Can't Gig There, Mate
Red tape, council regs and logistics? That’s where ideas go to die - unless you know how to work with them to create wild, unexpected, one-of-a-kind shows.
Where would you like to see a gig happen in Newcastle? This is not a panel. It’s a room full of artists and promoters rolling up their sleeves and building two real event concepts from scratch - live, in person and with your ideas in the mix. You’ll have the opportunity to pitch in as well, as the group considers spaces and concepts and works through the nuts and bolts of turning a left-field idea into something that actually happens.
You’ll leave with a fresh perspective on what a gig can be, a handful of actionable ideas, and a clear sense of how to make them happen.
Who is this event for
Artists, promoters and organisations in Newcastle and the Hunter who want to think bigger about live events.
Get to know your host
KAT SKOUMBAS
Host, Creative Producer (Clyde Street Arts)
Kat Skoumbas is a creative producer and cultural strategist with over two decades of experience in arts-led community development. As Director of The Big Picture Fest Newcastle, she has transformed the city into an open-air gallery celebrating cultural identity through large-scale street art. She currently leads Clyde St Arts, a creative precinct on 25,000sqm boasting Newcastle's largest collective of artists, innovators and producers - currently home to 30 creative businesses with over 80 individuals calling it their working home.
Featured Guests
Django Mallon
Django Mallon is a Newcastle-based music industry professional with a focus on event management and promotion. He cofounded Blue Moon Events in 2020 and more recently has started Groove Street Events - a collective focused on bringing groovy music to Newcastle in DIY settings, blurring the lines between the live music and electronic dance scene.
Moe Mattthew
Moe Matthew is a Newcastle-based promoter and event producer with more than 15 years of experience delivering live music events across the Hunter and beyond. He is the founder of Howlin’ Country and has worked across some of Newcastle’s most significant music events and festivals, including Fat As Butter, This That Festival, Scene & Heard, Live at the Foreshore, and more recently Kettama’s sold-out Boxing Day show with Steel City Dance Discs. Across his career, Moe has been involved in the delivery of almost 50 festivals in Newcastle.
Zoey Simpson
Zoey is a booking agent, promoter and founder of Seatbelt Collective based in Newcastle. She is the booking agent for The Lass O’Gowrie Hotel and The Oriental Hotel, building shows that platform emerging artists alongside established acts. Zoey also runs Minds Matter, a music and mental health project that has raised over $25,000 since 2024 for headspace Newcastle and Listen Up Music, with a strong focus on creating safe, inclusive and genuinely supportive spaces.
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