Forever Young – A New Video Series from The Push and the Australian Music Vault
“It was giving me a voice I didn’t know that I really wanted… and that I really needed.”
– Susan Forrester
Artistic Director, The Push (1995-2001)
Associate Director Programming, Arts Centre Melbourne (now)
How do you build a thriving music scene? For more than three decades, The Push has created opportunities for young voices, a space for self-directed community and a vital stage for industry talent.
Forever Young, a three episode series of short documentaries co-presented by AMV and The Push and produced by KEWL studios, dives into the archives of an organisation deeply entrenched in the story of Australian live music.
From Paul Dempsey waxing lyrical about unforgettable all-ages gigs to Good Sniff’s palpable excitement on stage at the Myer Music Bowl in 2019, the series captures a refreshing perspective on young audiences. As the Something for Kate frontman describes, “There’s so much raw enthusiasm ...they’re just so happy to be together, in a venue, seeing live music”.
The video series features candid interviews with Paul Dempsey, Susan Forrester, Nathan Gunn, Lachie Brown and Elias Hodson (Good Sniff), Shane Wickens, and Sara Glaidous, alongside incredible footage of almost four decades of Push events and programs.
Speaking to musicians, music industry practitioners, and young Push program participants, this series celebrates the diverse voices of The Push experience across the music community.
How The Push Built a Live Music Generation
Victoria’s vibrant contemporary music scene is no accident. For generations of young people, The Push has been a much-loved and often needed source of inspiration, support, and belonging. And The Push has never missed a beat. From the 80s to today, by developing live music audiences, artists, and industry practitioners, The Push has been instrumental in making Melbourne the live music capital of the world.
Industry legend, Susan Forrester, reflects on the new inclusive pathways that The Push community offered from its earliest days. Forrester remembers that before The Push opened its doors, “If you weren’t into sport, there wasn’t really anything for you.” From performing at Push gigs, to producing projects and leading the organisation as Artistic Director, Susan’s experience is the quintessential story of The Push. “It was helping young people to self-determine what they thought was appropriate for them. That’s what The Push was really good at and it’s a point of difference that’s really unique.”
Nathan Gunn, now an artist manager, reminisces about the moment he realised the possibilities open to him, “16 years old, [I thought] ‘this is an option to me all of a sudden.’”
Thousands of gigs, hundreds of career-making moments and countless opportunities later “Forever Young” showcases an essential part of Victoria’s creative engine that continues to work hard for the future of the music industry, changing young lives for the better.
Watch The Series
Watch The Push ‘Forever Young’ Video Series
The whole three-episode series can be viewed at the Australian Music Vault’s website now.
EPISODE 1: A COMMUNITY
This episode features interviews with Paul Dempsey (Something For Kate) and Elias Hodson and Lachie Brown (Good Sniff), who reflect on their first underage gigs with The Push, and the friendships that came from those experiences, the sense of community that comes with playing to all-ages crowds, and the impact of providing performance opportunities to young bands.
EPISODE 2: A VOICE
This episode features interviews with Susan Forrester (Artistic Director, 1995 – 2001) and Nathan Gunn (Communications Officer, 2020 – 2021). They discuss the role that The Push played in their lives, and the importance of being able to find community and follow passions at a young age.
EPISODE 3: A START
This episode features interviews with Sara Glaidous, (Chairperson, Youth Advisory Committee, 2017 – 2018) and Shane Wickens (Artistic Director, 2003 – 2015). This episode reflects on the skills and professional experiences gained while working with The Push and the impact it can have on your life, opening up career pathways in the music industry.
Media Quotes
“Every day I am told a story about how The Push has changed a life, kick-started a career or introduced a young person to their community. Hearing and seeing the stories in this video series affirms the instrumental role The Push continues to play as a pipeline into our vibrant Australian music sector.”
– Kate Duncan, CEO
“When I was a teenage kid dreaming of starting a band and playing gigs, the Push were absolutely pivotal. Going to their all-ages events and seeing other young people playing music made the impossible seem possible and before I knew it Something for Kate were playing at Push Over.”
– Paul Demspey, Musician (Something for Kate)
Special thanks
The Push would like to thank the following people for their contribution to this series.
Paul Dempsey
Lachie Brown
Elias Hodson
Susan Forrester
Nathan Gunn
Shane Wickens
Sara Glaidous
Tobias Willis and the team at KEWL Studio
Arts Centre Melbourne
The Australian Music Vault
Jeff Jenkins
The Push Team
The Push would also like to dedicate this video series to Carolyn Laffan who was always an incredible champion for music history and instrumental in making this project possible. We send our love and condolences to Caz’s family and friends.
Donate
Want to support The Push to give all young people the opportunity to participate and thrive in Australian music?
The Push is a registered charity that relies on the generosity of our community to support our work.
By making a donation, you can give young people access to contemporary music programs and events.
Now more than ever, we need your support to help young people stay connected and engaged within their communities.
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