SLAM Day 2012 was such a huge success last year, with about 146 gigs held across Australia on February 23rd. Now it’s time for another SLAM Day in 2013 on the same date.

This time around the date falls on a Saturday which is considered to be ‘gig day’, the perfect day to enjoy live music.

SLAM Day is not just a celebration of live music across Australia. It is also a day that serves as an anniversary for the SLAM rally which was held in Melbourne 2010, to protest the liquor licensing laws in Victoria incorrectly linking live music with violence at that time.

SLAM co-founder Helen Marcou told The Westender their organisation had received a lot of requests after the SLAM rally to organise an event specifically for local live music gigs.

“When SLAM Day 2012 was announced the response was overwhelming, with about 146 gigs registered across Australia.

“[SLAM Day] shows the government how many that actually care about live music in Australia and how important it is for the local community, music lovers, venues and bands,” Helen said.

SLAM has been so successful it has had a positive impact on laws across Australia, making states recognise live music in their Liquor Licensing Acts, with only two states that still have not updated their LLA, which are Queensland and Tasmania. Fortitude Valley is known to have a very healthy music scene, and now that West End is becoming a more popular entertainment district, it is important to nurture live music and not hold it back. “Live music is a fragile eco system. Take one piece out and it collapses,” Helen said. Which was what happened to The Tote Hotel in Melbourne with the, at that time, new Liquor Licensing Act, forcing it out of business. Resulting in 20,000 people attending what became known as the SLAM rally.

Helen says that SLAM Day is and should be a day of celebration of live music. “One day out of a whole year to make music experience fun and have us think about our local bands.”

For more info about SLAM Day 2013, where the SLAM Day gigs are held and to register your own SLAM Day gig, visit their website: www.slamrally.org

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