FRUSIC

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (14:46): My question is to the Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation. Can the minister update the council on the launch of FRUSIC, the new Fringe music initiative?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (14:46): I thank the honourable member for his question and his ongoing commitment to the development of live music and innovation around live music in South Australia. On 10 February, I attended the launch of FRUSIC, the Adelaide Fringe Festival's dedicated music program that was launched at the Jade Monkey.

The purpose of FRUSIC is to highlight the importance of live music during the Fringe and to promote local venues and musicians and innovation in the music sector. The initiative is being delivered by Music SA with support from the Music Development Office, the Adelaide Fringe, the Australian Hotels Association and the Adelaide City Council. Through FRUSIC, Adelaide will be further showcased during the 2016 Adelaide Fringe as an innovative, technologically advanced city, which aligns well with the Smart City initiatives being pursued by the City Council and the state government.

I am pleased to say that the launch was a resounding success, with the well-known rock 'n' roll icon, the Hon. John Gazzola, making an impassioned speech. The Hon. Mr Gazzola is a well-known drummer and fan of the theremin, and he spoke of the importance of live music to our state and the benefits that would flow from the initiative. We also heard from Lisa Bishop, General Manager of Music SA, whose passion and commitment to the local music industry is as strong as ever.

The launch was a great opportunity to showcase the technologies that will be featuring in FRUSIC, and some of the innovations are absolutely world class. Innovative technology elements include the Adelaide Music Trail, the Little Birdy Network, and Reality Media. I understand that the Music Development Office has supported these technologies through its Connected Music City initiative, which aims to activate and differentiate Adelaide as the place to experience live music in Australia, enabled by technology.

The Little Birdy Network is a local app, developed locally, that uses the Internet of Things and location-based mobile phone technology to go to live entertainment through the use of social media and a loyalty scheme. I saw a demonstration of the Little Birdy app when I was there, and it has the entire FRUSIC catalogue on that app. It has also installed its beacon and smart base technology around 17 venues to date. After winning the Connected Music City Challenge I think it is fair to say that the Little Birdy team are a great example of an innovative team taking their innovative ideas and skills base and creating a fantastic new product, and I was pleased to be able to talk to members from the Little Birdy team at the FRUSIC launch.

The Adelaide Music Trail is an interactive walking trail that tells stories of iconic Adelaide music venues and includes exclusive video content and links to Fringe music shows. This app and website were funded by the Music Development Office and they are being delivered by the National Trust of South Australia as part of its existing Adelaide City Explorer platform.

Also, Reality Media is a local developer that works with augmented reality and uses the Aurasma App to tag the FRUSIC printed brochure. With the brochure, when you turn the pages over and you hold your phone over a particular photo, if it has this app loaded on it, the picture in the photo will come to life. If it is a photo that accompanies an article about a band, you might see a video clip as that photo comes to life or even if it's an ad, if it is an ad for the soft drink Fruita, that might come to life and you might see video content on your phone with this augmented reality app. The mix of live music and technology will ensure the inaugural FRUSIC program will be a highlight for live music venues in Adelaide during the Fringe.

South Australia has a rich and long tradition and history of live music. Many local musicians and bands who have come to national and international prominence over the decades have started their career playing music in live venues around Adelaide. FRUSIC is a brilliant way to introduce the current and next generation of music lovers to our city's live music culture. I encourage people to download the apps and try them for themselves and see how the new round of technology is improving the live music experience. I might add that it was a very enjoyable night for all and I encourage everyone to avail themselves of the benefits of the FRUSIC part of the Fringe.