Our Ethos
"WE AIM TO PROVIDE A POSITIVE CULTURAL FORCE FOR MUSICIANS IN THE BLUES, ROCK, ROOTS, STONER/PSYCH AND HEAVY GENRES.
WE WILL WORK TO CHANGE INDUSTRY AND CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS, TO ULTIMATELY HELP ACTS MOVE UP THE INDUSTRY LADDER
AND MAKE A COMFORTABLE LIVING IN THEIR ART."
Christian Tryhorn
DIRECTOR
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 which led to a decade of heavy touring.
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 award winning Gold Coast venue Mo's Desert Clubhouse and love seeing a large event come together after months of preparation.
I also currently perform in live acts Rinser, Transvaal Diamond Syndicate and The Black Armada.
Kimberly Ferguson
CONSULTANT
With background degrees in media and marketing, my career began in commercial radio as both an announcer and creative writer. After two years, I stepped away from the commercial music cycle to travel and ultimately returned to Australia to establish and operate my own live music venue in Victoria The Loft.
Running a venue gave me hands-on experience in event management, programming, contracting, budget development, stakeholder coordination and audience engagement. Booking major Australian artists and working closely with hundreds of bands, agents and managers provided deep insight into how challenging the music ecosystem can be—and how essential strong partnerships are.
This perspective now underpins my approach to grant writing and project development. I understand the operational realities faced by artists, venues and organisations, and I’m skilled at translating creative ideas into structured, outcome-driven proposals. My focus is on building collaborative projects that strengthen the live music landscape, create viable opportunities for original artists, and demonstrate clear community and cultural value to funding bodies.
12 years ago, I moved to Queensland and joined Beats Cartel and opened award winning Gold Coast music venue Mo's Desert Clubhouse where I’ve continued to expand my experience across event management, artist support, strategic planning and creative program development. I thrive on designing concepts, coordinating stakeholders and delivering professionally executed events that meet both artistic and funding objectives.
I have a strong track record in successful grant writing, combining strategic project planning, clear outcomes-based communication and a deep understanding of the music and events ecosystem to secure funding for impactful, creatively driven initiatives. I work with the team at events such as Big Pineapple Festival in a media/consultant roll which has been amazing.
