QHA-Review_April

INSIGHTS
QHA REVIEW | 30
“I’ve had people like Foreigner, Status Quo, dozens
and dozens of international acts, and on each ship,
I’d personally engage about 120 people. None of that
work has been available.
“There’s a large, very defined group of people with the
skills in the industry. They can’t just pick up their trade
and become a plumber.”
Marius said the lack of live performance opportunities
around the world in the last two years would be a
major set back for new music and musicians coming
through.
“The new Ed Sheerans of the world. If you don’t
give them the chance to perform live. Music’s about
engaging with your audience. The new, fresh acts, they
haven’t had that opportunity. We may not see a lot
of new acts for a while. That cycle, where you would
normally have new acts come through – we lost 2-2.5
years in that cycle.”
For Hutchinson Builders Chairman Scott Hutchinson
live music in the heart of his city of Brisbane is
something he believes everyone should have the
opportunity to experience.
As the owner / builder of seven venues in Brisbane,
including the $46million The Fortitude Music Hall, Scott
is quick to admit his foray into the music space is more
of a passion than a commercial venture.
In fact, the Music Hall that cost his $46million to
create, was recently valued at $27million – a result
Scott put down to the single use available for the
commercial space, and a financial world that struggled
to put a price on the value of entertainment at the best
of times.
Scott is the landlord for venues including Triffid, The
Fortitude Music Hall, Outpost, Lutz, Black Bear, Kick
Ons and Soundgarden.
He sees his support for the industry as an investment
in the acts of the future, and for music lovers who
simply want to go to town to see a great act rather
than being forced to drive long distances or catch
trains to attend locations like the Entertainment Centre
at Boondall.
During Scott’s formative years Festival Hall in Brisbane
was a favourite destination. He lists performances
by Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, Sex Pistols, Groove
Amada, and Michael Franti in his most memorable
concerts. He was there when Franti played late into
the night for the final concert ever at the venue.
It was when Festival Hall was sold in the Brisbane
CBD to become a high-rise tower that the seed was
planted with Scott to find a replacement not too far
away and The Fortitude Music Hall was imagined.
The venue, which can cater for a crowd of 3000,
opened just before the March 2020 COVID
shutdowns.