JMC Academy’s 2025 Cassette Awards unfolded as a national arc, with three nights across Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
Each city carried its own pulse, personality and pocket of community. What emerged over the course of a week wasn’t just a series of events, but a portrait of the creative momentum that’s been building inside JMC’s Music, Audio and Entertainment Business Management degrees.
From the historic warmth of The Espy, to the rock ‘n’ roll hum of Oxford Art Factory, to the glowing arches of The Triffid, the 2025 Cassettes captured what JMC does best: bringing emerging talent into spaces where learning meets industry, and where students step into their next chapter with the support of a creative community behind them.
Melbourne: Setting the Tone at The Espy
The season opened on Tuesday 11 November in Melbourne at St. Kilda’s Hotel Esplanade (The Espy), in the Gershwin Room, where generations of Australian artists have cut their teeth. It felt fitting that this would be the first stage of the Cassette Awards tour, a space steeped in music history, now animated by JMC students writing their own.
Performers, producers and business students moved through the night with the kind of ease that comes from collaboration: audio engineers dialling in mixes, entertainment business students running tight schedules, performers delivering original songs shaped throughout the year (shout out Jacqui Lumsden, Alex Perkin & The Opals and Xandri!). The room held a mix of nerves, excitement and pride… the kind of energy that makes a live event feel alive in more ways than one!
Sydney: A Night of Momentum at Oxford Art Factory
The following evening, Wednesday 12 November, the Cassettes landed in Sydney’s Oxford Art Factory, a venue that always feels plugged directly into the heartbeat of the city.
What defined Sydney’s event wasn’t just the performances (polished, ambitious, deeply felt) but the sense of motion that filled the room... It was truly ‘Once In A Lifetime’... Students stepping onto a stage they’ve watched their heroes play, guests nodding along from the crowd, and families cheering so loudly the walls must have felt it. Performances were as awe-striking as they were diverse thanks to the JMC Student Band, Holy, Violet Harbour, Kade Charlesworth, Elyssa Jade, Noble, Marianna and Soul Generations featuring Alyssa Delpopolo!
The night revealed the strength of Sydney’s multidisciplinary ecosystem: the way a producer supports a vocalist, the way an engineer brings a song into focus, the way a JMC Stage Management student turns a concept into a seamlessly run event. It was a reminder that creative excellence rarely happens in isolation, but built in shared studios, rehearsal rooms, mixing labs, and on stage.
Brisbane: Closing the Run at The Triffid
The tour wrapped on Monday 17 November at the iconic Brisbane venue The Triffid, where JMC Brisbane’s creative community gathered for their night of celebration. The venue’s signature glow set the scene as students delivered standout performances from acts including Americano, Beer Preasure, My Daydreams, Topaz, Quarter Short, Roronah, Coral Coast and DJ Justice. It was a lineup that reflected the breadth of Brisbane’s sound and the confidence these artists and producers have developed together.
Award recipients across vocals, audio, songwriting, production and entertainment business demonstrated what it means to grow not just technically, but collaboratively. Brisbane’s night had that unmistakable community warmth: friends cheering friends, alumni passing the torch, staff celebrating the milestones they’ve seen unfold trimester after trimester.
A National Portrait of Creative Excellence
Across all three cities, the Cassette Awards honoured the many layers of contemporary creative practice. But beyond the categories and trophies, the Awards illuminated something deeper: a network of students who uplift each other, challenge each other, and work together to bring ambitious ideas to life.
This year’s Cassette Awards also continued JMC Academy’s commitment to the broader creative sector, with sales of the Cassette GIG T-shirt raising vital funds for Support Act. It’s a reminder that creative education isn’t only about building careers. It’s also about contributing to a culture where artists and workers can thrive.
Thank You to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane
To every nominee, performer, engineer, business leader, producer, songwriter and supporter: thank you!
Across three cities and three very different stages, you collectively shaped the story of the 2025 Cassette Awards. Your work, your courage, and your commitment to craft are what make these nights special.
And to our host venues - The Espy, Oxford Art Factory and The Triffid - thank you for giving our students spaces where their creativity can land, resonate and grow.
