Following Michael Hutchence and JD Fortune singer songwriter Ciaran Gribbin took to international stages and performed live to up to 30,000 INXS fans a time in 50 tour concerts with the iconic Aussie band.
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But now the Irish born Wollongong resident is bringing the world to the Illawarra via a virtual/live stream studio called Livestreemer.TV at IICONIC Creative Studios, Unanderra. And is planning a two day summer music festival and local talent quest in January.
Diego Bian, Gabriel Rizza and Marina Bian started IICONIC as a creative hub for the business and entertainment community in the Illawarra 15 years ago and have been providing services for corporate, national and international clients since.
With the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 the IICONIC team realised there was an opportunity to diversify the business and do more live streaming. They teamed up with Troy D'Antonio at RAM Productions and built a second live stream and virtual studio.
When Gribbin heard about Livestreemer.TV he realised it could provide him an opportunity to do international corporate work from Wollongong when there was little opportunity for entertainers to perform in front of a live audience.
He started a business called Rock & Roll Team Building and an example of the corporate work he is doing occurred this month when a client he wrote a song for was hosting a corporate event for an HR association in New Mexico and asked him to speak and perform music to the 150 people attending.
Prior to lockdown Gribbin travelled the world performing live at major corporate events. The last one was in Chicago for 3000 people at a United Airlines CEO leadership conference.
"I and all the musicians I know are creative types. But you have to try and earn a living from it which is why during the pandemic I have transformed into this virtual world," he said.
"Thankfully I have found a great local partner in IICONIC and RAM Productions. I have been doing this a long time and I never thought I would get paid to stand in a Unanderra recording studio performing to an audience in America."
Gribbin said LiveStreemer.TV will also help push emerging local talent to a global audience. He recently started a new music label called Never Dull Records with his manager/business partner Nicole White and wants to provide opportunities for the next generation of musicians.
"This is a really exciting time for young up and coming artists. Livestreemer.TV is an opportunity to provide them a stage to show what they can do," he said.
Unearthing new talent is something he also wants to do with a talent quest at a community festival he is organising on January 22 and 23 called the Summer Of Love Fest in partnership with Shellharbour City Council, KidsFest and IICONIC at Croome Road Sporting Complex and Albion Park Rugby League Football Club's Eagles Function Centre.
Performing in front of a live audience is still his favourite thing as a musician and he wants to give more people an opportunity and showcase their talent. Not just singers but all variety of performing artists. Entry details are being posted on the event website.
There will be a number of performance stages at the festival and special guest performers such as Shane Lee, Damien Leith and possibly even Shellharbour mayor Marianne Saliba.
"It is about us all coming out after this COVID thing as a community. I've been living here for five years now. I love the Illawarra and I'm not going anywhere," he said.
The Illawarra Mercury news app is now officially live on both iOS and Android devices. It is available for download in the Apple Store and Google Play.
Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
