John “JC” Collins spent 21 years paying base for one of Australia’s most successful bands.
These days, however, he’s working on reviving Queensland’s nightlife.
The bassist, 54, who played in Powderfinger from 1989 until 2010, is a passionate live music venue owner – and now he’s the state’s first-ever night-life economy commissioner.
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Collins, 54, will work with live music venues, nightclubs, bars, restaurants, pubs and music festivals to pump millions of dollars into Queensland’s economy.
The musician’s job will focus primarily on Brisbane, a hotspot for live music and nightlife.
In tandem with the announcement, Premier Steven Miles unveiled a $1.6 million cash boost to support venues in Queensland.
“As a member of Powderfinger, John helped shape the soundtrack of our generation, and now, he’s the perfect choice to shape the future of Queensland’s nightlife economy,” Small Business Minister Lance McCallum said.
“His passion for live music and his deep connection to Queensland’s creative industries make him the ideal person to steer our nightlife economy into a thriving future.”
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Collins said his first order of business would be chatting to venue owners to get a sense of how Queensland’s nightlife is faring.
“I’m very excited about getting around and talking to all the stakeholders in the state and hearing what they’ve got to say and then being a consistent message between the nightlife economy and the government,” he said in a statement.
As well as a titan of Australia’s music scene, Collins is also the co-owner and venue director of Fortitude Valley Music Hall and the Triffid in north Brisbane.
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