Sound Check WA Tickets, Sunday, June 14 • 10 AM – 2:30 PM | Eventbrite
10:30am – 10:40am
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Welcome everyone, explain the reason for Sound Check, outline the goal of the day.
10:40am – 10:45am
Format & Ground Rules
Respectful, honest, solution-focused discussion. No industry finger-pointing Olympics.
10:45am – 11:20am
Topic 1: Lack of Meaningful Promotion of Gigs
What promotion is actually working? What is missing? Who needs to do more?
One of the biggest concerns raised was the lack of meaningful promotion around live gigs. Too often, shows are announced once, shared a few times on social media, and then left to survive on hope, mates, and the almighty algorithm — which is not exactly a business plan. Meaningful promotion needs to go beyond a poster and a last-minute reminder. It should tell people why the gig matters, who the artists are, what kind of experience the audience can expect, and why it is worth leaving the house for. This discussion will look at the role artists, venues, promoters, media, photographers, reviewers, radio, and fans all play in building awareness and creating genuine interest before a show. The aim is to identify what is currently missing, what actually cuts through in WA, and how the scene can work together to promote gigs with more purpose, consistency and impact.
11:20am – 11:55am
Topic 2: Bands Not Connecting With Fans
Another major issue raised was that some bands and artists are struggling to genuinely connect with fans beyond the stage. Playing great music is still the foundation, but in today’s world it is not always enough to just release a song, post a gig flyer, and expect people to turn up. Fans want to feel part of the journey — they want personality, story, access, honesty and a reason to care. This discussion will explore how artists can build stronger relationships with their audience before, during and after shows, whether that is through better social media engagement, storytelling, mailing lists, behind-the-scenes content, merch, meet-and-greets, collaborations, or simply being more visible and approachable. It will also look at the difference between having followers and having actual fans who buy tickets, bring mates, share music and support the artist long-term. The goal is to identify where the disconnect is happening and how bands can turn casual interest into real community support — because polite likes from your cousin and three other musos do not exactly fill a venue.
11:55am – 12:30pm
Topic 3: Cost of Living Impacting Crowds at Shows
The rising cost of living is having a clear impact on live music attendance, with many people now having to think twice before committing to a night out. A gig ticket might look affordable on its own, but once you add fuel or rideshare, parking, food, drinks, babysitting, merch, and the classic “just one more beer” lie we all tell ourselves, the cost can quickly blow out. This discussion will look at how financial pressure is changing audience behaviour, especially for local and smaller shows where people may be less willing to take a chance on an unfamiliar act. It will also explore what venues, artists and promoters can realistically do to make shows feel like better value without undercutting the people working hard to put them on. The aim is not to make live music cheap at everyone’s expense, but to better understand what audiences are weighing up, what barriers are stopping them from coming out, and how the WA scene can create events that feel worth the effort, the money and the Uber home.
12:30pm – 1:00pm
Pizza Break / Informal Networking
Pizza supplied. A chance for people to talk, connect and avoid solving the entire music industry with an empty stomach.
1:00pm – 1:35pm
Topic 4: What Is the Real Cost of Hosting a Gig?
A lot of people see a gig from the outside and assume it is as simple as opening the doors, plugging in a few amps, selling some tickets and hoping the bar has enough cold beer. The reality is far more complicated. This discussion will unpack the real costs involved in hosting a live show, including venue hire or operating costs, sound engineers, lighting, security, bar staff, ticketing fees, promotion, artwork, photography, videography, backline, insurance, transport, rehearsal time, artist payments, accommodation for touring acts, and the hidden unpaid labour that often keeps events alive. It will also look at who is currently carrying the financial risk — venues, promoters, artists, or all of them — and whether the current model is actually sustainable. The aim is to create a clearer understanding of what it takes to put on a quality gig, where the money really goes, and how the WA scene can have more honest conversations around value, payment and support without everyone quietly bleeding cash behind the curtain.
1:35pm – 2:10pm
Topic 5: Siloed Sections of the Scene
One of the biggest challenges facing the WA live music scene is that too many parts of it are operating in isolation. Artists, venues, promoters, photographers, videographers, reviewers, radio, music schools, engineers, managers and fans are often working hard in their own corners, but not always connecting in a way that strengthens the scene as a whole. This discussion will look at how these separate sections can start working together more effectively, sharing information, cross-promoting shows, building stronger networks and creating opportunities that benefit more than just one gig or one artist at a time. It will also explore why certain parts of the scene feel disconnected or overlooked, and how we can break down some of those barriers without turning it into a networking event where everyone just swaps business cards and forgets each other by Monday. The aim is to build better communication, stronger collaboration and a more united WA live music community that works less like separate islands and more like one noisy, slightly chaotic, but genuinely supportive ecosystem.
2:10pm – 2:30pm
Questions & Open Floor
Looking to ask a question about a topic specific to the day? then send it in prior in the comment link below – all questions will be treated annonymously (unless requested) and we will try and answer them throughout the course of the afternoon. REQUESTED QUESTIONS WILL GET PRIORITY ******SUBJECT TO TIME CONSTRIANTS.
Actions, Next Steps & Closing
Looking for tickets – hit the link below and have your say
Sound Check WA Tickets, Sunday, June 14 • 10 AM – 2:30 PM | Eventbrite
