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Tuesday, October 19, 2010

INDUSTRY INTERVIEW: Tiana Morrison of Shiny Entertainment

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The Evelyn may not look like much from the outside. Bare brick, a dash of colour paint here and there. A chalk board that always gets smeared with the constant drizzle that is Melbourne weather. And a smattering of silver chairs and that peculiar freestanding column (will someone please email in and let us know what it is before we die from curiosity).

But inside, The Evelyn is one of Melbourne's best live venues. With the obligatory crusty velour couches, exposed metal beams and a roster of fine bands performing every night of the week, one could argue that the Ev is the heart of Fitzroy's music scene.


Paper-Deer had a chat with the ever-witty, perpetually-about-to-pull-out-her-hair venue booker Tiana Morrison, who is the person you want to stalk* if you would like to rock out at the esteemed Evelyn Hotel.


Job: Band bookings for the Evelyn and the Curtin Bandroom. 
Employer: Shiny Entertainment

Typical day in the life of Tiana as the Evelyn/Curtin booker?
Stumble from my work to work in a bleary-eyed, tea-needing state. Read the millions of emails that I get sent overnight and try to tackle them chronologically. Sate over-energetic bands that feel the need to send me THE SAME email every day with some kind of reply. Drink 8 cups of tea. Listen to radio and turn off the station when Muse or John Butler Trio are played. Eat a super-late lunch, stumble back to work. Reply to more emails and make everyone happy. Sometimes this routine is interrupted by meetings with venue owners, random musicians or managers and trying to pat the timid dog that is the companion of the builder doing renovations to the office. Oh and jokes, lots of bad jokes.

How did you get the job?
I volunteered for over a year with another booker for another venue, made some really awesome friends and somehow managed to impress Shiny Stav.

When did you first decide that you wanted to actually work in the music industry?
I dropped out of year 12 (stay in school, kids!) and worked a lot of crap retail and cafe jobs. Then I met a musician who I really wanted to help because of his talent. So we moved to Melbourne and worked our arses off while starving on the dole. I remember a very cold winter in an old Northcote house listening to music and drinking a cask of red wine every night before things started coming together.

Raddest thing about working in the industry?
Lots of free tickets, but then, if I have a full-time job and I don’t support bands, I’m not really supporting the industry, am I? Also, wearing whatever you want is fun. Means that when I wake up and put on the nearest item of clothing that is probably dirty, I’m not going to get told off.

Any advice to anyone else wanting to be a booker?
Be prepared to work long hours and deal with pissed off bands when you don’t give them what they want. Develop a tough skin but make sure your people skills don’t suffer. And volunteer. Lots.

Most musicians work in retail or in bars to fund their passion. Is it weird that you get to work in the industry for you day job?
It’s so weird! Makes the years of watching old women try on bras and getting yelled at for not making a coffee within 30 seconds seem worthwhile.

What else do you do in the music industry (maybe plug your bands here if you’d like)?
I play in and manage The Orphanage. It’s hard work and I don’t get paid for that at all, but the buzz you get from playing live shows is amazing. Been recording an album which was meant to come out this year but that’s not happening till next year now.

What do you like and dislike about the Melbourne scene?
I like the diversity of the Melbourne scene. My hometown has nothing like it. The sheer amount of venues with good shows on every night means that you could never be bored. The history of the industry's development is so rich. I guess the only bad thing about a scene like this is that it also breeds complacent bands. But there are too many amazing and hardworking bands to really get flustered by them.

Any embarrassing tales about your job as a booker that you’d like to share with Paper-Deer?
I’m sure there are, but I’ve only been here for a few months and haven’t screwed up too badly. Lately my only jokes are True Blood related, and they’re not funny unless you’re there. I won’t bore you anymore.

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* Please don't actually stalk Tiana. That would probably get you banned for life, as well as a nice little holiday in the penal system.

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