ALEX KARATASSA OF 5/4 ENTERTAINMENT

The SAM Awards remain a standout calendar moment for the South Australian music industry, as well as becoming a key date for national industry players too to keep an eye on what’s happening in SA and discover just why it has been named a UNESCO City of Music.

The SAM’s Industry and Major awards will be decided by a panel of 15 national and local judges who represent and work across various facets of the industry and are valued members of the overarching Australian music community. Musicology had the privilege of speaking with one of this years panelists Alex Karatassa.

Hi Alex and thanks for taking the time to speak with us at Musicology. Firstly congratulations on being selected as one of the judges for this year’s South Australian Music Awards. It must feel extra special this year to be discussing, deciding upon and sharing music considering the difficulties artists and the industry has faced in the past six months?

Thank you! I am so lucky to have been given this opportunity again this year to judge on the SAM Awards panel. I’ve been pouring over all the nominees and looking into what everyone has been up to considering the circumstances, and I have been truly inspired by all the artists and musicians that have been able to create music in new and unique ways in the last six months. It has been such a difficult time for so many, but it seems as though this period has given many artists the space and time to foster incredible creativity. I would really urge anyone who hasn’t to take the time and consume some local music from the last year; despite the pandemic, South Australian artists have made MAGIC this year!

It can be a difficult industry to make it in and the music industry is a multi-faceted one. Personally what has been your journey into the world of music and management?

I have always wanted to work in the music industry and have been chasing that dream since I left high school. The key for me was getting myself out there, saying yes to any opportunity that came my way and networking as much as possible. My journey was the classic hustle through countless music jobs and opportunities, I jumped at anything I could get my hands on. I volunteered and interned for years doing music industry jobs in every possible capacity before landing my role at Five Four Entertainment. During my first few years at Five Four I had a little taste of management in the form of tour managing, which I absolutely loved and I knew I wanted to take it further. I was also able to learn from Five Four Directors Craig Lock and Ross Osmon who were managing multiple artists at the time and they encouraged me to go out and find a band of my own to manage; I was probably a bit over eager and over excited and ended up finding three bands that I fell in love with (too much talent going around). It was a really great way to get started as all three bands were emerging artists at the time and I was new to management, so we helped each other to learn along the way. There is and always has been a great deal of respect as all parties are on the same journey at the same stage and I still manage all of these beautiful bands: Sleep Talk, Bearclaw Camp and The Beautiful Monument. Management can be a challenging role, but it is really enjoyable when you have found an artist(s) that you are incredibly passionate about.

Can you provide an insight to what you and the team do at Five Four Entertainment?

Five Four Entertainment is a music agency based in Adelaide that runs and promotes music festivals, predominantly Spin Off Festival in a partnership with Splendour in the grass, St Jerome’s Laneway Festival, Stonecutters and Flinders University O’Fiesta. Five Four also manages artists, tours international acts through to Adelaide and owns a live music venue called Lion Arts factory. I am also the Director of a company called Plus One Co. Working closely with Five Four Entertainment on all events, Plus One is now the biggest club night company in Australia, operating in 54 venues in 20 cities including New Zealand and Japan. At Five Four, I am an artist manager and music festival activations manager. My role includes assisting the directors in visualising the lineups for some of our festivals and events and running the activations at our events. I also manage three bands, Sleep Talk The Beautiful Monument and Bearclaw Camp. Under Plus One Co. I manage and facilitate weekly club events both nationally and internationally. I am also a DJ and in a non-restricted scenario I would be flying every weekend to a different city to DJ one of our events!

What are the key fundamentals that you look for in an artist that you believe has the hallmarks of a successful act considering the volume of outfits that come across your desk on any given day?

I am generally a huge sucker for some pop punk music, so anything in that realm I tend to love no matter what (haha!) However in order to grab my attention the music just needs to be honest and authentic. There is nothing as captivating as artists that simply make the music that they love, rather than trying to manufacture something that they think will achieve success.

Similarly what recognisable distinctions do you listen out for in a single, EP or record that you believe will instantly resonate with listeners?

I think the most powerful music is music that is completely unique and is derived from various influences and genres. Longterm, it’s fantastic when an artist continues to keep you guessing and on your toes by constantly evolving and developing their sound, its always exciting and it makes the listener wonder what’s next? and likely to engage with each new piece of music.

What are some of your favourite venues and can you share with us some special gigs you have seen and what made them so memorable?

If we can see past my obvious bias, I bloody love Lion Arts Factory (Toot toot). In all honestly though, the renovation and particularly the new stage, lighting and production set up is quite a sight to behold - the crew who visualised and created the venue did a stellar job. I had the absolute pleasure of seeing Slowly Slowly on the main stage on my birthday and I shed a little emo tear of joy. I’ve also heard glowing reviews from artists all over the world who have played Lion Arts and have raved about the quality of the backstage artist area - it is always beautiful to hear feedback from the artists direct. Oxford Arts Factory in Sydney is also an all time favourite for me. I have had the pleasure of seeing so many talented artists there, but have also seen my own artists on their stage and that is the best feeling as a manager. Back to SA though, I love the Crown and Anchor dearly and I am also a huge fan of the Thebarton Theatre. I have seen so many of my favourite artists at the Thebby including my all time fave moments of Panic At The Disco on August 25th 2008 (still the best day of my life), The Strokes in 2006, and also The Living End and Kisschasy about 3000 times.

Across the judging categories and the spectrum of entries, how you noticed any particular trends that are shaping up to be the latest and great in the music scene?

Interestingly, there’s been a lot of positive and uplifting music that’s emerged during this pandemic. This music probably inspired and helped the artists who wrote it during a difficult period, but also went on to comfort and be a nice warm hug to all the people that listened to it and that is so wonderful.

For those interested in or starting out in the music business what would be your top three tips?

As mentioned I am a big advocate of of getting yourself out there, saying yes and going out to seek your own opportunities and network. In the music industry it is not always what you know, it’s who you know, and you get to know people by getting out there. And it is a simple as that.

Working in both capacities, can you detail the dualism between music lover and music management and where the lines intersect and where the lines diverge?

I am well and truly a music lover 100% of the time and I think the beauty about working at a music company that you really love, with projects that inspire you, with staff that really support you and artists that you admire and adore, it means there is never a moment where you have to stop being a music lover.