Scenestar
Encyclopedia
Scenestar was a not-for-profit organisation
promoting underage
events in Melbourne
, Australia
between 1995-1997. The organisation was run by teenagers
Aaron Shipperlee and Pheona Donohoe, assisted by a team of volunteers at shows. Scenestar organised events at the Corner Hotel
and Central Club Hotel in Richmond
.
. Donohoe was a member of the City of Greater Dandenong
Muso Network, booked many of the alternative
bands at The Venue, and was involved in the Decimus Gnu compilation CD.
Scenestar embraced the DIY
ethic by not conforming to government-funded youth entertainment programs provided by The Push. Door prices were kept to a minimum and often equated to $1 per band. Events featured underground bands
and frequently included all-girl bands from Rock’N’Roll High School. Scenestar was regularly promoted in local street press
, newspapers, magazines and community radio. A feature article was included in the September 1995 issue of the Australian Rolling Stone magazine
.
, Rapido, Brass Companion and Murmur
.
Thursday drive program in order to promote the Scenestar events. She later presented the Australian music show on the station between 2000–2003 and was the station’s Music and Promotions Manager in 2000-2002. Scenestar was also featured on one of the first episodes of the ABC TV
program Recovery
in 1996. Donohoe later joined the show as their all-ages scene presenter between 1997-1999.
(*) Events held at The Corner Hotel, Richmond. All other events were held at The Central Club, Richmond.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
promoting underage
Minor (law)
In law, a minor is a person under a certain age — the age of majority — which legally demarcates childhood from adulthood; the age depends upon jurisdiction and application, but is typically 18...
events in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
between 1995-1997. The organisation was run by teenagers
Adolescence
Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood , but largely characterized as beginning and ending with the teenage stage...
Aaron Shipperlee and Pheona Donohoe, assisted by a team of volunteers at shows. Scenestar organised events at the Corner Hotel
Corner Hotel, Richmond
The Corner Hotel in Richmond, Victoria is one of Melbourne's most popular and respected medium-sized rock venues. In 2005 it celebrated its 10th anniversary with the current owners , however it has been a pub since the 19th century and a live music venue since the 1940s.-History:In 1871 David and...
and Central Club Hotel in Richmond
Richmond, Victoria
Richmond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
.
History
Aaron Shipperlee met Pheona Donohoe at The Venue in Noble ParkNoble Park, Victoria
Noble Park is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 26 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Dandenong...
. Donohoe was a member of the City of Greater Dandenong
City of Greater Dandenong
The City of Greater Dandenong is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia located in the southeastern suburbs of Melbourne. It has an area of 130 square kilometres and has a estimated population of 137,600 people....
Muso Network, booked many of the alternative
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
bands at The Venue, and was involved in the Decimus Gnu compilation CD.
Scenestar embraced the DIY
Do it yourself
Do it yourself is a term used to describe building, modifying, or repairing of something without the aid of experts or professionals...
ethic by not conforming to government-funded youth entertainment programs provided by The Push. Door prices were kept to a minimum and often equated to $1 per band. Events featured underground bands
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...
and frequently included all-girl bands from Rock’N’Roll High School. Scenestar was regularly promoted in local street press
Street press
Street press is a term used to describe a certain type of publishing, between zines and magazines/newspapers in terms of distribution, content and audience. They are particularly prolific in Australia, although there are also some examples from Europe and North America...
, newspapers, magazines and community radio. A feature article was included in the September 1995 issue of the Australian Rolling Stone magazine
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
.
Fanzines
Scenestar’s main promotional tool of fanzines was inspired by the Manic! Crew newsletters. Shipperlee’s Nappy Kill fanzine was available via mail-order and at alternative record stores, while Donohoe’s Swirl was mailed to the 1,000 plus members on the Scenestar mailing list. Printing and postage costs were subsidised through advertising arrangements with local record labels and often included free marketing material such as samplers from Flying NunFlying Nun Records
Flying Nun Records is an independent record label formed in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1981 by music-store proprietor Roger Shepherd.-History:The label was formed in the flurry of new punk rock-inspired labels forming in the early 1980s...
, Rapido, Brass Companion and Murmur
Murmur (record label)
Murmur was a record label that started as an imprint of Sony Music Australia in mid 1994. Named after REM's first album, Murmur signed a number of Australia's most successful rock bands, including Silverchair, Ammonia, Something for Kate and Jebediah...
.
Other Publicity
Donohoe presented a weekly all-ages gig report on the PBS-FMPBS 106.7FM
PBS 106.7FM , also known as the Progressive Broadcasting Service, is a co-operatively owned community radio station in Melbourne, Australia, that broadcasts on 106.7FM, Digital radio and online...
Thursday drive program in order to promote the Scenestar events. She later presented the Australian music show on the station between 2000–2003 and was the station’s Music and Promotions Manager in 2000-2002. Scenestar was also featured on one of the first episodes of the ABC TV
ABC1
ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...
program Recovery
Recovery (TV series)
Recovery was a music and youth interests television series broadcast by ABC TV in Australia. It was aired each Saturday morning from 9:00am to 12:00pm following Rage. It aired from 20 April 1996 to its last show on 29 April 2000...
in 1996. Donohoe later joined the show as their all-ages scene presenter between 1997-1999.
List of Events
There were 33 official Scenestar events- Saturday April 1, 1995 with Meanies, Warped, Snout, Daisygrinders, Muffcake (*)
- Saturday April 29, 1995 with Front End Loader, ScreamfeederScreamfeederScreamfeeder are a rock band from Brisbane, Australia.-Members and history:Screamfeeder began performing under that name in Brisbane, Australia in 1991. They formed out of the remains of Tim Steward and Tony Blade's band, The Madmen....
, Sidewinder, Midget, Gudgeon (*) - Saturday May 13, 1995 with You Am IYou Am IYou Am I are an Australian alternative rock band, fronted by vocalist/guitarist and main songwriter Tim Rogers. They were the first Australian band to have three albums successively debut at #1 on the ARIA Charts, and are renowned for their live performances.-History:Tim Rogers formed the first...
, Bodyjar, Snout, Automatic, Something For Kate (*) - Saturday June 24, 1995 with Frenzal RhombFrenzal RhombFrenzal Rhomb are an Australian punk rock band which formed in 1992 with mainstay Jason Whalley on lead vocals and rhythm guitar. In 1996, Lindsay McDougall joined the line-up on lead guitar and backing vocals. Two of the group's albums have peaked into the top 20 on the ARIA Albums Chart, A...
, Providence, Kilfinnan, Salmonella, Muffcake - Saturday July 1, 1995 with Bodyjar, One Inch Punch, Caustic Soda
- Saturday July 8, 1995 with TISMTISMTISM was a seven piece anonymous alternative rock band from Melbourne, Australia. The group was formed in 1982 and enjoyed a large underground/independent following. Their third album Machiavelli and the Four Seasons reached the Australian national top 10 in 1995...
, Trout Fishing In Quebec, Incursion, Warped, Salmonella - Saturday July 22, 1995 with Incursion, Spudgun, Sandpit, Kitty Cat Harness, Stick Figure, Tuff Muff
- Saturday August 5, 1995 with Fridge, Muffcake, Something For Kate, Food, Quadbox, Buttjuice
- Saturday August 19, 1995 with The MeaniesThe MeaniesThe Meanies are an indie Australian punk rock band, formed in 1989. The current band members include Link Meanie , Ringo Meanie and Wally Meanie . The Meanies had a hiatus in the mid-late 1990s, but began performing again in 1998...
, Nunchucka Superfly, Midget, Spudgun, Hardware - Saturday September 2, 1995 with Christbait, Regurgitator, Lawnsmell, Gerling, Hecate, Midget Stooges, Plunge
- Saturday September 9, 1995 with Incursion, Fur, Dioline, Drop City, Something For Kate
- Saturday September 16, 1995 with Channel Zero, Downtime, Superheist, Alchemist, Tuff Muff, Haite
- Saturday September 30, 1995 with Something For Kate, Kilfinnan, Salmonella, Quadbox, Pyroherra, Stick Figure, Caffeine, Judge Jumby, Day Break
- Saturday October 7, 1995 with BodyjarBodyjarBodyjar were an Australian punk rock/pop punk band based in Melbourne. They began performing under the name Bodyjar in 1994; their previous names included Damnation and Helium.-History:...
, Incursion, Sidewinder, Toe To Toe, Something For Kate, Caustic Soda, Spdfgh - Saturday October 14, 1995 with SpiderbaitSpiderbaitSpiderbait are an Australian alternative rock band formed in Finley in 1989 by bass guitarist Janet English, singer-drummer Mark Maher , and guitarist Damian Whitty. In 2004 the group's cover version of the 1930s Lead Belly song "Black Betty" reached number one on the ARIA Singles Chart...
, Incursion, Ricaine, Salmonella, Tuff Muff, Miffy, Resistica - Saturday October 28, 1995 with PowderfingerPowderfingerPowderfinger was an Australian rock band that formed in Brisbane in 1989. From 1992 until their breakup the band lineup consisted of vocalist Bernard Fanning, guitarists Darren Middleton and Ian Haug, bassist John Collins, and drummer Jon Coghill....
, Fur, Sidewinder, Zambian Goat Herders, Sandpit, Something For Kate - Saturday January 13, 1996 with Muffcake, Headcase, Buttjuice, Kilfinnan, Golden Lifestyle Band, Quadbox
- Saturday February 17, 1996 with Magic DirtMagic DirtMagic Dirt are an Australian rock band, which formed in 1991 in Geelong, Victoria, with Daniel Herring on guitar, Adam Robertson on drums, Adalita Srsen on vocals and guitar, and Dean Turner on bass guitar. Initially known as Deer Bubbles and then The Jim Jims, they were renamed as Magic Dirt in...
, Frenzal Rhomb, Spdfgh, Hurter (*) - Saturday March 2, 1996 with Ricaine, Something For KateSomething for KateSomething for Kate are a rock band from Melbourne, Australia. Members include songwriter, vocalist and guitarist Paul Dempsey, drummer Clint Hyndman and bassist Stephanie Ashworth...
, Warped, Kilfinnan, Paintstripper, Steel Worker - Saturday March 16, 1996 with No Fun At All, Millencolin, One Inch Punch, Blitz Babies, Wrong Body, Crettins Puddle
- Saturday April 6, 1996 with Incursion, Warped, Sandpit, Golden Lifestyle Band, Hurter, Living End
- Saturday May 11, 1996 with Frenzal Rhomb, Lawnsmell, Muffcake, Kilfinnan, Crettins Puddle, No Comply
- Saturday June 1, 1996 with Ricaine, Budd, Midget, Tweezer
- Saturday June 8, 1996 with Bodyjar, Porkers, Muffcake, Fallout
- Saturday June 15, 1996 with Something For KateSomething for KateSomething for Kate are a rock band from Melbourne, Australia. Members include songwriter, vocalist and guitarist Paul Dempsey, drummer Clint Hyndman and bassist Stephanie Ashworth...
, Tweezer, Golden Lifestyle Band, Even, Valve - Saturday June 29, 1996 with Nitocris, Salmonella, Kilfinnan, Crettins Puddle, Caffeine
- Saturday July 6, 1996 with Automatic, Muffcake, Quadbox, Nancy Vandal, Humbug, Bobbits
- Saturday July 20, 1996 with Spdfgh, Budd, Warped, Sneaker, Hardware, Sin Dog Jelly Roll, Numbskulls, Abode
(*) Events held at The Corner Hotel, Richmond. All other events were held at The Central Club, Richmond.