At a star-studded launch held yesterday at Allans Billy Hyde’s flagship Melbourne store, Support Act proudly launched Bandwagon, their most elaborate and ambitious fundraising appeal to date! Bandwagon is a crowd funding appeal via the platform Pozible, with the aim of raising $100,000 for Australia’s music industry charity. If they successfully reach their target, the crowd-funded campaign will be the biggest of its kind for an Australian charity.
On hand to assist with proceedings were friends of Support Act – Ian “Molly” Meldrum, Hannah Findlay (Stonefield), Ian Haug (The Church, Powderfinger), Steve Kilbey (The Church), Eric McCusker (Mondo Rock), Keith Potger and Bruce Woodley (The Seekers), together with one of Support Act’s service users, Lilli Lovegrove, who was helped by the charity when her father, Vince Lovegrove, died suddenly in 2012.
Also at the launch event was CEO of Allans Billy Hyde, Con Gallin who generously donated the ultimate pledge package for the campaign, the granddaddy of them all, The Golden Nugget, consisting of a brand new Hyundai i20 Active, automatic 5 door Phantom Black hatchback (supported by Melbourne City Hyundai), together with a $10,000 voucher redeemable for instruments from Allans Billy Hyde (terms and conditions apply).
In an exciting and surprising “Stop Press” moment during a live cross with the Sunrise program on the Seven Network yesterday morning, organisers received a telephone call from new Sydney broadcast and creative facility for the entertainment industry, The X Studio, who kicked off the campaign in a spectacular way by purchasing The Golden Nugget package within minutes of the campaign going live!
Support Act is a charity, unique in Australia, providing financial relief to music professionals facing illness, injury or some other life crisis. Support Act helps music professionals in all fields of the industry including singers, songwriters, composers, musicians, roadies, techies, managers, lighting techs and everyone in between.
Sadly, with so few safety nets available to people working in the music industry, demand for Support Act’s services is rising dramatically and has increased by 500% in the last year alone. Support Act receives no money from the government and must raise every dollar it needs to run its vital services.
Support Act have collaborated with a broad range of music stars, music industry personalities and venues on Bandwagon to offer one-off ‘money can’t buy’ experiences, and ‘limited edition’ product as rewards for pledges. Check out the full campaign video at http://pozi.be/bandwagon)