Over 600 Darebin based artists are gearing up to take over more than 40 venues across the northern suburbs for Darebin Music Feast, an 11-day music festival put together by the Darebin City Council. Now in it’s 20th year, featuring its biggest program to date, the festival allows the city to showcase its wide pool of talent, and depth of passion for music and the arts.
Vikki Woods, the council’s passionate Arts Participation Coordinator, has worked tirelessly alongside her team and external curators to organise the huge anniversary event.
“Music is invaluable, it’s so important. It’s such a big part of so many people’s lives. There’s so many musicians living here, and to be able to support, celebrate and nurture them is so important to Darebin Council. It’s a privilege to work for a council that values the arts so highly.”
Though many inner-city dwellers don’t often travel to Bundoora for entertainment, the northern suburbs are a hotspot for live music and artistic expression, and the community behind this trend is flourishing,
“It says a lot about this community, that more and more people who are artists are continuing to move here. Take the APRA songwriters postcode study, we found out that Darebin has the most musicians and songwriters in Melbourne.”
The colossal Darebin Music Feast program features a tremendous selection of performances to choose from, but the sheer figures of participation demonstrate something far greater than just talent. The only way a program this large can exist is if those behind it possess a true love for music and the arts.
“We have a thriving, inspiring community who are interested in creating art as well as attending art. People moved here because they can afford to, and then they fall in love. They’re so stoically passionate about Darebin that they want to celebrate it.”
“Ten years ago, the idea of living in Reservoir, it felt so far away. Now it’s a hub of entertainment. Look at Reservoir Stomp. It’s nearly sold out.”
The Reservoir Stomp is one of Woods’ highlights of the program. The event, curated by local musos Emma Peel and Danny Walsh, will see Reservoir Bowls Club open it’s doors for a night of music and bowls, showcasing the huge talent pool residing in Reservoir.
The program lists an incredible range of unique events. One such event will see over 100 guitarists fill Northcote Town Hall to play Metallica’s Enter Sandman in unison, the brainchild of Joseph “Jof” O’Farrell. Though the idea is an appealing kind of crazy, the council are intent on giving artists like Jof the opportunity to express themselves.
“It’s about council responding to the community when they have those ideas, and listening and working with them. The event isn’t just about showcasing music, it’s about fostering the artists who live and work in Darebin.”
Family-friendly events are also scattered throughout the program. The final day of the feast will host ‘How to be a Rockstar’ events for the little Hendrix in your house, featuring rockstar styling, makeup, and air guitar lessons.
“It’s so cliche, but I genuinely believe there’s something in the program for everybody.”
To finish off the feast, the festival will host an impressive closing party lineup, dripping with exciting talent. Alex Lahey, Totally Mild, Dorsal Fins and Clairy Browne will fill the Preston Market’s car park with the sound of music – a delicious cherry on top of the cake.
Not just a concert, the feast is host to an artist development program and songwriting competition, partnered with APRA. The workshops are just as varied as the eclectic selection of music running throughout the festival, with sessions on culture, identity and song, how to access grants, and a daylong workshop dedicated specifically to educating self-managed artists, just to name a few.
“I managed bands for many years, which is one reason why it’s so exciting for me to be overseeing the direction of Music Feast this year. I’ve worked with people slogging it out for so long, and to be in a position where we can help celebrate them is really exciting.”
Though external curators and venues have ticketed events, much of the festival, including the huge opening and closing parties, are free.
“One of the council’s main goals is making the arts accessible. Darebin Feast is about celebrating not just the artists, but the community. Having affordable and free events that people can come to and enjoy is really important in achieving that. It’s a party, it’s been 20 years, we want to celebrate. We don’t want a ticket price to be the reason someone can’t come.
“I don’t think you can ever care too much about arts. The arts are important, full stop.”
By Claire Varley
