Sounds Australia has cancelled 3 For The Stream, its livestream showcase for Australian musicians who were due to play SXSW.
This comes just three days after the organisation announced the online event, which was due to spotlight 19 musicians who were bound for SXSW, which was cancelled on March 6. 3 For The Stream was due to take place in Melbourne this Friday (March 20).
Sydney singer-songwriter Alex The Astronaut, rock outfit Cable Ties and pop musician Kota Banks were among those scheduled to play. See the full list of artists who were supposed to participate below.
“The decision to cancel 3 For The Stream was not taken lightly,” Sounds Australia said in an official statement. “Now is not the time for an event that will bring people into close proximity.
“We need to work together to flatten the curve, to protect those who are most vulnerable to this virus. Everyone must do what needs to be done to ensure the impact of the coronavirus is limited as much as possible.”
The statement also cited the state of emergency for Victoria, which Premier Daniel Andrews declared this morning.
Sounds Australia envisioned 3 For The Stream as a four-hour livestream of three-song sets filmed across several stages at Bakehouse Studios in Melbourne. Partners on board included Art Series Hotel by Accor, Bakehouse Studios, Comes With Fries, Facebook, SXSW, TAG and Young Henry’s.
“The COVID-19 outbreak is having a devastating impact on the Australian music industry, which contributes $2.5 billion annually to the local economy,” Sounds Australia wrote in its statement, citing I Lost My Gig, a new website that is tallying event-related income lost from the fallout of coronavirus and the bushfires. By its count, nearly $50million in income has been lost so far.
Read Sounds Australia’s full statement here, which also includes a list of purchase links for all 43 Aussie artists who were supposed to play at SXSW.
Sounds Australia is a joint partnership between the Australian Government, Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS), the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and several other leading industry bodies.
The organisation was created to support national acts on the global stage and has produced a number of showcases around the world, including the Australia House at SXSW since 2018.
The lineup for 3 For The Stream, now cancelled, was:
Alex the Astronaut
Alice Skye
BATTS
Cable Ties
Carla Geneve
Didirri
Flyying Colours
Gena Rose Bruce
Hachiku
Kota Banks
Luke Howard
MANE
Quivers
River Boy
Sophie Hutchings
Sui Zhen
The Lazy Eyes
The Wonder
Tim Shiel