What are you most looking forward to about the Darebin Music Festival, and why?
Seeing the eclectic shows on offer, particularly in the smaller local venues such as Open Studio and The Wesley Anne. It is at these more intimate gigs where so much magic can happen!
If you were programming the Darebin Music Festival, what would be the overall theme (if any), and who would you want to play?
Anyone and everyone. What I love about this program and previous years’ programs is the variety and diversity of acts. That’s what Darebin is about. On any given night there could be a Jazz gig at 303, a rock gig at Wesley Anne and a folk gig at Open Studio, and that’s what’s so special about Darebin.
Do you think there’s a danger that people can take the music scene for granted in Darebin, and elsewhere in Melbourne, especially given the difficulty for musicians to make a living from music and the pressure of rising rental and venue operation costs?
Definitely, and this has been happening for some time. At the same time, I think that there is still a majority of people who appreciate the arts, and are willing to go out and pay to see live music. I hope this never changes.
