The organisers behind Splendour In The Grass and Falls Festival have criticised triple j‘s recent analysis of gender diversity on festival lineups, calling it “flawed” and “miscalculated”.
In a statement released today, Splendour and Falls organisers Secret Sounds questioned triple j‘s ‘By The Numbers’ report on gender equality in Australian music — released last Thursday on International Women’s Day — which found that both Splendour and Falls suffered a slump in female representation on their 2017 lineups.
Triple j‘s Hack program updated the report the following day — Friday, 9th March — admitting to “an error in our statistics on festival line-ups” which led to the statistics involving Splendour and Falls being incorrect.
“One artist which appeared at Falls, Splendour and Groovin [The Moo], The Smith Street Band, had been analysed as a ‘male’ artist by Hack,” triple j said.
“Hack understood the band to officially be an all-male act until January 2018, but we now understand there was ambiguity around the band’s members last year. Considering this, we have now analysed the band as ‘mixed’.
“At Falls Festival, the band Jungle had previously been counted as an all-male act. We now understand the band has one female member, and should be classified as ‘mixed’. The figure of ‘female artists, or acts with at least one woman’ at Falls has now been updated to reflect Jungle and Smith Street Band – from 25 per cent to 31 per cent.
“At Splendour in the Grass, Hack had incorrectly classified LCD Soundsystem as an all-male act. The band has one female member, and should be classified as ‘mixed’. The figure of ‘female artists, or acts with at least one woman’ at Splendour In The Grass has now been updated to reflect LCD Soundsystem and Smith Street Band – from 29 per cent to 31 per cent.”
In response, Secret Sounds said:
“We love triple j and have worked with them for many years but like all good friends you have to call them out when you think their rationale is flawed.
“The initial statistics in their story were miscalculated and whilst they have since issued a correction (thanks j’s) we feel it doesn’t go far enough.
“When it comes to festivals, triple j judge female representation on the first line-up announcement poster as the key criteria. We don’t agree.”
Secret Sounds also accused triple j of not counting the entire lineup for each leg of Falls Festival 2017/2018, and said the station “therefore excluded artists such as Haiku Hands, Jen Cloher, Stella Donnelly, Nina Las Vegas, Maddy Jane, San Cisco, WAAX, Hatchie, Wafia, Press Club, Jess Locke and others”.
“Nor does triple j count guest singers with an artist, eg. AlunaGeorge appearing with Peking Duk at Splendour or key female band members who permanently play with male artists eg. Salliana Campbell with Bernard Fanning or Vika & Linda Bull with Paul Kelly,” Secret Sounds said.
“Failing to count women in bands because they are not listed on a first line-up announcement poster, or are deemed a touring member or guest vocalist, is in our opinion unacceptable, it’s exclusive rather than inclusive.”
In closing, Secret Sounds said it has “more work to do” and is “far from perfect”.
“We want this conversation to continue,” it said.
“We want things to evolve. We also want to say to all of the women who have taken to the stage at Splendour and Falls, in any capacity, WE COUNT YOU!”
Read Secret Sounds’ statement in full, below.
Today’s statement comes after Camp Cope led a campaign for gender equality and safe spaces during the latest edition of Falls Festival in January.
UPDATE: Camp Cope have responded to Secret Sounds’ statement on gender diversity.
Gallery: 24 Acts We Can Rule Out Of Splendour In The Grass 2018
Secret Sounds Statement (12/03/18)
Hi everyone!
Rightly so there has been a lot of talk lately around gender balance on festivals which includes Splendour in the Grass / Falls Festival and we’d like to add to the conversation. As we at Secret Sounds are represented by 64% women, with 50% in executive positions, we see the importance of this issue and the opportunity to implement change.
Earlier this week triple j released their annual “By The Numbers” report on gender equality in the Australian music industry which included statistics for five Australian festivals including Splendour and Falls. We love triple j and have worked with them for many years but like all good friends you have to call them out when you think their rationale is flawed. The initial statistics in their story were miscalculated and whilst they have since issued a correction (thanks j’s) we feel it doesn’t go far enough http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/by-the-numbers-2018/9524084 scroll to bottom editors note.
There has been plenty of debate around how diversity is counted. When it comes to festivals, triple j judge female representation on the first line-up announcement poster as the key criteria. We don’t agree.
In Falls Festival’s case they have not counted the entire line-up of each show and therefore excluded artists such as Haiku Hands, Jen Cloher, Stella Donnelly, Nina Las Vegas, Maddy Jane, San Cisco, WAAX, Hatchie, Wafia, Press Club, Jess Locke and others. Nor does triple j count guest singers with an artist, eg. AlunaGeorge appearing with Peking Duk at Splendour or key female band members who permanently play with male artists eg. Salliana Campbell with Bernard Fanning or Vika & Linda Bull with Paul Kelly.
Failing to count women in bands because they are not listed on a first line-up announcement poster, or are deemed a touring member or guest vocalist, is in our opinion unacceptable, it’s exclusive rather than inclusive.
That said, we also accept we have more work to do and are far from perfect. We want this conversation to continue. We want things to evolve. We also want to say to all of the women who have taken to the stage at Splendour and Falls, in any capacity, WE COUNT YOU!
Thanks for reading.
Big love,
Team Secret Sounds
Acts We Can Just About Rule Out Of Splendour In The Grass 2018
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The Killers
They're playing Lollapalooza Paris, Spain's Benicàssim Festival and Germanyy's Deichbrand Festival during Splendour, unforch. -
Liam Gallagher
The former Oasis member is also playing Benicàssim Festival during Splendour, but he was down under recently for Falls Festival anyway. -
Travis Scott
The rapper is keeping busy by playing both Lollapalooza Paris and Benicàssim Festival during Splendour. -
Two Door Cinema Club
They're playing Benicàssim Festival too. -
Bastille
Yep, the British rockers are also playing Benicàssim Festival, soz. -
The Vaccines
They're playing Spain's Benicàssim Festival and Atlantic Fest during Splendour. -
Catfish And The Bottlemen
They're playing Benicàssim Festival and Lollapalooza Paris, so they're out. -
Everything Everything
They're playing Benicàssim Festival, so we'll be seeing everything but Everything Everything at Splendour. -
Gorillaz
Despite the fact its been eight years since their last trip to Australia, Gorillaz will be performing at Lollapalooza Paris during Splendour, and will hit up U-Park Festival 2018 in Ukraine a few days later. -
Diplo
You've got Lollapalooza Paris to blame. -
Kasabian
Yep, they're playing Lollapalooza Paris too. -
Rag 'N' Bone Man
He's doing Lollapalooza 'N' Paris. (Photo: Deans Chalkley) -
Noel Gallagher
Liam's brother and his new band will be playing Lollapalooza Paris. (Photo: Lawrence Watson) -
Dillon Francis
The DJ and producer will be busy causing mischief at Lollapalooza Paris. -
RL Grime
The American producer is also playing Lollapalooza Paris. -
Portugal. The Man
They're playing Lollapalooza Paris too, and we Feel It Still. (Photo: Maclay Heriot) -
Fidlar
They'll be busy at Lollapalooza Paris. -
Nothing But Thieves
They're playing both Lollapalooza Paris and Benicàssim Festival. -
The Flaming Lips
Wayne Coyne and co. will be getting freaky at England's Bluedot Festival during Splendour. -
Little Dragon
The Swedish indie heroes are also playing Bluedot Festival. -
The Chemical Brothers
The electro legends are also performing at (you guessed it) Bluedot Festival. -
Future Islands
The American indie outfit are also hitting up Bluedot. (Photo: Henry Gorse) -
Kaiser Chiefs
They're playing Penn Fest in the UK during Splendour. -
Manic Street Preachers
They're also playing Penn Fest in the UK during Splendour, sozzle.