The online petition to get 5,000 signatures to present to the Government can be found here. It is spearheaded by Cherry Bar and Yah Yahs co-owner and booker James Young (who was behind the naming of AC/DC Lane in the city) and writer Kaye Blum.
The idea began at a 2014 Face The Music conference last November. During a panel discussing Music In Melbourne City’s DNA, panellist Young argued that Victoria’s number plate slogan should be The State for Live Music.
At this time, the then-Labor Opposition leader Daniel Andrews (now Premier) had committed $22.2 million to the Victorian music industry over four years to include initiatives as a music hub, a Hall of Fame, and more tourism boosting ideas as music landmarks and roadways. That has since been adopted. Since then, the Andrews Government has introduced more initiatives as lifting the eight year freeze on new licenses for late night venues with capacities under 200 (a significant statement that live music venues are not part of alcohol-fuelled street violence) and a new grant for venues to help them with sound proofing.
Blum, who was in the Face The Music audience, approached Young afterwards about doing something to make it happen.
Said Young, “At first I thought she was kidding. But after a few emails, I realised she was totally serious. I was pleased to see that someone was paying attention and was keen to really make this happen.”
Around that time, too, Andrews had proposed to change the number plate slogan to The Education State from the current Stay Alert, Stay Alive.
Young added, “Premier Andrews’ recognition of live music’s contribution to the wealth of this state is awesome. But how is The Education State on our plates going to look to visitors? Will Victorians be proud of this as our genuine point of difference? I don’t think so.”
Young points out that other music cities in the world emphasise their status. Berlin, for instance, has music-themed ‘walk and don’t walk’ symbol at crossings. Austin has bands greeting visitors at airports. Melbourne’s message, he says, would be best served by number plates.
“Victoria’s thriving music culture is a huge drawcard, across the country and globally, so we should be shouting it from the rooftops. Now that the late night ban has been lifted from small venues hosting live music, the scene is only going to get better, attracting more people, and stimulating the economy even more.”
Previous licence plates have included the messages The Garden State, On The Move, and The Place To Be.
