Time To Protest

There’s nothing like a peaceful rally to exert some harmless anarchist frustration. It’s even more satisfying when it’s for a worthy cause.

In the case of 2010’s SLAM Rally, which has now gathered enough momentum to become SLAM Day, you can even ‘dance-out’ your irritation. Co-founder Helen Marcou explains. “We want to raise awareness about the value of live music and how important it is, how it’s the soundtrack to everyone’s lives. It’s a chance for the music community (to) come out and recognise each other, and celebrate how fantastic we are.”

Starting with small rallies throughout Victoria demonstrating against Victorian Liquor Licensing policies, the movement soon escalated to 20,000 passionate people gathering to support Australian live music and its venues. “From our perspective it is an awareness campaign,” says Eskimo Joe’s guitarist Stu Macleod. “Linking violence to live music is ridiculous. I think festivals are taking precedence these days over single gigs, and while I love playing festivals, it’s still important to also have the magic of a live intimate gig.”

It’s not just Eskimo Joe who are getting onboard as ambassadors. The next SLAM Day is open to any artist, and for those of us slightly less musically talented, you can attend the gig of anyone supporting the movement.

“Any artists can become involved in the event,” Marcou says. “All they have to do is play a gig in a venue on February 23. They just need to register on the SLAM website and they will be part of the whole national movement … The government needs to see the great social, economical and cultural benefits that live music brings to the wellbeing of Australians.”

“Everyone pays their dues,” Macleod says. “If it wasn’t for all the venues that we loved playing at along the years we might not be here. There are great venues going by the wayside, I think Australia needs to give a little more respect and support to artists and struggling musicians.”

SLAM DAY IS HELD NATIONALLY ON FEBRUARY 23. slamrally.org