focusinterview.
Mel Miante
Live2U L I V E 2 U
mel miante Mel Miante (pictured right, with husband Dave) has a distinctive style, true creative flair, a savvy business head, and a love of the performing arts. Along with Dave, and with the support of their children and numerous friends, Mel is at the helm of local business Live2U, which provides an array of services from artist management to photography and website design for local performers. And Live2U’s reputation is growing, as the business has just won a major award …
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i Mel. Share some of your history with us ... what originally brought you to the area? We wanted to raise our kids in a rural area, so we sold up our Sydney property and escaped to them there hills, which at the time was beautiful Bellangry. Bellangry is a rural paradise and the locals in Peadsville were so incredibly kind and welcoming to us, but we wanted to be closer to the live music hub, so we moved into town up near Nobbys Beach. We have been so lucky to experience the best this area has to offer between bush and beach. What’s your musical background – have you always had an interest in bands/the performing arts? Absolutely, but it’s not just music, it is all forms of artistic expression: dancers, street performers, painters, comedians - anything creative fascinates me. When I was very young, I would listen to records and make my own mock radio shows using a cassette player. I would sit by the radio and listen to the Top 40, and I watched Count Down religiously! I think I was subconsciously brainwashed by Molly Meldrum. I don’t think it’s an active choice to be passionate about music and arts; some of us are just programmed that way. Do you play or sing yourself? Well I do now, but I haven’t always. Ultra Violet (my original co-presenter on Live2U TV) and I decided to get matching treble clef tattoos to symbolise our love of music, but neither of us actually played an instrument at the time. When people asked us what we played, she’d say something odd like kazoo, and I’d say triangle or castanets. Then one day, we were like, “Hmmm … maybe we should learn something”, so she took up bass, and I took up guitar. I’ve always loved singing and songwriting, but I suffer from performance anxiety. It’s weird that I can pick up a microphone and MC an event in front of hundreds, or interview renowned musicians like Spiderbait
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We put in a lot of
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urs and Little Birdie impromptu unpaid man ho , ns ia and not miss a beat, but if I ic us to support m s ha have to sing in front of an d ar aw and this d us audience, I’m a deer in the definitely spurre like ’s It headlights … doh! on to do more. ot When did you establish a motivational sh ins of ve e th to in Live2U ... and what was straight LOL.” the reason behind starting a creative ju nkie up the business? One day some years back, Ultra Violet, Dave and I came up Who are some of the local with the idea to create our own indie entertainers you’ve represented channel and do freelance journalism, so Live2U in recent years? TV was born www.youtube.com/live2utv. We Angus Gill, Anna-Vee, Aunty HuHu and the wanted to create entertaining, unrehearsed Big Lazy, Bounty Hunters, Bill Roberts, Crank the and uncensored music television that focused Monkey, Ecko Beach, Goody 2 Shoes, iChoonz, on independent musicians. It’s been hard to Piston Broke, 3 Blind Mice, The BlackBirds, Jokers keep the channel running though, because we Wild, and the Rotors - just to name a few. are self funded and it is expensive to maintain Is Live2U a one man band, or do you have equipment and cover travel costs; ideally we a team of people who help with different need to find a sponsor to continue. Over the areas within the business? Introduce us to years we have kept adding additional services at your crew ... the request of the musicians, and we just keep We are family owned and funded so, primarily growing. my husband Dave and I run the operations and Describe the services the business offers ... as the kids are getting older, they pitch in too, We’ve built all of our services from the skills but we also have an amazing team of friends and and experience we have, so we currently offer volunteers who help support us. Dave is an exartist management and band booking services, tremely talented live music/festival photographer. website design, professional photography, proHe has even had some of his photos from Festival motion and branding, digital media marketing, of the Sun printed in Crusty Demons magazine. event management, master of ceremonies, video What are some of the major events you’ve production and graphic design. managed in the past? We also run “Port Macquarie Musicians” We ran “An Enchanted Eve” a few years back, group on Facebook, a networking and pro“Wake the Dead Halloween Show”, “’80’s Remotion page for local musicians. Whilst I may vival Fancy Dress Disco”, “Rock & Risque Show” present as flamboyant, I am actually a savvy and last year we helped out with “Port Motor businesswoman with many years’ experience Mania”. working in executive planning areas for governSometimes we meet unique performers, ment, and I have formal qualifications in Business particularly on the festival scene, and we will be Management. I use an alter ego/alias when I inspired to build an event around them so that interview for Live2U TV, so that I can keep my people in Port Macquarie also have an opportujournalism persona completely separate from my nity to experience their magic. We have built a professional business side. This is particularly network of amazing performers, so we would necessary as we work full-time day jobs and run love to work with more local venues to create exLive2U services in our own personal time. citing shows and events infused with live music.
Live2U has recently been acknowledged with a very special award from the Australian Independent Music Association. What was this award for? Directing and Producing “Best Blues Music Video of the Year 2014 Australia”. How did being told you’d won this award make you feel? What does it mean for your business? I literally cried; I had to explain to my work colleagues that they were happy tears! It was overwhelming to learn that we had been recognised for an award in the music video industry, particularly in the indie scene. We are so grateful, but couldn’t have done it without our kids’ help, some spectacular time-lapse footage by Jeff at Beachfront Productions, the amazing Port Macquarie scenery and of course, great original music by local band, Bounty Hunters. We put in a lot of unpaid man hours to support musicians, and this award has definitely spurred us on to do more. It’s like a motivational shot straight into the veins of a creative junkie LOL. If a local band/singer or venue would like to speak to you about the services you offer, or if someone would like to book a band, how do they go about contacting you? You can contact us via www.live2U.com.au but we have a couple of rules for musicians: you must be making original music or plan to and be willing to be part of the Live2U Musician Family, which means, supporting each other and most of all … you must have passion for what you do. Thanks Mel. Interview by Jo Atkins.