Jelleff & Co.

04/09/2026

“It’s not in the budget.”

Okay.

Then maybe it shouldn’t be in the production.

Because this phrase gets used in touring like the budget is some natural force that descended from the sky.

It isn’t.

A budget is a series of decisions.

And if a production keeps getting bigger, more complicated, more technically ambitious and more demanding, while staffing, prep time, travel, rates and recovery somehow remain the flexible part of the equation, eventually somebody has to absorb that difference.

Usually it’s the crew.

More work. Same people.

More complexity. Same prep.

More changes. Less notice.

Less recovery.

And then when people start struggling under it, we say:

“That’s touring.”

Sometimes it is.

Sometimes things go wrong. Weather happens. Trucks break. Flights cancel. Shows change.

But sometimes it’s just poor planning.

And touring crews are so good at solving problems that they can actually hide poor planning.

They stay late.
They improvise.
They fix it.
They make the show happen.

So the show goes up, everyone calls it a success, and the people making the decisions never experience the actual cost of those decisions.

Someone else absorbed it.

That’s how dysfunction becomes normal.

Of course productions have financial limits.

That’s exactly the point.

Scope has to match resources.

If the only way you can afford the production you designed is by continuously asking the people executing it to absorb the difference in their time, workload, sleep and quality of life…

you can’t actually afford that production.

So when somebody says:

“It’s not in the budget.”

Maybe the real question is:

Then why is it in the show?

03/09/2026

Good morning everyone. It's been a hectic and sad last few days. Thanks again for all your comments and thoughts. Scott's family are very thankful as are we, the band. For your information.

26/08/2026

22/08/2026

19/08/2026

Help make mental health support for music and creative workers more visible.

If you work in a creative workplace, you can help make sure people know where to find support by displaying Support Act's wellbeing posters in your workplace, office, venue or backstage area.

Get access to the posters and resources by emailing:
[email protected].



Thanks to and .au for these designs!

30/07/2026

Such a good musician and thoroughly nice person. Sad news.

With broken hearts we announce the passing of Glen Hansard in the early hours of this morning.

We are still dealing with the shock of it all, so we kindly ask that the privacy of Glen’s family, colleagues and friends is respected at this difficult time.
Photo by Mikolaj Rotowski

13/07/2026

03/07/2026

The live entertainment industry didn’t suddenly lose its standards. It outgrew its infrastructure.

For decades, touring was built on apprenticeship. You learned from people who had seen everything. Experience wasn’t rushed. It was earned.

Then COVID hit.

The industry lost an enormous amount of institutional knowledge almost overnight. When live music returned, it didn’t come back gradually. It exploded.

Demand outpaced the industry’s ability to rebuild its workforce. Tours still had to leave. Stadiums still had to open. So the industry did what any industry under pressure would do.

It adapted.

People were promoted faster. Responsibilities grew. Talented people found themselves leading multi-million-dollar productions before they’d had the years of mentorship previous generations benefited from.

That’s not a criticism. It’s the predictable result of extraordinary circumstances.

The problem isn’t a lack of talent. It’s the belief that necessity can replace experience.

Experience develops judgment. It teaches you to anticipate problems, lead under pressure, communicate effectively, and protect both the production and the people behind it.

Those lessons can’t be rushed.

If our industry can invest millions in production, it can invest in mentorship, leadership development, and preserving institutional knowledge.

The future of touring won’t be defined by the size of the show. It will be defined by how intentionally we invest in the people who make those shows possible.

01/07/2026

If you’ve lost yourself in the magic of live music over the last 40 years, chances are Ian "Spider" Digance helped put it on the stage.

From touring the globe with INXS and The Angels, to running the road for Deep Purple, Jimmy Barnes and the Hoodoo Gurus, Ian has spent his entire life behind the scenes ensuring the show goes on for the rest of us.

Right now, our beloved mate urgently needs our help.

Just before Christmas, Ian received a devastating diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). After three grueling rounds of treatment, his condition hasn't responded, and he is about to begin an intensive new form of treatment.

Because he is unable to work, his friends are rallying together to lift the financial weight of medical expenses and daily living costs.

How you can support:
Donate what you can - every dollar directly eases the pressure so Ian can focus entirely on his health

Share this post - help us reach the massive community of music lovers Ian has impacted

In true crew spirit, any funds raised but not used by Ian will be donated back to Support Act to help other music workers in crisis.

Show Ian he’s not walking this road alone by making a donation: https://help-a-mate.supportact.org.au/

29/06/2026

Only two days left to TRIPLE your impact! The 30 June deadline is tomorrow and we have just over $11,000 left in our matching fund.

Donate right now, and every single dollar you give will be TRIPLED* by our generous anonymous donor to provide a lifeline to music industry workers facing devastating hardships.

See the power of your impact today:
– $50 becomes $150 and could provide urgent grocery vouchers
– $100 becomes $300 and could fund critical mental health support.
– $200 becomes $600 and could fund emergency crisis grants to stop eviction.

This is a rare opportunity to stretch your generosity further for musicians who have nowhere else to turn. As musician Heidi Everett shared, your support gives those in their darkest hours "the dignity to retain a base level of who I am and what I do."

The clock is ticking. Claim your tax deduction and create three times the hope before time runs out.

Don't wait - triple your donation now: https://give.supportact.org.au/

**All donations will be tripled until midnight AEST 30 June 2026 or until the matching funds are exhausted.