Roadies are amongst the most essential figures in the entertainment world. The reality is, no road crew = no show and it's with our mates in mind, and thanks to the overwhelming response to the inaugural event in March 2019, Roady4Roadies will return on Sunday, 5 April 2020 expanding from Capital Cities to regional centres with a total of 13 events taking place around the country.
Despite their hard work and dedication to the artists and events they work with and for, many roadies find themselves in precarious health and financial circumstances and Roady4Roadies shines a much-deserved light on the diverse range of highly technical and creative skills required of live production crew, while raising desperately needed funds to help those in crisis.
"In its first year, Roady4Roadies raised $71,500.00 from being staged in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane,
Adelaide and Perth," says CrewCare co-director and co-founder Howard
Freeman on behalf of the association's board.
"The net profit of $62,820.00 went to the Support Act 'Roadies Fund' to assist crew in crisis."
This year, Roady4Roadies events have been confirmed to take place in Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Gold Coast, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth, Port Lincoln,
Sunshine Coast, Sydney, The Entrance and Townsville.
The day commences with the Roady4Roadies Walk (a leisurely 4-5kms) culminating in a variety of family activities and performances at well-known entertainment precincts around the country. All walk participants receive a free t-shirt with sunscreen and water available along the route.
The Roady4Roadies Walk concludes with live entertainment from some of Australia's leading artists with food, awards, speeches and prizes on offer at each event.
Artists performing at the Roady4Roadies events around the country include
Jon Stevens,
Tim Rogers,
Dave Graney and
Clare Moore,
John Paul Young, Mr. Meaner, Kevin Borich Express, Daren Reid, Andy Seymour,
Steve Kilbey and
John Jarrett with many more to come!
The Sydney leg of Roady4Roadies is taking place in association with the inaugural Support Act Live! concert commencing at 6.00pm at Paddington RSL featuring performances from Steve Kilbey, Mark Callaghan,
Terry Serio,
John Jarrett, Simon Lobelson, backed by
Rick Grossman, Dave Leslie and more. All tickets purchased for the Sydney Roady4Roadies Walk include free entry to Support Act Live!
CrewCare is a charity established to improve the welfare of live production crew. For CrewCare it's as much about fostering a community spirit as providing an insight to the technical and creative work of road crews, and to the crisis of their physical, medical and financial problems.
"All my time in the music industry, there was always someone there to pick me up when I was down," reveals highly respected veteran road warrior
Ross Ferguson.
"CrewCare guided me to Support Act. Because of Support Act, this caring kindness continued afterwards. They gave me the help that lifted me out of a crisis, when I really needed it. Thank you, Support Act. You saved me."
Howard
Freeman points out, "One of the most pleasing things for us was how the entire spectrum of the music industry pitched in with their time and money to make it work.
"They included promoters, publicists, managers, agents, venues, media and of course artists. They all worked along-side the best crew in the country ... the best in the world!"
Jon Stevens, of
Noiseworks and INXS fame, explains why he is just one of the many in the music industry to put his hand up to help.
"Road crew are the heart and soul of the Australian music industry," Stevens says.
"They are the first people at the venue and the very last to leave. They put together the gigs and the concerts that make us look great and that you enjoy. They are the industry's unsung heroes"
"But the life of a roadie can be tough and uncompromising", he added. "Their work is physically demanding and emotionally challenging. The unrelenting hours and pressures and travel often come with a huge personal cost. While road crew spend their lives supporting us, sometimes they too need our support"
The funds raised by CrewCare and Support Act to date have gone into a number of important initiatives.
In the first 7 months of this financial year (July - January), Support Act crisis relief grants to crew increased by 111% compared to the previous 12 months. They now represent 32% of our total grants to artists, crew and music workers. Crew currently represents 12% of users of the Support Act Wellbeing Helpline.
In 2019 1000 x Support Act Wellbeing Helpline posters were placed in production trucks Australia-wide and 2,000 x wallet-sized 'Crew Cards' handed out to crew at event sign-ons and in the workplace, with another 2000 to be distributed.
CrewCare have also initiated an agreement with the University of
Sunshine Coast and
Sunshine Coast Mind and Neuroscience - Thompson Institute, to undertake research specific to crew welfare.
For more information, go to:
Roady4Roadies,
CrewCare or
Support Act.
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