

ARIA nominated Sydney outfit and Triple J Unearthed winners Art vs Science: ‘We’ve heard the catering is really good on the train, bring on the fun!’

Two Years since they won MTV’s Kickstart competition, Brisbane’s hot rockers Yves Klein Blue have their debut album on the streets and have just returned from a whirlwind UK tour: Jam room, bars, being locked in close proximity with a bunch of other musicians for 48 hours  ‘just a unique touring experience, we can’t wait to get on the BACARDI EXPRESS.’

Melbourne’s finest remixer Miami Horror who has re-crafted the likes of The Presets, Pnau and Bloc Party and has most recently performed a killer set at Falls Festival: “Out of this whole experience we’re probably most excited to be hanging out with the other bands, it’s a great chance to collaborate and muck around in the jam room.

Electro stars and Triple J Unearthed winners Cassette Kids: “Being part of BACARDI EXPRESS 2010 is so exciting for us. Our friends The Lost Valentinos played last year and they said they had the best time!

Completing the line up is Brisbane based star-on-the-rise DJ Sampology, one of the country’s most talented, technically proficient and versatile DJs / producers. Sampology will be bringing his ‘Super Visual Disco Party’ show to the BACARDI EXPRESS concerts, a cutting edge A/V show that chops and cuts both audio and video in perfect harmony over the speakers and onto screens.

With two successful years tucked under our belts, we know that it all comes down to the mix of bands, genres, personality and most importantly stamina for this 48 hour adventure that is the BACARDI EXPRESS says Fernando Navarro, Senior Brand Manager at BACARDI. ‘We are thrilled with the 2010 line up and cannot wait to share this unique experience with them jamming, sleeping, eating together and everything in between, it’s going to be a great tour!’

Want to get on board and join the bands too? There are 12 seats up for grabs on the BACARDI EXPRESS train. Tickets to the BACARDI EXPRESS concerts are FREE* and online registration opens on 10th January 2010. To find out how to get involved go to www.bacardiexpress.com.au.

*Concert tickets to the BACARDI EXPRESS concerts are limited. Although free, consumers must register at www.bacardiexpress.com.au from 10 January 2010 (over 18s only).

Bacardi Made to Mix. Enjoy BACARDI responsibly.

ENDS

For more information, please contact Hannah Cooper at Peer Group Media on: hannah@peergroupmedia.com <mailto:hannah@peergroupmedia.com> / 02 9552 6333 / 0431 985 018.

Notes to editors:

Concert Details:
Brisbane: The Tivoli, Thursday 25th March 2010, 7.00pm
Coffs Harbour: Club Coffs, Friday, 26th March 2010, 7.00pm
Newcastle: Panthers, Saturday 27th March 2010, 12.00noon
Sydney: Big Top @ Luna Park, Saturday 27th March 2010, 7.30pm
Consumer On-Pack Promotion Details

Purchase any specially marked bottle of 700 ml BACARDI Superior or BACARDI & Cola 6-pack at participating liquor outlets. The on-pack promotion runs from 1st December 2009 – 5th March 2010.

Band info

Recently nominated for a 2009 ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist – Art vs Science are a three-piece electro rock/pop band from Sydney. Formed in 2008, Art vs Science consists of Dan McNamee (Keyboard/guitar), Dan Williams (drums) and Jim Finn (Keyboard/bass).

The trio wrote seven tracks in 48 hours so they could play their first gig and three months later won the Triple J Unearthed Splendour In The Grass competition with their song, Flippers. They also picked up an Unearthed J Award nomination for their second song Hollywood.

Yves Klein Blue are an indie/rock band from Brisbane. They found notability when they were selected as a “Next Crop” artist on national radio network Triple J, and again when they won the MTV Kickstart competition in 2007, their winning lead single was used in a Mitsubishi car commercial aired in Australia, Canada & Puerto Rico.

The band is signed to Brisbane record label Dew Process, and released their debut album ‘Ragged & Ecstatic’ in June 2009 which enjoyed critical acclaim. Also known as YKB they’ve enjoyed extensive US & UK tours having recently completed a 13 date UK tour with Reverend & The Makers as well as sold out UK headline shows.

Miami Horror is an electro-pop act from Melbourne, with a disco-house throwback style. Miami Horror can refer to producer Benjamin Plant or their four-piece live act, however for the BACARDI EXPRESS expedition all four band members will be bringing the roof down.

Plant began his music career playing house parties and regular weekly Melbourne club nights such as Streetparty and Third Class. He has since remixed The Presets, Pnau, Bloc Party and Datarock, just to name a few. The live incarnation of Miami Horror have appeared at Good Vibrations, Groovin’ The Moo, and Splendour In The Grass festivals in 2009.

Cassette Kids are a Sydney band, described as a new wave, post-punk, noise pop, dance-rock quartet. They’ve toured with the likes of Lily Allen, The Presets, The Fratellis, Ben Lee, Bluejuice, The Music and many more.

Formed in 2007, the band have won the Triple J Unearthed Sydney Big Day Out competition in 2008, were nominated for an Unearthed J Award in the same year. They’ve received high-rotation radio play on Triple J for their track Acrobat.

DJ Sampology – A Hip Hop DJ at heart, Brisbane based star-on-the-rise DJ Sampology brings a unique approach to his love of quality dance music, incorporating visuals into his acclaimed show. From hip hop shows, to festival shows and small intimate dirty disco basements, his experience performing for a variety of crowds gives Sampology a great ability to read the crowd.

At the tender age of 23, Sampology can already boast of international support slots for the likes of DJ Shadow & cut Chemist, Mix Master Mike, Greg Wilson, Mstrkrft, Grand Master Flash, Sinden, Pendulum, Diplo and Peaches to name a few!

We are developing a Blueprint for the future of our Tamworth Country Music Festival.

This will be two major documents – a Strategic Plan and a Business Plan. These documents are to be completed by the end of March 2010.

Who is doing it?

Development of the documents is being managed by Tourism Tamworth Ltd.

The party’s involved are; Events NSW, Tamworth Regional Council, Tourism Tamworth and the Country Music
Association of Australia.

A company called Peer Group Media has been contracted to Tourism Tamworth to provide business and commercial advice and facilitate the process.

What are you doing?

We are collecting everyone’s information about the Tamworth Country Music Festival, its history.

This includes gathering information about; the music, the management, the events, the commercial activities, marketing and promotions.

The stories about what is good and what is not so good about the Tamworth
Country Music Festival.

In addition, we are trying to understand visitor and resident expectations.

This will help us to formulate the plans and recommendations for the future.

Why are you doing this?

The Tamworth Country Music Festival is one of the largest events in Australia; it has been nationally and
internationally recognised as one of the top 10 festivals in the world.

We want to grow the profile of the Tamworth Country Music Festival, bring more people to the Tamworth Region and get more investment in our region and our community.

Tamworth is the ‘Country Music Capital of Australia’ and we want to keep it that way.

What will change?

A Blueprint will provide recommendations to take the Tamworth Country Music Festival to new audiences, evolve into new visitor markets, create new events and introduce a whole new generation of Country Music fans to Tamworth and the region.

Can anyone be involved?

The Tamworth Country Music Festival belongs to everyone. The whole community should be involved.

If you want more information contact

Rebel Thomson at Tourism Tamworth on (02) 67675300 or email r.thomson@tamworth.nsw.gov.au and get involved.

SIA – You’ve Changed

Long lauded overseas but criminally overlooked in her home country up until now – sneaking in just before the year’s end, You’ve Changed is the perfect example of the endearing quirkiness and THAT voice we’ve all fallen in love with. An avid fan of Twitter, she uploaded the song and encouraged fans to download and spread it like wildfire radio didn’t need telling twice and a national ATB was promptly handed out by NOVA.

GOSSIP – Heavy Cross

There were a few sceptics when the three-piece band, born out of the post-riot girl scene in Olympia inked a deal with a major label. Gaining momentum with 2006’s Standing In The Way Of Control, any non-believers were quickly silenced when Heavy Cross stormed onto radio, securing massive airplay across major metropolitan networks. The track peaked at #4 on the TMN Hot 100 and #7 on the ARIA Singles Chart.

THE xx – Crystalised

Four unlikely south Londoners, clad in a uniform of Doc Martins and black shirts, who became the most blogged about band of 2009. Their understated, self-conscious approach of their debut struck a chord with audiences worldwide. Self produced, they ditched the luxury of a recording studio to lay down tracks in the XL garage. Crystalised led their propulsion into a world of non-top touring and upper regions of many a Best Of lists.

Passion Pit – Sleepyhead

Another unlikely cross over hit, this song can owe its success, in part, to its use in the Palm Pixi worldwide ad campaign. Once radio picked up on the track it took the band to another level of popularity, taking them out of the blog-world and planting them in clubs around the world. A heady mix of dance, indie pop and even disco, Sleepyhead is one of a number of Passion Pit songs with hit potential.

Lily Allen – The Fear

The lead single from her sophomore album, The Fear does what Lily does best, at once indulging in the celebrity lifestyle and exposing its many pitfalls. A hefty dose of sarcasm is inserted, and cheeky references to the British tabloids see her press-baiting as usual. The Fear sometimes falls into cliche, but it is wonderful none the less. A weaker artist couldn’t pull this off.

Jay-Z Ft. Alicia Keys – Empire State Of Mind

Celebrating both Jay-Z’s hometown, and the oft-heard notion that if you can make it in New York you can make it anywhere, Empire State Of Mind is pure bravado. No wonder the New York Yankees adopted the tune as their anthem during their championship run this year. Alicia Keys provides one of the most memorable hooks of the year and turns this into a home run.

Mumford & Sons – Little Lion Man

Both the most surprising breakthrough hit of the year, and the most deserving, Mumford & Sons have managed to create a song that radio adores, yet is yet to receive a critical or social backlash. Sounding like nothing else on the charts, and plucking their sound from rock’s back pages, Mumford & Sons found their niche and, through Little Lion Man, buried their way into the mainstream.

Miike Snow – Animal

Described by The Guardian as A-Ha meets Animal Collective, and possessing a cool robotic sound, Animal is not an easy listen, and as a result it didn’t get a whole lot of commercial airplay. However the single was one of the most blogged about tracks of the year, and was met with almost unanimous critical praise when it was released. Plus it was played on Gossip Girl!

Sarah Blasko – All I Want

As Day Follows Night was quite a departure from the layered widescreen of Blasko’s first two albums, the sparse arrangements giving the songs room to breathe, matching the lyrics with the music in a way she hadn’t explored previously. All I Want is at once the biggest departure, and the most obvious single from the album. A bold statement, and a great song wrapped in one. 2009 was Blasko’s year.

The Big Pink – Velvet

Channelling My Bloody Valentine, Ride, Primal Scream and a host of other Creation bands, The Big Pink fuse dance, shoegaze and pop, and nowhere else is this distillation more evident than in Velvet. There are better moments on the album, but there is no better single, and this is the perfect introduction to the bands aesthetic and wall of sound atmospherics.

Lisa Mitchell – Coin Laundry

Cute, and quirky, but with a sultry Cat Power-esque voice, Lisa Mitchell was never cut out for life as an Australian Idol pop star. Coin Laundry centred around an addictive hook line, with Mitchell’s breezy delivery highlighting the minutia of inner city living – with a cute flirtation thrown in for measure. Lisa Mitchell is only 19 years of age, and yet musically, she arrives fully formed.

Jonathon Boulet – A Community Service Announcement

Many high profile people are predicting that Jonathon Boulet will become a massive star, and the main reasoning for this is the undeniable quality of this track. Modular have an unbeaten record for picking out future worldwide stars, and Boulet is no expectation to the rule. 2009 was just a training ground for Boulet, and we guarantee that this time next year, he will be featuring heavily in our 2010 lists.

Pink – Bad Influence

The fourth single from Pink’s mammoth Funhouse opus kept the momentum rolling in 2009, hitting the higher reaches of the ARIA singles chart long after everyone in Australia had seemingly bought the album from which it was lifted. Despite subject matter that unapologetically addresses hedonism and excess alcohol consumption, radio still saw fit to flog this track for most of 2009.

David Guetta ft. Kelly Rowland – When Love Takes Over

Making his move out of the relatively obscure world of DJing, Guetta teamed up with a host of famous vocalists, produced a series of undeniably catchy pop/dance singles, and made his name as one of the most important and influential producers of 2009. When Love Takes Over, his collaboration with Kelly Rowland showcases all his skills perfectly, taking a piano line reminiscent of Clocks by Coldplay, and matching it to Rowland’s pop melody.

Black Eyed Peas - Boom Boom Pow

Auto-tune will absolutely go down as the most utilised production convention of 2009. Never a group to shy away from riding the wave, the Black Eyed Peas whacked this device around an infectious hook and a futuristic sparse beat and came up with their highest selling single in their home country to date. We can take some of the credit – Will.i.am admits to being heavily influenced by the electro sounds he heard in the nightclubs in Sydney.

Hilltop Hoods – Chase That Feeling

Single handedly flying the flag for Adelaide, Hilltop Hoods are the premier Australian hip hop group. Chase That Feeling, the first single from their fifth album smashed into the ARIA top ten single charts, marking their crossover from an underground hip hop group to commercial darlings as complete. The track isn’t a huge departure stylistically, but the Hilltop Hoods do what they do at a world-class level.

Guy Sebastian – Like It Like That

Idol-alumni Guy Sebastian flooded the market with this upbeat song midway through the year, and it is hard to deny its infectious chorus, and summer feel. Channel Seven used this song heavily, radio played it to bits, and it topped the singles chart. The good vibes were felt across the ocean as well, with the track being used in the NBC network’s summer promotional campaign.

Empire Of The Sun – We Are The People

Empire Of The Sun may have started in late 2008, but when people look back at this album it will be forever tied to 2009. Walking On A Dream was the unlikely breakthrough single, but We Are The People proves that this wasn’t just a flash in the pan. With a psychedelic video shot in Mexico, and syncs in a number of ads and television indents, this song just didn’t go away!

Dizzee Rascal – Bonkers

Hip-hop has long trodden the line between schlocky cartoon novelty, and serious violence fuelled tales of hardship. Bonkers falls triumphantly into the former camp, with strong pop hooks, and a house music feel, courtesy of producer Armard Van Helden. There is not a dose of grime in this track, and as one of three songs on his Tongue N’ Cheek album to top the UK chart, it’s fair to say Dizzee won’t be in a rush to abandon this tact.

Daniel Merriweather – Change

Cowritten by Merriweather with Miike Snow singer Andrew Wyatt, produced by Mark Ronson, and featuring a rap by Wale, it would be a criminal oversight if this track didn’t feature in our end of year singles list. Ronson’s production shines in this song, as his hi fidelity Motown-esque sheen compliments Merriweather’s effortlessly soulful vocal. Catchy as hell, this track broke Merriweather on radio, and set critics and fans raving.

30 December 2009: A comprehensive survey into making Tamworth’s annual Country Music Festival even more successful will be undertaken early next year to with local residents, visitors, entertainers and commercial interest among the groups being asked for an opinion.

Tamworth Mayor James Treloar said the survey would be the most far-reaching analysis of the Tamworth Country Music Festival’s achievements and long-term aims since it began in the 1970’s.

‘We want to grow the profile of the Tamworth Country Music Festival, bring more people and increase the profile of the Tamworth region, get more investment in the area and our community,’ Mr Treloar said.

The Mayor stressed that some dissenting voices publicly claiming the Tamworth Country Music Festival was about to abandon its traditional country music roots in favour of a pop and rock culture were sadly out of touch. “Tamworth is the Country Music Capital of Australia and we want to keep it that way,’ he said. ‘Promoting the Tamworth Country Music Festival as a generic music festival has never ever been spoken about, and won’t be.’

Some preliminary surveys about the future Tamworth Country Music Festival have already been done

But the more strategic aspects will start early in the New Year and be completed by the end of March. We want to hear from people telling us what is good and what is not so good about the Tamworth Country Music Festival. We also want to have a greater understanding of the expectations of visitors and residents of Tamworth. The information gathered will help us formulate the plans and any recommendations that might be made for the future. We’re trying to make sure everyone’s interests are aligned. The Tamworth Country Music Festival belongs to everyone and the industry and all stakeholders should be involved.

The survey is seen as a seminal step in the further development of the Tamworth Country Music Festival. It will be a blueprint to win new audiences, evolve new visitor markets, create new events and introduce a new generation of country music fans to the area.

For information on the development of the blueprint and to book a time with the consultants, email; Rebel Thomson at r.thomson@tamworth.nsw.gov.au or tamworthfeedback@peergroupmedia.com.

<ENDS>

For media information contact:

Ray Chesterton – David Woodward
0411 132 766 /  0409 985 997

Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest

Seemingly coming out of nowhere to debut in the Top 10 in the US Billboard 200 chart, Grizzly Bear are, in fact three albums deep, and their ascent has been more of a steady climb than a supernova. While their other albums were cobbled together in a series of writing sessions, Veckatimest was conceived of as an entire album, which allowed the Brooklyn based band the space to tweak this album into pop perfection.

Girls – Album

Girls singer Christopher Owens was raised in the Children of God cult, escaped as a teenager, fell under the guidance of an eccentric millionaire, moved to San Franciso and formed a band. No wonder Owens refers to this album as an overflow of expression. Making something new from quite obvious touchstones (Beach Boys and Elvis Costello) is a hard task, and Owens unconventional upbringing adds a skewed pop sensibility.

The Big Pink – A Brief History Of Love

Taking their cues from the 90s shoegaze scene, and adding the best production ideas from New Order, A Brief History Of Love may seem ambitious in its concept, but it never once over reaches. Hazy pop with washes of guitar and keyboards, The Big Pink have made the kind the kind of record that contains numerous potential radio singles, while sitting perfectly as an album.

Florence & The Machine – Lungs

Smashing out of the London indie pop scene, Florence & The Machine’s debut album Lungs is not an easy pill to swallow with subject matter focused almost entirely on death and violence. 22-year-old Florence Welsh once described her morbid fascination to NME by reasoning what other subject is there? I remember realising that my parents were going to die and weeping. Weeping as if my father had actually died.

The Cribs Ignore The Ignorant

Over three albums, The Cribs wrote a series of catchy guitar songs, with their lo-fi approach and jagged guitar lines betraying more than a hint of The Libertines and The Clash. For their fourth, the band stepped the songwriting up a notch and enlisted guitar God Johnny Marr from The Smiths to add a dose of jangle. The result is their highest selling, most original and most accessible album to date.

Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More

If there is such a thing as a English new folk scene, and most of the band’s said to be involved refute such a notion, then Mumford and Sons are the first to break away from its authentic indie surroundings and into the limelight. The track Little Lion Man broke the band, but it is just one of a series of endearing folk songs on Sigh No More.

Metric – Fantasies

This album was the central argument in a New York Times article that explored the shrinking role of major labels, and it is not hard to see why. The Canadian band self released their fourth album, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Heatseekers chart. Fantasies manages to incorporate a new wave sound without ever leaning too heavily on the 80s production style of their past outings. Synthesizers are still there, but guitar is the focal instrument on this album.

Miike Snow – Miike Snow

Miike Snow are a Swedish three piece who created a debut album with a detached emotion that seems to push all the right buttons. Like a lot of great art, it was made with little idea of its ensuing popularity. Said vocalist Andrew Wyatt of the album, don’t think our project was that thought out when we started. We just wanted to make music together. Three people just messing about.

Sarah Blasko – As Day Follows Night

Blasko’s third album was a departure from the baroque pop song featured on her first two platinum albums. Severing ties with her co-writer, she opted for a more stripped back sound, the result being a beautiful album, which won Blasko the J Award, as well as the ARIA for best female artist.

Temper Trap – Conditions

Temper Trap are the Australian overseas success story of 2009. Taking the atmosphere, stadium ready sounds of U2, Radiohead and Prince and applying them to a debut album full of indie pop was a clever move, resulting in a top ten single in UK for the slow building Sweet Disposition, and syncs in Underbelly and 90210. Many international end of year lists name this album close to pole position.

La Roux – La Roux

Featuring four hit singles and more in the wings, this British electro-pop duo (yes, I thought she was a solo artist as well) have had quite a year, debuting at number two on the UK albums chart with this eponymous release. Channelling the spirit of the Eurythmics with their methodical detached pop tunes; La Roux sounds both futuristic, and like a relic from the 80s.

Biffy Clyro – Only Revolutions

Following on from the well received Puzzle, Scottish three piece Biffy Clyro have mastered a dizzying mixture of introspection (God Vs Satan) and the explosion and quirk they are better known for (Born On A Horse), a juxtaposition that has ensured their steady rise, as well as the significant step up of this long player. The album mixes radio readiness with a discernable lyrical depth. Mon The Biffy!

Fever Ray – Fever Ray

As one half of The Knife, Karin Dreijer-Andersson is used to messing with people’s heads. Branching out solo however, she’s taken that to a whole other level- murky basslines float over pitch-shifted vocals, childlike lyrics fill the spaces between haunting, Oriental-inspired melodies and Fever Ray reveals itself to be a complex and emotional journey that just gets better with each listen.

Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion

This was the year that Animal Collective finally reached a mainstream audience, buoyed by the success of their first ever ‘pop’ song My Girls, that reflected a simple wish for familial security and happiness, free from material constructs couched in an effervescent keyboard throb. It set girls hearts on fire and critics blabbing about what we’ve already known for years.

Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

We’ll happily concede that it is probably the worst album title of the year, but once those blissful French guitar-pop hooks kick in with the delightfully twee Lisztomania, all is forgiven. It seems that no one is writing better alt-pop songs than Phoenix at the moment, instantly radio friendly, nightclub friendly and picnic appropriate, it’s romantic music for all occasions.

The XX – xx

Moody, disquieting and touching at once, this debut album from these young British upstarts is a captivating listen. With their dual vocals, hushed and breathy delivery set to post-punk basslines and awash with synths, this album revealed itself to be accomplished and innovative all at once. With dance-pop on the way out, The XX have added some gloom back into the genre and made it that much more interesting.

Mos Def – The Ecstatic

You can’t ever accuse Mos Def of not saying what he thinks… lyrically verbose, political and often hilarious, Mos Def is one of the most astute rappers around today. Bypassing all that gangsta bravado and heading deep into the meaning of what it is to be alive in the 21st century, The Ecstatic shows that he isn’t slowing down or mellowing with time.

Daniel Merriweather – Love And War

This is the album Australian’s finally sat up and listened to after long overlooking this home-grown talent for several years, but in scoring the ARIA for Best Male this year, Daniel Merriweather has finally arrived. Showcasing his marvellous pipes, soul and his ability to work with a number of collaborators across multiple genres, Love & War is a mature and thoughtful album that shows a great singer in the making.

Passionpit – Manners

Mashing up shamelessly funky samples, disco beats, chipmunk vocals and hand claps to grand effect, Passionpit put their own spin on mash-up culture while remaining true to their pop sensibilities. They found a rabid fan in John Mayer, who declared on his blog that Moth’s Wings was one of the best songs I’ve ever heard. And hey, who’s to argue with John Mayer?

Lily Allen – Its Not Me, Its You

It seemed like most people were hedging their bets on Lily’s sophomore album being a total bomb, in that she couldn’t follow up the sassy freshness of her debut album with another. Well, Lily Allen went and proved everyone wrong and seemingly, took great pleasure in doing so. Candid, tongue-in-cheek and diverse, it’s an album as much as a sign of the times.

TOOHEYS EXTRA DRY: THE LAB WINNER ANNOUNCED!
CONGRATULATIONS TO SYDNEY ACT DANIMALS
www.tedthelab.com

Following the successful launch of Tooheys Extra Dry: The Lab, world famous musician and producer Mark Ronson has personally chosen Sydney act Danimals from hundreds of entries Australia wide. Danimals will fly to New York to collaborate with Ronson in his studio with Santigold, Nick Hodgson of Kaiser Chiefs, Sean Lennon, John Taylor of Duran Duran and members of The Dap-Kings.

The final track, written and produced in Tooheys Extra Dry: The Lab, will feature as the soundtrack for Tooheys Extra Dry’s next national advertising campaign, and the winner’s journey will be filmed from start to finish – resulting in a fly-on-the-wall documentary for release in March next year.

Danimals mastermind Jonti Danilewitz said: “We’re having a pretty hard time picking up what’s left of our minds after being selected by Mark Ronson for The Lab in New York – we’re incredibly ecstatic beyond belief! It’s completely surreal and incredibly scary to be honest!”

Mark Ronson on winning act Danimals: “I love their stuff; I thought they were incredibly original, really unusual and one of the most interesting things I’ve heard in a while. They are the winners who will be coming over to New York to collaborate with myself and my talented friends in The Lab.”

Danimals began, largely, as a solo project for Sydney artist Jonti Danilewitz. But it wasn’t long before Danimals turned into a five-piece for live shows, transcending far beyond Jonti’s original concept.  With the intention for each show (and music in general) to have an exciting, rhythmic element, the band revolves around three drummers that rotate around a single drum kit and separate synth and percussion stations.

As a product of experimentation in indie music, particularly the fusion of rock and electronic sounds, Danimals takes a focus on rhythms and the deconstruction of traditional song structures to create bouncy, experimental music.  While still in its infancy, the band has landed support slots for international acts like Metronomy, Yacht, King Khan and The Shrines, Why? and Patrick Wolf. Most recently they have been nominated in the “Next Big Thing” category for a SMACS (Sydney music, Arts and Culture Awards), to be announced later this month.

“We’re thrilled Mark Ronson picked Danimals to be the winner of The Lab,” said Josh Gaudry, Tooheys Extra Dry Marketing Manager. “Having the opportunity to collaborate with such talented international musicians will no doubt launch this rising artist to the next level, and we are looking forward to hearing the next soundtrack to our advertising campaign”.

Check out www.tedthelab.com for extended special content and to track Danimals’ journey.

Key Dates are:
4 December 2009: Winner Announcement and extended special content launched at www.tedthelab.com
7 December – 11 December 2009: Writing week with collaborators in New York
January 2010: Documentary trailer launched
4 January  – 11 January  2010: Recording week in New York
March 2010: TV campaign, track release and documentary launch

-ENDS-

For more information, please contact Hannah Cooper at Peer Group Media on hannah@peergroupmedia.com / +61(0)431 985 018.

Notes to Editors:
Full terms and conditions can be found at www.tedthelab.com.

About Tooheys Extra Dry
Tooheys Extra Dry has more than six years experience working with the music industry, including festival sponsorships and brand initiatives such as uncharTED, uncharTED LIVE and 6 Beers of Separation. The brand is well-known for pushing boundaries with its advertising campaigns and breaking new creative ground through use of music. Its infamous ‘Tongue’ ad used the relatively unknown Benny Bennassi track ‘Satisfaction’, which resulted in the track becoming a radio and dance floor hit in its own right.

Field Day 2010 Line Up:

2manydjs live
The Presets
Major Lazer Soundsystem feat. Diplo
James Murphy and Pat Mahoney (LCD Soundsystem)
Architecture in Helsinki
Fake Blood
Cassius (Dex’n'Fex)
Datarock
Krafty Kuts
The Proxy
Sinden
Fred Falke
Sebastien Leger
Lyrics Born
The Aston Shuffle
DJ Yoda
Skream & Benga
The Juan Mclean
Phenomenal Handclap Band
Amanda Blank
Treasure Fingers
Nic Fanciulli
Riton
We Have Band
Jack Beats
Philadelphia Grand Jury
Yacht Club DJs
Miami Horror (Live)
Knightlife
Seekae
Cassette Kids
Quan
DZ
Tim & Jean
Danimals
Bang Bang Eche
Howl
Ember
& many more

For more information, visit www.fuzzy.com.au