Brisbane band gig for international competition place
Thursday, September 3, 2009, 6:57 pm | Reported by Andrew Keyte
Run For A Bus band members (L-R): Hughie Doherty. Anthony Salsone. Tom Bland, and Surya Samatara. (Photo courtesy: Hughie Doherty)
A local Brisbane band is taking on the world as they prepare for the semi-final of an international talent search competition, Emergenza.
Four young south-east Queensland men, known collectively as Run For A Bus, are participating in in the Brisbane heats of the worldwide Emergenza music competition for unsigned bands.
For the first time in its 20 year history, Emergenza listed Brisbane as one of the 140 participating cities to find new talent.
Band members, Hughie Doherty (bass guitar), Anthony Salsone (drums), Tom Bland (rhythm guitar and vocals) and Surya Samatara (lead guitar), played their first live gig in March this year.
The first of five Brisbane semi-finals begin on September 12 and Anthony Salsone, the band’s drummer and general manager, says Run For A Bus has already exceeded their own expectations.
“Originally we just entered thinking it would be a great experience and we can’t lose anything really, then we went on to win our heat in July,” Mr Salsone said.
Internet Evolution
Run For A Bus describe their genre as ‘new Aussie rock’ and have only been playing in front of live audiences since March, but already have a healthy following.
“The biggest way to get your name out there, and I know this because I’m in charge of it, is the social networking,” Mr Salsone said.
“It used to be a case of a lot more tedious work like speaking to people after the show and making mailing lists.
“Now people can just leave the venue and check the band out online … it’s essentially the same actions but gives you a bit more leeway of when you follow up with people’s interactions.”
Non-for-profit organisation QMusic, based in Fortitude Valley, offers a range of workshops, showcases, action plans and general guidance for all levels of aspiring talent.
Former Australian Idol participants Brianna Carpenter and Bobby Flynn both worked with QMusic to develop their prospective careers.
QMusic program manager Deb Suckling agrees social networking makes it a lot easier for new talent to get themselves noticed.
“There are free tools out there at everyone’s disposal we didn’t see five years ago but that means there’s a whole lot more competition today trying to get ahead,” Ms Suckling said.
The ‘Idol’ Influence
Ms Suckling says competitions like Australian Idol are just an extension of the talent contests the industry has always had.
“These types of Australian Idol shows have the ability to really catapult and make or break a star … if anything they help talent realise this is the career they want to pursue and makes them more determined to succeed,” Ms Suckling said.
Emergenza has an Australian Idol flavour to it with the heat and semi-final winners determined solely on live audience votes.
Ms Suckling and Mr Salsone say there is little industry resentment towards talent using Australian Idol-style competitions or social networking to obtain fame.
“There are bands that won’t go near the Australian Idol style shows because of their own integrity or whatever but the industry has always had talent quests for mainstream audiences to make things happen straight away,” Ms Suckling said.
Opportunities
Mr Salsone says no band or artist could say they are excluded from the vast array of opportunities available.
“If anyone were to sit back and say that’s not fair to us because we did all this groundwork is null and void … they’ve got just as much opportunity as any other band,” he said.
If the band wins a place in the international final, they will play in front of 20,000 people in Germany.
The international winners proceed to America to record an album, free of charge, with some top producers.
The best advice Ms Suckling can offer local talent looking for that breakthrough is to never take no for an answer.
“It’s a long road but if you’re committed, talented and determined you can make it,” she said.
