Fuse is an Australian Music festival and Music Business Conference held annually in the South Australian capital of Adelaide

Adelaide

Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...

 in February. The Fuse Festival features keynote addresses, panel discussions, round table discussions and the opportunity to meet with the industry elite from the Australian and International Scene that Fuse have brought to Adelaide.

In 2011 Fuse will run two open showcase nights on the 16th and 17 February, and conferences will run on the 17th and 18th during the day. On the final night Fuse is teaming up with the Adelaide Fringe Opening night, curating a the best of Australia's new emerging artists.

Fuse is a not-for-profit, largely government funded event through Arts SA

Arts SA

Arts SA is the South Australian Government Department responsible for the arts. The Minister for The Arts is the Premier Mike Rann, the Chief Executive is Greg Mackie.Statutory Authorities reporting to the Department include:...

 with a focus upon deriving outcomes for all those who attend the conference. It’s a platform to learn from industry professionals and to showcase your band.

History

Fuse Festival first ran as Music Business Adelaide in 1996 as an industry development conference. Initially based loosely upon the South By South West model for Music Conferences, Fuse has proven to become an important source for knowledge and industry contacts.

In 2006 the move to house Fuse Festival within the Adelaide Fringe organisation was instrumental to the development of the event. Significantly, the Adelaide Fringe's mission statement includes a desire to 'encourage, support and assist independent artists in the development and presentation of their work' complimenting every aspect of the Fuse Festival.

Fuse 2008

In 2008 Fuse focused on Audience Development, covering Festivals, Touring, Social Networking, Promotion and Media and Publishing.

In conjunction with Fuse Festival, South Australian Film Corp announced an initiative to help support South Australian based musicians and South Australia film makers to collaborate.

Explode

Explode is held to herald the beginning of the Conference. It’s a celebration and a time to network for the delegates and the conference attendees. 8 bands are selected from around Australia to play, in 2008 Nova and Triple J held competitions to allocate the 2 remaining slots on this bill. The winners were, respectively, The Transatlantics and Eva Popov.

Ignition

Ignition was the open showcase for the Fuse Festival. Bands could register to attend the conference and play a show.

The Fuse Festival does not actively seek out bands to play Ignition. Provided that a band finds their venue and negotiates with other bands performing that night, all applications are accepted.

In 2008 57 bands registered to play Ignition, sandwiched into 25 venues around the square mile that makes up Adelaide CBD.

2008 Speakers

Speakers for 2008 included: Angela Beal, Bill Cullen, Caroline Tran, Chris Gough, Christie Eliezer, Clive Hodson, Craig Armstrong, Dan Lander, Eloise Nolan, eMDee, Geoff Trio, Gordon Andersen, Heath Bradby, Iain Shedden, Jacqui Kassulke, Jaddan Comerford, Jane Intini, John Kelly, Keith Welsh, Leanne De Souzza, Mal Chia, Marianna Annas, Mark Meharry, Marshall Cullen, Martin Elbourne, Matthew Proft, Michael Chugg, Nathan McLay, Owen Orford, PJ Murton, Rev Moose, Rhoda Roberts, Richard Harris, Richard Moffat, Rob G, Rob Scott, Sam Kelton, Sebastian Chase, Stephen Foster, Steve Griffiths, Stu Buchannan.

2008 Ignition Bands

Ignition Bands for 2008 were: Tin Alley, Delia & Her Heroes, Tony Font Show, Jigsaw Collective, Sonny Keeler, Coby Grant, Behold The Sun, Bridget Dean, The Borderers, General Knowledge, Double or Nothing, Matty Johnson, GrÜbenstyle, Tha Deadly Boyz, The Beards, Twelve Dollar Monkey, Extended Family, Battle Circus, Ben Slip, Mei Lai Swan, Naomi Hicks, Warren Milera, The Giveaways, The Ramblers, SuperBee, C.O.K.E., Soft White Machine, Poetikool Justice, Lines & Lines, Karnage, Bill Parton Trio, Glenn Skuthorpe, Raw Ether, The Amcats, The Kemp Brothers, Squeaker, Quintastella, 5114, The MERRg, Temple Tigers, Zenith ASP, Granny Flat, Fighterpilot, Botanics, Lyla, The Avi Sol, Vorn Doolette, Tyger Tyger, The Woodenelves, Jimbah, Social Change, Legless, Kytes of Omar, Aftashok, The Transatlantics, The Fiddle Chicks, Task

2008 Explode Bands

Explode Bands for 2008 were: The Devoted Few, The Transatlantics, FunkOars, Leah Flanagan

Leah Flanagan

Leah Flanagan is a singer-songwriter from Darwin, Northern Territory.She has Italian and Irish heritage. She received a nomination for Best New Artist at the 2008 Deadly Awards. Flanagan and her band released their debut album in 2008...

, City Riots

City Riots

City Riots is an indie rock band from Adelaide. They have played in Australia, USA and United Kingdom, touring with Smashing Pumpkins, The Academy Is..., Cobra Starship, Midnight Juggernauts and Operator Please...

, New Season Black, Eva Popov, Leader Cheetah

Leader Cheetah

Leader Cheetah are a four-piece band from Adelaide, South Australia with roots in Americana, alternative country and indie rock genres. Formed in 2007 by members of defunct Adelaide bands Pharaohs and Bad Girls of the Bible, the band have toured nationally and appeared at festivals such as...

, Tin Alley

Tin Alley

Tin Alley are a rock band based in Australia. Tin Alley was formed in 2007 in Melbourne, by brothers Paul Siourthas, Jim Siourthas and Peter Hofbauer.They have released one studio album, Everyturn, in 2007...

Fuse 2009

Fuse 2009 was opened by keynote speaker Glenn Wheatley

Glenn Wheatley

Glenn Dawson Wheatley is an Australian artist manager and entertainment industry executive.Wheatley began his career as a musician in Brisbane in the mid-1960s and in the late 1960s became nationally famous as a member of leading pop-rock band The Masters Apprentices...

. This was the first year the Explode showcase took place in Rymill Park.

2009 Fuse Speakers

2009 speakers included: Mark Meharry (Music Glue), Mike Gormley (Yes, Dear Entertainment), Peter Jesperson (New West Records

New West Records

New West Records is a record label based in Los Angeles, California, Austin, Texas, and Athens, Georgia. It was established in 1998, and has been home to several indie rock and alternative country bands as well as representing the PBS show Austin City Limits...

), Rev Moose (The Underground Management/CMJ), Stephen Budd (Stephen Budd Management/Barfly), Adam McArthur (moshtix), Andrew Walker (Buxton Walker), Angela Beal (Channel [V]), Bernard Galbally (Mana Music Publishing), Catherine Haridy, Chris Gough (Native Tongue Music Publishing), Chris Johnson (AMRAP), Chris Maund (Ivy League

Ivy League

The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...

), Christie Eliezer (Billboard

Billboard (magazine)

Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

/Business Review Weekly

Business Review Weekly

BRW is an Australian weekly business magazine published by the Fairfax Media group. It regularly compiles lists which rank corporations and individuals according to various criteria, similar to Fortune magazine in the United States.BRW provides news and commentary on the economy, business and...

), Clive Hodson (Shock Music Publishing), Eloise Nolan (ABC Music Publishing), Geoff Bell (Laing Entertainment), Geoff Trio (Code One), Heath Bradby (Fidelity Group), Iain Shedden (The Australian

The Australian

The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....

), Ian James (Mushroom Music Publishing), Jadden Comerford (The Staple Group), Jamie Gough (Native Tongue Music Publishing), Jordan Verzar (Top Shelf

Top Shelf Productions

Top Shelf Productions is an American publishing company founded in 1997, owned and operated by Chris Staros and Brett Warnock and a small staff. The company is based in Marietta, Georgia, Portland, Oregon, and New York City, New York....

), Julie Hodges (Mushroom Publishing), Keith Welsh (Rough Cut Music), Luke Bevan (Universal Music), Marianna Annas (MIPI

Music Industry Piracy Investigations

Music Industry Piracy Investigations is an organisation backed by musical industry associations , and record labels in Australia such as Sony BMG and MGM Records for the purposes of enforcing copyright in music in Australia and for providing backing to investigative and preventative measures.The...

), Marshall Cullen (Foghorn Media), Michelle Buxton (Buxton Walker), Neil Richards (Square One

Square One (band)

Square One are a Barbadian soca band, formed in December 1986. They continued until 2005, splitting up after singer Alison Hinds left the group. They re-formed in 2010.-History:...

), Nick Finlay (Triple J

Triple J

triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...

), Richard Moffat (Way Over There

Way Over There

"Way Over There" is a 1960 Motown soul song and single, written by William "Smokey" Robinson, produced by Berry Gordy, and first performed by The Miracles for the Tamla label. It was one of The Miracles' earliest charting singles, reaching #94 on the Billboard Pop chart. Motown president Berry...

/RRR Radio Melbourne), Rob Scott (QT Music/Sandcastle Music), Sebastian Chase (MGM), Stephen Green (Q Music), Steve Griffiths (Code One/Fork Music), Stu Watters (Australian Independent Records), and Vicki Gordon (VGM Media & Marketing).

2009 Ignition Bands

The 2009 Ignition bands were: The Readymades, Kytes of Omar, Jackson Firebird, The Beards, Decortica, Speekup, Metrical Minds, Dialect, Social Change, Monkey Puzzle Tree, Saint Huck, The Amcats, Young Hearts Fail, Armour Fou, The Fak, Quiet Child, Double Handed, Gracewood, Stu Wright, Your Motive For, Tomorrow Is, Tracer, The Irresponsibles, Squeaker, Raw Ether, Buster Fidez, Mastertheif, The Shiny Brights, The Sunpilots, Galleon, City Riots, Esther Lamb, Birds of Prey, The Killgirls, Villianares, Femme Fatales, The Giveaways, Sonny Loveless, Burn' Collect, Under the Lemon Tree, Keiran Glasgow, Deafening Silence, April Maze, Roy Mackonkey, The Sure Shot Hunters, Endless Nameless, Amundsens Flag, The Baron, Mayfield, Billy Bishop Goes to War, The Touch, Tyger Tyger, Red Plum and Snow, Country Town Collective, The Aviators, Jess Ribeiro and the Bone Collectors, Jigsaw Collective, The What 4, Ben Slip, Suzie Stapleton, Willie McRae, and Alicai Vega.

2009 Explode Bands

The 2009 Explode bands were: Behind Crimson Eyes, Cloud Control, Poetikool Justice, The Shiny Brights, The Sundance Kids, FisherKing, Jess Ribeiro and the Bone Collectors, and The Touch.

2010 Fuse Speakers

2010 speakers included: Iain Sheddon (The Australian), Chris Johnson (AMRAP), Christie Eliezer (Billboard/BRW), Vicki Gordon (VGM Media & Marketing), Nick Findley (Triple J), Catherine Haridy, Scott Mesiti (Sonicbids), Geoff Trio (Code One), Rhoda Roberts (Dreaming Festival), John Sinclair (Premier), Peter Noble (Bluesfest), Steven Foster (Tank Arts Centre), Luke Bevans (Universal Music), Chris Maund (Ivy League), Nick O'Byrne (AIR), Sebastian Chase (MGM), David Vodika (Rubber Records/AIR), Jaddan Comerford (Staple), Marshall Cullen (Foghorn Media), Millie Millgate (Sounds Australia), Stu Watters (Morph Media), John Woodruff (JWM Productions), Greg Marsh (SAFC), Sacha Sewell (BDO), Scott Hicks (Kino Films), Gordon Andersen, Jett Heysen Hicks (Mayfield), Steve Clarke (Blue Empress Music), Sue Arlidge (Songfront), and Mick Wordley (Mixmaster Records).

2010 Ignition Bands

The 2010 Ignition bands were: Alicia Vega, Autumn Sun, Batter Kids, Behind These Walls, Ben Slip, Blackchords, Bohoeffer, Colonel Kernel, Colourise, Deja Entendu, Dexter Jones, Drawn From Bees, Element AU, Erosion, Fraud Millionaires, Fridays, Georgia Germein and the St. G.., The Giveaways, Gracewood, Guild Free, Jackson Firebird, Jay Walker and the Pedestrians, Jimmy and the Mirrors, Jupiter Lead, Killgirls, Laura Hill, Leroy Lee, Louis Fuller, Lyla, Monenta, Move to Strike, P90s, Paper Arms, Party, Paul AppelKamp, Pimpin Horus, Rocketbox, Rooftops, Shane Steer, She Said You, Shiny Brights, Skye Harbour, Sonny Loveless, Squeaker, Steering By Stars, Stu Daniels, Sunset Blush, The Medics, The Touch, Traps, Van Cleef, Vorn Doolette, Woohoo Revue, Yasmine Amari, and Your Motive For.

2010 Explode Bands

The 2010 Explode Bands were: KingFisha, The Beards, Mayfield, Foxx On Fire, Delta, The Paper Scissors, The Swiss, and Hungry Kids of Hungary (Jim Blah, Laura Hill, The Medics, Jimmy and the Mirrors, and The Killgirls played the Ignition stage at the Explode event)

Fuse 2011

For 2011 Fuse is changing the structure of the festival, working closer with the Adelaide Fringe in order to improve the benefits for showcase bands. 'Fuse West' and 'Fuse East' will split what previously was the 'Ignition' showcase night so that there will be less distance, and less competing between shows. Also, on the final night of the festival Fuse will curate 8 bands on a Fuse stage to coincide with the Adelaide Fringe Opening night. There will still be two days of conference, and masterclasses in management and songwriting.

External links

• http://www.fusefestival.com
• http://www.arts.sa.gov.au
• http://www.adelaidefringe.com.au
• http://www.nme.com/news/fuse-festival/34801
• http://www.stuartbuchanan.com/?p=126
• http://spoz.blogspot.com/2008_03_02_archive.html