Australian Musician will mark three decades of documenting Australian music with a special Melbourne event featuring Jason Rosewarne’s photography, live performances and a recording project supporting NeuroEndocrine Cancer Australia.
by Paul Cashmere
Australian Musician will celebrate 30 years of covering Australian music with CAPTURED LIVE, a special event bringing together photographer Jason Rosewarne’s work, performances from artists he has documented and a fundraising effort for NeuroEndocrine Cancer Australia. The event will take place at Empire Music Studios in Heidelberg West on Wednesday December 2, 2026.
The evening will begin at 5.30pm with an exhibition of Rosewarne’s photography, followed by a two-hour concert from 7.30pm featuring a selection of musicians whose performances have been captured by Rosewarne during his 11 years working with Australian Musician.
Geoff Achison, Shannon Bourne, Jimi Hocking, Kathleen Halloran, Lloyd Spiegel, John McNamara, Andrea Marr and Joshua Batten are among the confirmed performers, with additional special guests expected to join the programme.
The exhibition will also give visitors an opportunity to purchase framed prints of Rosewarne’s work, with funds from the sales donated to NeuroEndocrine Cancer Australia. A further $5 from every ticket will be donated to the organisation.
CAPTURED LIVE is also being documented as a recording project. Trevor Carter will record the concert in Empire’s main studio, with the intention of releasing a live album. Proceeds from sales of that album will also be donated to NeuroEndocrine Cancer Australia, extending the fundraising component beyond the December event itself.
Rosewarne’s association with Australian Musician began after the 2015 Melbourne Guitar Show, where his photography brought him to the attention of the magazine. He subsequently photographed guitar shows, concerts and festivals for the publication, building an extensive archive of Australian and international performers.
His work has included coverage of Bluesfest Byron Bay, Winter Blues, Riverboats Festival, Blues Guitar Roadshows, Red Hot Summer Tours and A Day On The Green, as well as stadium performances by Paul McCartney, AC/DC, Kiss, Metallica, Robbie Williams, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters and Pearl Jam.
For Rosewarne, the photographic archive represents more than a collection of individual concert images. His work has documented artists in performance across a period in which Australian Musician itself moved from a traditional print publication into the digital era.
Australian Musician was launched by the Australian Music Association in December 1995 as a quarterly colour magazine designed to inform and support musicians. Its early print editions covered artist interviews, album reviews, equipment, road tests and music lessons, while musicians including Tommy Emmanuel, INXS, Kate Ceberano, Wolfmother, Little Birdy, Paul Dempsey and Dave Graney contributed to the publication.
The magazine also became known for gaining access to artists during soundchecks and rehearsals, offering readers a perspective beyond the standard concert experience. The Rolling Stones, Beyoncé, Brian Wilson, Joe Satriani, The Thrills, Roger Waters and Sepultura were among the artists who allowed Australian Musician access during their Australian visits.
Australian Musician relaunched as an online publication in March 2014, retaining its focus on Australian musicians and the equipment and creative processes behind their work. In July 2023, editor Greg Phillips acquired the publication and continued to operate it independently.
That history provides the backdrop for CAPTURED LIVE, where photography, live performance and archival music journalism will occupy the same space for one evening.
Empire Music Studios provides an appropriate setting. The business traces its history to 1986, when Paul Higgins and Trevor Carter established Studio 52 in Collingwood. Over four decades, the operation has recorded more than 1,000 albums and expanded into a 1,250-square-metre Heidelberg West complex incorporating four recording and production studios and the Empire Live @ Studio A performance space.
The December event will use that venue for both the exhibition and concert, while also creating a new recording from the performances.
VIP table seating is limited to $60, while general admission is $40, with general admission positions allocated on a first-in basis. Tickets include hot canapés and a light supper, with a fully licensed bar operating throughout the evening.
CAPTURED LIVE takes place on Wednesday December 2, 2026, at Empire Music Studios, 9 Northern Rd, Heidelberg West, with the exhibition from 5.30pm and the concert beginning at 7.30pm.
Tickets are available through TryBooking. TryBooking tickets for CAPTURED LIVE
NeuroEndocrine Cancer Australia was founded in 2009 and provides education, support and advocacy for people affected by neuroendocrine cancer. The organisation will benefit from the exhibition print sales, ticket donations and the planned live album.
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