Brad Holmes

BIO

BASSLINE JAZZ CLUB (Melville, Johannesburg)
September 1994 - 2004
Venue Owner/Manager

Brad Holmes is a highly experienced, versatile and accomplished producer, promoter and venue owner. With the advent of democracy in South Africa, he played an integral role in developing and sustaining the domestic and African music industry primarily though the founding of the Bassline Jazz Club in 1994. As documented in the book, Last Night At The Bassline by David B. Coplan & Oscar Gutierrez (Jacana Media, 2017), this 200-seater club provided a live performance space for legendary and emerging musicians as well as for South Africans of all backgrounds to come together as compatriots.

In 2003 the Bassline moved into the heart of Johannesburg to create the 1200-seater Bassline Concert Hall and also inaugurated a new part of the business focusing on producing and promoting standalone live music events. These have included the Bassline Africa Day concerts, the South African concerts at Midem 2010, Fete de la Musique (Johannesburg), and since 2017, the sold-out Bassline Live monthly series at Lyric Theatre. In 2012, he used his skills, experience and insights to design the three-year music degree at AFDA (South African School for Motion Picture and Performance) when he was Music Department Head at the Cape Town campus. More recently, in his role as Managing Director of Bassline Live he has formed Bassline Artist Management whose current clients include Vusi Mahlasela and Nakhane.

BASSLINE JAZZ CLUB (Melville, Johannesburg)
September 1994 - 2004
Venue Owner/Manager
Responsibilities included:

- Managing 10 full time staff
- Programming of musicians and shows
- Marketing and advertising venue and shows
- Extensive networking with musicians
- Debuting new talent
- Managing technical and equipment requirements for shows
- Food and Beverage
- Understanding of the South African Employment act and Labour law
- Ticket sales
- Licenses
- Security
-
Reason for Leaving: Moved to a new venue in Newtown.

BASSLINE CONCERT HALL
2003 – 2016
Owner and Managing Director

The Bassline moved to Johannesburg’s Newtown Cultural Precinct. The venue was a 2800 square metre building which consisted of a 1200 seater and standing venue, a 200 seater jazz venue, six rehearsal rooms, a recording studio, 16 offices and a large open office area. Concert programmes included a more diverse range of musical genres: eg. African, Afro Pop, Jazz, Hip Hop, Kwaito, Punk, Rock, Metal, Poetry, R & B with artists from South Africa, Africa and abroad.

Responsibilities included:

- Managing 40 fulltime staff and 30 part time staff
- Concert programming
- Marketing and advertising of venue and shows
- Managing technical and equipment requirements for shows
- Food and Beverage
- Ticket sales
- Licenses
- Understanding of the South African Employment act and Labour law
- Booking of rehearsal rooms
- Office rentals
- Security
- Parking

Reason for leaving: Moved business into the festival market

BASSLINE LIVE
2016 - Present
Managing Director/ Concert and Festival Promoter /Producer/ Artist Manager

- Responsible for producing Bassline Live monthly series at the Lyric Theatre in Johannesburg from 2017 to present.
- Artist Management

While running the above venue and after 2016 produced numerous concerts and festivals:

Producer/ Promoter - Live 8 Concert, South Africa
2005
25,000 pax
Reference – OXFAM: John Treat

Producer/ Promoter - Bassline Africa Day Concerts at Mary Fitzgerald Square
2004 -2009.
Broadcast to 51 African countries via SABC, Africa
20,000 pax
2.5 minute Promo Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=21&v=kc3I6IhI38c
Reference - Director of Arts Culture and Heritage: Steven Sack

Producer / Promoter - Bassline Africa Day Concerts at Mofolo Park, Soweto
2006, 2007, 2008
10,000 pax
Reference - Head of Marketing, City of Johannesburg: Elseby Booyens

Producer/ Promoter - Bassline Africa Day Concert at Dries Niemand Park
2010
Broadcast to 51 African countries via SABC Africa
10,000 pax
Reference - Commissioning Editor, SABC 2: Lynne Chason

Producer / Promoter - Bassline Africa Day Concerts, Bassline Concert Venue
2012 - 2015
1000 pax per Concert

Producer / Promoter - Bassline Africa Day Concert, Newtown Park
2011 and 2016
5000 pax
Reference - SABC 2 Commissioning Editor: Elize Park

Producer / Promoter - New Year’s Eve Concerts, Johannesburg
2005 - 2009
Broadcast to 51 African countries via SABC Africa.
20000 pax to 40000 pax
Reference - SABC2 Commissioning Editor: Lynn Chason

Financial Director - Arts Alive Festival, Johannesburg, 2006 - 2008
Music Programmer - Arts Alive Festival, Johannesburg, 2012- 2014
70,000 pax over the month of September
Reference - Deputy Director of Arts, Culture and Heritage, City of Johannesburg: Alba Letts

Producer / Promoter - Women’s Day Festival
2004 - 2007
10,000 pax
Reference - Thandi Davids

Producer - Fete de la Musique, Newtown
2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019
10,000 pax
Reference - Director, Alliance Francais, Johannesburg: Gerald Candelle

Production Manager - Midem 2010 France
Produced 3 SA concerts when SA was host country in Cannes, France
Reference - CEO, Content Connect Africa: Antos Stella

Producer 8 Goals for Africa for the United Nations
Song produced by Arthur Baker with performances from Angelique Kidjo, Baaba Maal, Hugh Masekela, HHP, Eric Wainaina, Yvonne Chaka Chaka , Oliver Mtukudzi and more
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaG0eYDPutM

Reference Stephen Budd Management

Promoter - Bassline Fest Celebrating Africa Day
May 2019
3000 pax
2.5minute Aftermovie:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFZxtlMe1U4
Live TV show on SABC 2
Reference - Commissioning Editor SABC: Siphiwe Nkozi

May 2018
3000 pax
2.5minute Aftermovie:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=QDs2FugOHDc
Live TV show on SABC 2

May 2017
2000 pax

May 2016
5000 pax
5minute Aftermovie:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=jjcV5dQX-rw
Live TV show on SABC 2
Reference - Commissioning Editor SABC: Siphiwe Nkozi

Other

AFDA (South African School of Motion Picture and Performance)
2012 - 2014
Head of Music Department, Cape Town Campus
Lecturer, Cape Town and Johannesburg Campuses
Collaborated with Curriculum Director to develop a three year curriculum for a degree in music which included modules in song writing, theory and voice. Also a module on the music business which included marketing and promoting.
Reference - Curriculum Director Anton Basson

Conferences attended as a Delegate and Panellist in 2018 and 2019
IOMMA – Reunion Islands - 2018 and 2019
AME - Carpe Verde 2018
Botswana Music Conference 2018
WOMEX 2018
Moshito Johannesburg 2018 and 2019
Music Imbizo Durban 2018 and 2019
Mozambique Music Meeting 2019

2017 - Launched the book “Last Night at the Bassline” by David Coplan. Published by Jacana Media
Reference - CEO Jacana Publishing: Bridget Impey

Bassline Artist Management

Big Voice Lerole
1996 to 2003
Managed Jack Lerole who performed with the Dave Matthews Band on the “Before these Crowded Streets” tour in June 1998 at Foxborough Stadium, Boston and Giant Stadium, New York

Abdullah Ibrahim
2004 to 2015
Bassline produced Abdullah Ibrahim concerts in Johannesburg and Durban

Currently
Vusi Mahlasela
2016 – 2019

Nakhane
2016 to 2019

Some International, African and South African Artists who performed at the Bassline and Bassline festivals were:

Wycliff Jean (Haiti), Alicia Keys (USA), Branford Marsalis (USA), Joshua Redman (USA), Dianna Reeves (USA), Terence Blanchard (USA), Tamia (Canada), Lynton Quincy Johnson (UK), Exploited (UK), New Model Army (UK), Tania Maria (Brazil), Afro Cuban All Stars (Cuba), Eliadis Achoa
(Cuba), Omar Sousa (Cuba), Egberto Gismonti (Brazil), Rita Marley (Jamaica), Ziggy Marley (Jamaica), Gill Scott Heron (USA) , Daniel Johnston (USA , Black (UK) and many more.

Amadou & Miriam (Mali), Asa (Nigeria), Vusi Mahlasela (RSA), Oliver Mtukudzi (Zimbabwe), Ishmael Lo (Senegal), Femi Kuti (Nigeria), Baaba Maal (Senegal), Habib Koite (Mali), Ladysmith Black Mambazo (RSA), Eric Wainana (Kenya), D’Banj (Nigeria), Doet Gnahore (Cote de Ivoire),Yuri de Kunha (Angola), Awadi (Senegal), Professor (RSA),| Tumi and the Volume (RSA), Nkulee Dube (RSA), The Parlotones (RSA), Wonderboom (RSA), Maya Kamaty (Reunion Islands), Hagar Samir (Egypt), Waje (Nigeria), Vaudou Game (Togo), Songhoy Blues (Mali), Mapumba (DRC), Chiwoniso (Zimbabwe), Zonke (RSA), Nakhane (RSA), Mystro (Nigeria), Maleh Kinobe (Uganda), Ringo (RSA), Lesego (RSA), HHP (RSA), Lira (RSA), Soweto Gospel Choir (RSA), South Africa Gang of Instrumentals (RSA), Gang-be (Benin), Vuvuzela Orchestra (RSA), Uju (RSA), Toya (RSA), Ghorwane (Mozambique), Hugh Masekela (RSA), Miriam Makeba (RSA), Abdullah Ibrahim (RSA), Zim Ngquawana (RSA) Moses Molelekwa (RSA), Nancy Viera (Cape Verde Islands) and many more.
https://www.skyroomlive.com