Q1. What is the SA Live Music Club?
The SA Live Music Club is part band incubator and part social club where singers, musos and bands can meet, mix and match. Its goal is to help and support people into playing live music. Several SA Live Music Club bands have gone on to perform professionally. The Club supports its members to develop their musicianship, helps them meet and form bands with like-minded people, and arranges a variety of gigs and events for them where they can perform in public venues. The club is a registered, not-for-profit, incorporated Association for recreational musicians and singers established in 2004. Please see FAQ 5 for information about how to join.
Q2. Is this the Weekend Warriors?
A. No. The SA Live Music Club and the Weekend Warriors are separate entities and different organisations. Weekend WarriorsTM is a Trademark of Recreational Music Making Pty Ltd (RMM). The Weekend Warriors Program is managed and delivered in South Australia through Holden Hill Music.
Q3. What do I get for my Membership fee, what are the benefits of belonging to the Club?
A. You get:
- membership of a social club of friendly, like-minded people who enjoy getting together to make and listen to music,
- opportunities to develop your musical skills and talents in a supportive environment,
- opportunities to play with other people and join or form bands and ensembles that suit your interests,
- exclusive, members-only access to performance opportunities at a wide variety of gigs, concerts and festivals,
- use of extensive, top quality backline gear and PA equipment and help to set it up. It is already set up for you at larger SA Live Music Club gigs. To hire this equipment privately for a single gig would cost more than most bands’ entire membership fees for a year.
- assistance of a Stage Manager and at larger gigs a Sound Technician to make sure your show runs smoothly and professionally
- the benefit of performing under the SA Live Music Club’s brand and reputation and the Club’s publicity and marketing to gain an audience
- discount admissions to SA Live Music Club events
- advance invitations and/or discounted admission to occasional special events such as voice and instrument workshops, masterclasses and presentations.
Q4. I have done a Weekend Warriors Program. Do I get automatic membership of the SA Live Music Club?
A. No. Interested persons and people completing a Round of the Weekend Warriors Program are welcome to apply for membership of the Club as described in FAQ 5.
Q5. How do I join the SA Live Music Club?
A. You may apply in writing and be proposed and seconded by two current financial members. There is a joining fee and a cap on the number of members admitted to the Club. If the Club is full, applications will be added to a waiting list and processed when vacancies become available in order of time and date of receipt of the application.
Please click here to download information about How to Apply.
If you were a former Associate Member, please see FAQ 12 below.
Q6. How do I renew my membership and pay my subscription?
A. You can find details about how to pay subscriptions, including paying by credit card securely online, by clicking to this Renew Membership page. Please note: That page is for current members to renew their memberships and pay their annual subscriptions.
Non-members and former members are not able to use that page to join the Club for the first time or to rejoin after your membership has lapsed. If you are interested in joining the SA Live Music Club, please see FAQ 5 above.
Q7. I let my membership lapse and would like to rejoin the Club. Do I have to pay a joining fee?
A. No. Any former member can rejoin the Club on payment of the appropriate subscription and joining fee. You do not have to be renominated and seconded. You can pay your membership fees here: https://salivemusic.club/new-member-payment/
Depending on the membership cap at the time, there might be a waiting list. Please contact the Membership Officer via the email form on the Contact Page to discuss your situation.
Q8. When does my Membership Year start and finish?
A. It depends on when you joined or re-joined the Club. Your individual Membership Year will be one of the following:
1 January – 31 December
1 April – 31 March the following year
1 July – 30 June the following year
1 Oct – 30 Sept the following year
Your membership period starts on the day you join and finishes 12 months after the end of that quarter. For example, if you joined on 14 April in the quarter ending 30 June, your twelve months membership would start on 14 April and end on 30 June the following year (ie. over 14 months later). From then on, if you decide to continue, your membership year will be from 1 July to 30 June the following year.
Q9. I’ve just paid my annual subscription, but my membership card says my next renewal date is less than 12 months away. Why haven’t I got 12 months?
A. You most likely have got 12 months, but paid your membership fee late. Individual membership years are as described in the previous FAQ. Late payment of membership fees will not change the renewal date.
Update 18 April 2020: The SA Live Music Club’s management committee has decided to discontinue the production and issuing of membership cards as part of its cost and time saving measures during the Covid 19 health crisis. The absence of a membership card will make no material difference to a member’s ability to participate in club events or eligibility to register for gigs.
Q10. I was an Associate Member and would like to rejoin. Do I have to apply to become a member as described in FAQ 5.?
A. No. If a former Associate Member wishes to rejoin the Club, he/she will be re-admitted as a full Member on payment of the relevant full Member fee, subject to the membership cap and waiting list applicable at the time. The Associate category of membership was discontinued in May 2018 and all Associate Members were transitioned to Full Members. Please use the Contact Form to send a message to Membership Enquiries to confirm your eligibilty and for information about how to re-apply.
Q11. I am going to stop participating in Club activities. Can I transfer the balance of my membership to someone else?
A. No. Membership is not transferable.
Q12. I am a Member, but not currently in a band. How can I find a band or group to play with?
A. 1) Regularly check the Members’ Ads on the SA Live Music Club’s website where bands advertise vacancies. Members can also submit their own individual ads seeking a spot in a band.
2) Attend SA Live Music Club events and get to know your fellow members. Through the relationships you build and the contacts you make it will only be a matter of time before you will be connected with others looking for band members. See the Gig Guide on this web site for a list of Club gigs you can attend. Perhaps you could volunteer to help set up and assist the organiser at some of these events and get to know and be known by other members that way.
3) Remember that members are also entitled to participate in various Club events such as Random Jam and Random Bands that are intended to keep members and former members engaged with the SA Live Music Club and give guests a taste of Club activities through participation in a fun event. These are good opportunities to make contacts and friendships with people, some of whom also play in SA Live Music Club bands. People in these groups have gone on to form bands or ensembles as a result of the contacts and friendships they have made there. These events are announced on this website and notices are emailed to members. Non-members are welcome to subscribe to the club newsletter using the sign-up form in this page’s side column to receive notices of such events.
Q13. I’m a member and I’m in a band. How do we get to participate in SA Live Music Club events?
A. 1) Ensure every member of your band is a paid-up Member.
2) New bands might need to audition for the Events Unit. You only need to do this once, but don’t leave it until too close to one the Club’s big public events. The easy and friendly way to audition is to perform a small set at a Saturday Session at The Gov. Details of these sessions are emailed to members.
3) Make sure that the Club has your up-to-date email address. The Club’s Events Unit sends emails to members telling them about upcoming gigs and how to register. Popular events fill quickly.
4) Check the Club’s website. Event notices are posted there and also in the “Upcoming Events” calendar.
5) Appoint a band contact person who registers on behalf of the band and is the point of contact for the Events Unit.
Q14. We are booked in for a SA Live Music Club gig, but the subscription of one of our band members has expired. He says he will pay later. Can we still perform?
A. No. not with that person in the line-up. If a person is not a paid-up member of the SA Live Music Club, he/she will not be allowed to go on the stage at Club gigs. Other members of the band may go on stage provided they are paid-up Club members. The SA Live Music Club takes its members’ rights and responsibilities very seriously. If a band attempts to go on stage, knowing they have a non-member or non-financial member amongst them, or the non-financial member attempts to bluff or bully his/her way onto the stage, the Stage Manager or Event Manager will stop the band performing at that event. Individuals also leave themselves open to disciplinary action under Sections 4.3 and 29 of the Club’s Constitution.
Special membership provisions for Random Bands: Club Rules designate Random Bands as a Special Interest Group (SIG), that is, a short-term or one-off activity or project for members, former members and guests. A guest or former member becomes a Special Interest Member on payment of the applicable activity/project fee, and is deemed to be a temporary Member of the Association only for the duration of the Special Interest Group activity or project in order to comply with the “members only” rule for eligibility to perform at a Club event when that event is approved as part of the SIG activity or project.
Q15. Are there any restrictions on Members playing at other, independent gigs?
A. No. In that situation, the band performs as an independent band in its own right. We only ask that bands do not use the Club’s name or branding and do not create the false impression that such a gig is a SA Live Music Club event or that it is sponsored by the SA Live Music Club.
Q16. Who runs the Club?
A. A Management Committee conducts the Club’s day-to-day business. Club members elect the Committee each year at the Club’s Annual General Meeting. The Committee comprises: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and up to six general committee members. Each year, the incoming Committee appoints individuals to fulfill various operational roles as may be required, including Events Manager, Membership Officer, Stage Manager, Sponsorship Liaison, Disputes Resolution Officer, Webmaster and any other role as required.
Q17. Do SA Live Music Club bands get paid for gigs?
A. No, not at SA Live Music Club gigs. Club gigs and festivals are community, charity or social events to which the performers donate their time. The Club takes care to avoid competing unfairly with professional bands and musos for paid gigs. If a band arranges independently to perform at a non-Club event, then the band may negotiate a fee for its services the same as any other independent band.
Q18. Does the Club get paid for gigs?
A. No. However, the Club receives donations from the organisers of certain events. Such donations are put towards the Club’s expenses such as insurance, maintenance and transport costs. Further funds are raised at gigs through raffles, the sale of merchandise and gold coin donations. The Club does not receive grants or funding from any organisation.
Q19. Where does the money go?
A. All income goes towards running the Club for the benefit of members. Most of it is used for equipment purchase, maintenance, repair and insurance, including the van. The rest goes on operational expenses. The Club has no employees and therefore pays no wages. Work is done by volunteers. Members who incur out-of-pocket expenses on behalf of the Club are reimbursed.
