General Admission Entertainment unveils new Australian Booking Agency

General Admission Entertainment has launched its innovative booking agency, marking a significant milestone in the South Australian music industry.

Established in 2007 by Gareth Lewis and Aaron Sandow, General Admission Entertainment has been a stalwart supporter of local music, spanning roles from venue ownership to festival promotion and artist management over the years from Parklife to Soundwave to Groovin' The Moo and as the current custodial of 500-capacity live music venue, UniBar ADL.

 The newly unveiled booking agency aims to break down barriers for South Australian artists on a national scale, addressing the historic challenges of geographic isolation. This initiative represents a pivotal shift, offering a dual-tiered approach: a traditional artist roster alongside a groundbreaking self-managed service. This unique model empowers artists to maintain control over their bookings while leveraging GAE's extensive network and professional resources.

General Admission's inaugural roster features a diverse lineup of talent, including internationally acclaimed drummer and producer Alexander Flood, genre-defying electronic-indie-dance-punk band TONIX, and Aussie-pun-punk-rock-revivalists LOLA. These artists exemplify General Admission's commitment to showcasing South Australian creativity across Australia and beyond.

To celebrate this milestone, General Admission, with the support of Novatech Creative Event Technology, will host a launch party and showcase on 31st July at Chateau Apollo on the opening night of IndieCon, the annual conference of independent record labels is drawing delegates from across the country and the world between 31st July  and 2nd August.  

This exclusive event will feature performances by Alexander Flood (above), TONIX, LOLA, and a special set by Wedding Motel, the side project of Bad//Dreems' frontman Ben Marwe. Invitations are extended to industry insiders and IndieCon delegates, with support from partners Pirate Life Brewing and The Note Magazine.

In addition to the agency launch, General Admission today unveils the Future Sounds Residency at UniBar ADL, a renowned 500-capacity venue hosting legendary acts since the 1970s. This residency, with the support of Live Music Australia (an Australian Government initiative) will support three emerging artists with a month-long residency featuring mentoring, professional development, and four showcase gigs each alongside a host of their contemporaries. Applications are now open for South Australian artists interested in this unique opportunity via the new General Admission Entertainment website which goes live today

Furthermore, UniBar ADL will debut the inaugural Future Sounds Festival on 19th October, showcasing cutting-edge music styles and emerging artists from interstate and abroad. Supported by the Adelaide Economic Development Agency, this event aims to complement Sydney's SXSW with a curated lineup of international talent. More details to come.

On today's launch of General Admission Agency and GA's Future Sounds Residency at UniBar Adelaide, Gareth Lewis notes “Since 2007, Aaron and I have been working in and around the South Australian music industry, whether it be producing shows for interstate and international promoters here in Adelaide or creating our own. We see first hand how tough it is to make a living as an artist based in SA. Awesome acts are so often overlooked in favour of their East Coast peers for no other reason that they just aren't part of the scene, we want to help shift the dial on that.

“We are open for business. And we're keen to chat to artists from anywhere in Australia that want to take control over their live career and bring their bookings in-house. We can provide the scaffold for those who already tour, already have their own networks and are confident in their brand, to basically enable them to be their own agent.”

For more information on General Admission's services, their artists and upcoming events, visit gaentertainment.com.au. Applications for the Future Sounds residency and more information about Future Sounds Festival can also be found at gaentertainment.com.au 

Image top: Beer and BBQ Festival; image centre: Alexander Flood. Credit: General Admission Agency