What So Not Fights to Save Australian Music Scene After Closure of 150 Sydney Venues

Australian electronic artist Christopher John Emerson, famous for engineering What So Not, is doing his part to preserve the music scene of his region.

Christopher John Emerson aka Emoh Instead, best known as the mastermind behind What So Not, is using his influence to advocate better conditions for the arts and entertainment space in his native country of Australia. In a lengthy Instagram post, the DJ and record producer went into detail regarding the current state of live music in the area and the measures the country’s leaders should take to fix it.

After 150 venues in Sydney shut down recently, the city’s nightlife and economy took a massive hit. Emerson believes that Australia is no longer conducive to artists trying to make a living off their craft, and is calling for citizens to get involved to restore the scene that helped birth his career.

Referencing some of the greatest musicians to come out of Australia in recent years—Flume, Tame Impala, Chet Faker, etc.—Emerson emphasized the 84% drop in foot traffic in Sydney’s night district. In the absence of an environment that allows artists to thrive, the future seems bleak for creatives in Australia. Once COVID hit, matters became even worse.

Though all this negativity, he still expresses hope for restoration: “Amongst many things, there is a call to install a ‘Contemporary Music Office’ in the NSW Government & deliver 10-year Contemporary Music Strategy.”

In taking a politically neutral stance, Emerson makes it clear that his motive is to help artists and musicians in Australia, and that we need to put aside other differences in order to make that happen. By pushing to make the music scene in Australia profitable again, he hopes to create more jobs and summon the government to protect artists.

He signed off by asking his fans and followers to sign a petition to support the music industry. If you believe in Emerson’s cause, which is essentially a drive to protect the arts & entertainment domain of Australia, we urge you to get involved. The petition is available here.

author

I am an Indian American music journalist based in Los Angeles. My interests include (but aren't limited to) downtempo, industrial, drum & bass and trip hop. After working in the publishing industry as a copy editor for nearly three years, I decided to switch professions and become a writer. I have a bachelor's degree in English from UC Santa Cruz and a master's degree in Specialized Journalism from the University of Southern California. My aim as a writer is to explore the forces that energize creativity. I've always felt a natural pull toward the arts and entertainment space, and my stories seek to magnify the facets of its adjoining cultures.

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