On February 23, 2010 the SLAM rally saw 20, 000 people march through Melbourne in protest against the Victorian Government’s misguided policy link between live music and violence. The SLAM protest was the largest cultural protest in Australia’s history.
The protest was initiated by Save Live Australia’s Music (SLAM), a collective of non-politically aligned, independent local music loving citizens. SLAM representatives, the lobby group Fair Go 4 Live Music (FG4LM) and the then newly established Music Victoria, all co-signed the Live Music Accord on the eve of the rally and then spent a further seven months negotiating the Live Music Agreement, where it was officially announced that live music does not cause violence.
Now ALL of Australia has the opportunity to participate in a national event that celebrates our local musicians in our small venues.
Music communities around Australia are now invited to unite in support of our thriving live culture by hosting their own National SLAM Day gigs, February 23rd 2012 will be a national day to celebrate live music in Australia!
Support a National SLAM Day event in your town – any style, any genre. It’s easy to get involved:
- Venues can register their gigs on the SLAM website at slamrally.org. It’s free to sign up.
- Musicians can join with their local venues to curate a National SLAM Day gig.
- Gig-goers can celebrate live music and local musicians in their own neighbourhood.
- Community groups can host their own National SLAM Day gig.
- “Like” SLAM on Facebook and keep up with news on live music: www.facebook.com/SLAMrally
Supporters and spokespeople for SLAM have included Paul Kelly, Dan Sultan, Megan Washington, Nick Cave, The Dirty Three, Tina Arena, Clare Bowditch, Paul Dempsey, Kram, Tim Rogers, Nic Cester, Cut Copy, The Living End, Missy Higgins, Ross Wilson, Evelyn Morris (Pikelet), Brian Nankervis, The Rockwiz Orkestra, Slash, Myf Warhurst, Augie March and Mick Harvey, among many others.
For more information head here.
