T H E C A R T E L
C H R I S T I A N T R Y H O R N | D I R E C T O R
I've been involved in bands and playing in the music scene for 20 years. I started in bands in Central QLD where I grew up, also organising gigs and lineups. Travelled various parts of the world in my 20's, playing in Europe, NZ, Canada and Japan, then came back to Brisbane to start Transvaal Diamond Syndicate. Aside from booking our own regular 70+ date tours around Oz and self-managing a band from start-up to becoming a regular on the national Blues Roots Festival circuit, I was noticing that there were many artists with not too much idea on where to start with promotions/management etc. Thus Beats Cartel was born. I'm keen to work with a stable of bands and pass on what I've learnt (the hard way haha) along with growing the overall scene nationally through working with quality original acts and music venues, building bands up until they're export ready, whilst also touring international acts domestically. I've toured bands like Radio Moscow (USA), 1000mods (GRE), Nick Oliveri (QOTSA), Svetlanas (ITA), Kadavar (GER) Beastwars (NZ) and more. I also curate 2 pretty solid festivals Mojo Burning and Dead of Winter, own and book new Gold Coast venue Mo's Desert Clubhouse and love seeing a large event come together after months of preparation.
K I M B E R L Y F E R G U S O N | D I R E C T O R
I studied media and marketing and found myself working in commercial radio as an announcer and creative writer, after two years of selling my soul to music I didn't believe in, I quit, travelled and returned to own a live music venue in Victoria. From booking some of the biggest Australian names into my venue and working with hundreds of bands, agents and management I know that this industry is tough. It's an eco system that requires mutual respect and cooperation between artists, venues and management. I believe that by working together, towards the same common goal, to create more opportunities for original music and musicians in Australia we can achieve great gigs, events and careers. I moved to QLD and joined Beats Cartel 5 years ago and haven't looked back. I love working with venues, artists and creative concept events. I'm a big fan of blues, rock and roots and have a secret love for groove and funk bands.
R I C K T R E W A V A S | A G E N T
I first picked up a guitar at age 15 and played in my first band in high school on the Gold Coast not long after that. After high school I joined a Punk Rock band called A Delayed Reaction and we had a lot of fun playing local shows and supporting some of our heroes from the U.S. I studied Business and Marketing at Uni, and then worked as Project Officer for the Gold Coast Music Industry Association for a couple of years where we were responsible for curating the first ever Gold Coast Big Sound showcase, amongst some other cool achievements. I then branched out into artist management and worked with some solid rock acts including Electric Horse, HELM and Rick Dangerous and the Silkie Bantams. In these years I learned a lot about the industry and the challenges facing independent touring acts. I moved to Melbourne for a couple of years to reconnect with family, and study my other passion, Graphic Design. I soaked up a lot of killer live music in Melbourne and got inspired to start playing again myself. I now live in Brisbane and currently play bass in heavy rock band Hammers. We’ve toured the country with some big-name acts and played some fun shows and festivals slots. I am pumped to be joining the Beats Cartel crew and hope to bring another dimension to their already impressive roster. While I get down with most genres of music, my love and knowledge lie within the punk/rock/metal community and I aim to bring some high-quality acts from these genres into the Beats stable for Management and Bookings. I look forward to growing our artists not only here in Australia, but seeking out international touring opportunities as well.