Show And Tell

With Adam Trainer, Music Director RTRFM

What does your organization do? Perth's longest-running community radio station.

How healthy do you think the music scenes are that you mainly dabble in? In Perth the experimental scene does tend to fluctuate, and it often depends on who's motivated enough to put on shows, but there has always been a strong bunch of artists pushing the boundaries and making amazing experimental music in Perth.

In 2013, which three bands would you like to see taking out the most WAMi Awards? Frozen Ocean for playing the most shows of any band ever, Perth for putting out one of the best local releases of the last five years, and Sugar Army because, well, surely the joke's wearing a bit thin by now.

What other acts or showcases are you most excited about seeing at the WAMi Fest this year? I think all of the showcases represent their chosen style particularly well – I especially like the line-up for the heavy showcase. The Community showcase at The Bird and the Gun Fever showcase at Beat also look pretty tops.

What can punters expect from your showcase? The experimental showcase offers an eclectic mix of bands and solo artists working amongst a range of different musical approaches. From the industrial-prog of Heytesburg to the noise propulsion of Usurper Of Modern Medicine, through to the bass and clarinet processing of Candied Limbs and the all-out unpredictability of Chris Cobilis, there'll be something for everyone who enjoys music from the left of centre.

With Phoebe Corke, Eponymous Management

What does your company do? Manage Dave Mann and The Fancy Brothers; promote and publicise international and interstate touring acts; organise Gimme Shelter and, for the last three years, artist management and publicity for Fairbridge Festival of World and Folk Music. Spend a lot of time herding cats.

How healthy do you think the music scenes are that you mainly dabble in? I generally work with folk/roots/world music acts and I've seen a huge downturn in the number of people going to gigs in WA over the last couple of years. Given that most venues have also cut retainers – and lots are either not having live music any more or have cut the number of nights, particularly down south – it's making it really hard for musos to survive. Everyone's scared of the so-called GEC, but you don't get much better value for your entertainment dollar than local live music. But while financially the scene's not doing so well, it's the exact opposite if you look at the talent that's around. WA's got way more than its fair share of great acts.

In 2013, which three bands would you like to see taking out the most WAMi Awards? San Cisco, Abbe May, Felicity Groom.

What other acts or showcases are you most excited about seeing at the WAMi Fest this year? John Butler and Mama Kin at the Awards night. They did their first gig together at Gimme Shelter 2011 and it was incredibly special.

What can punters expect from your showcase? Fairbridge is WA's biggest festival for world and folk music and for the showcase we've two of the acts which wowed the audiences at the 2012 festival – Ensemble Formidable (nominated for best World Music act in the 2012 WAMi awards) and “darlings of quirk-folk” Rachel & Henry Climb A Hill. We're also really fortunate to have a rare performance from the amazing songwriter Rhys Wood and The Self Righteous Brothers. Four times a finalist in WAMI Song Of The Year, Rhys won the World/Folk section in 2011. Ensemble Formidable are taking Perth by storm at the moment with their “electric manouche-swing farmyard mash-up of jazz-droid chickens getting down to Django”.

With Pete Jeavons, General Manager for JAZZWA

What does your company/organization do? JAZZWA runs a number of projects that are strategically designed to develop jazz and improvised music, and to create opportunities for – and greater awareness of – the musicians who perform it.

How healthy do you think the music scenes are that you mainly dabble in? The WA jazz scene has a lot of good jazz musicians and lots of new groups, recordings, interstate/international visiting artists and quite a lot of activity in general. We have a fantastic, successful commercial jazz venue in the Ellington Jazz Club, excellent presenting organizations such as The Perth Jazz Society, Jazz Fremantle, the UWA Jazz Club and the Jazz Club of WA, and a strong jazz education infrastructure with burgeoning jazz programs in many high schools across WA, as well as the great work undertaken by WAYJO and at a tertiary level the world class jazz program at WAAPA. Australia currently has nearly 50 annual jazz festivals, with not a single one of these taking place in WA though, which is absurd. However, plans are afoot for a Perth International Jazz Festival in 2013, so things are looking up on that front.

What other acts or showcases are you most excited about seeing at the WAMi Fest this year? There's so much on but I would suggest checking out Rick Webster Trio and Daramad on Sunday 27 May at Northbridge Piazza.

What can punters expect from your showcase? Victoria Newton Sextet is lead by an acclaimed vocalist who has performed all around the world. This new group features some of the stalwarts of the Perth scene including Tom O'Halloran (piano), Simon Jeans (guitar) and James Sandon (sax/percussion) alongside up-and-comers Ben Falle (drums) and Karl Florisson (bass). Horizon Art Orchestra was formed in 2010 by composers Elliott Hughes and Daniel Connor as a vehicle to perform new creative big band music. Elliot was the winner of the 2011 WAM song of the year jazz category. H.A.O comprises fifteen dynamic young musicians and improvisers from across Australia, and strives to present a high standard of performance for some challenging original music.  Then the Glyn MacDonald Quartet draws influence from diverse ends of the musical spectrum, from classical through to Latin music and toe-tappin' swing.