Here's What Went Down At The Launch Party Of Adelaide's New Live Music TV Show, 'Jam Live'

Adelaide has scored a new music show on Channel 9 Adelaide, with Jam Live set to broadcast live gigs from the state with a focus on Australian artists. The Music contributor Stephanie Grey attended the launch event last night, here's what went down.

Hosted by The Gov, the Jam Live Channel 9 launch party was attended by music advocates from Music SA, commercial sponsors of the project and local venue owners, who were all eager to learn more about the buzz of Adelaide’s new music television show.

Jam Live will be the first live-music program to feature predominantly South Australian artists. It’s a plausible niche to fill, but interestingly the creators of Jam Live have plugged a much bigger hole in music-media market. There’s currently nothing like it on television at a national level. 

As such, Adelaide will soon export the first live-music television show of its kind in Australia. Showing weekly on Saturday afternoons, viewers can tune in to see professionally shot footage of live concerts, featuring both local and touring musical acts from around the country.

For anyone questioning how much material Jam Live can cover: there are over 500 gigs a month scheduled this winter. Creator and host of Jam Live, Shanelle Franklin stated, “June, July and August are winter's answer to 'Mad March'." 

Believing the misconception that "Adelaide is not a major music city" lies with inadequate media exposure, Franklin along with Channel 9's Adam Gibbons plan to change this with Jam Live.

By bringing the live music experience home to fans, Franklin believes it will motivate locals to support SA music and highlight Adelaide’s contributions at a national level. 

Adding that the live music industry contributes $375,000,000 of annual revenue to the South Australian economy and employs 6,300 people, Franklin is positive that the the institute of live-music deserves more attention.

While she makes a strong case for SA being a major contributor to Australian arts as a whole, Franklin believes locals can do more to support it. Speaking of her hopes to see Adelaide get the credit it deserves, Franklin said, "We are a live music capital." Further adding that, "Music deserves to be heard and not enough people go to live music."

The weekly Jam Live show will bring the concert experience to more people, giving Franklin confidence that the project will succeed in its ultimate goal: to inspire locals to leave their comfort zone and take ownership of South Australia arts.

Following the heartfelt speeches and sponsor thank-you’s, local band Ollie English played a short set for the music lovers in attendance. Their brand of blues and funk left punters dying to dance, but fighting the urge to do so… (begging the question: Is the real injustice in Adelaide that people don’t dance when they feel like it? Sing it with me: 'We-shall-overcome').

The first episode of Jam Live will be televised by Channel 9 Adelaide on 23 June at 4.30pm. The beautifully shot, live footage will feature artists: San Cisco, Regurgitator, West Thebarton, John Cashman, Boo Seeka and Dean Lewis.