The sessions will see performances from the likes of Adalita, Tim Currie, Skyscraper Stan and The Soul Movers (featuring Murray Cook – the original red Wiggle)
Sunshine, good music and a handful of your crispy cool ciders; is there a better recipe for a good time? We don’t think so. Though make it all free and you’re onto a winner.
Yep, you guessed it… The Summer Sundays sessions are on for another year with an impressive line-up of local, emerging and established artists who will take to the stage at Ballarat Botanical Gardens on Sundays for COVID-safe live gigs this January.
Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Ballarat’s annual Sunday session is just enjoying its first strides for 2022, having already welcomed the likes of Harry James Angus from The Cat Empire, nine-piece ensemble Ausecuma Beats, Noongar woman Bumpy and local act The Valleys last Sunday and the rest of the month is looking just as rich in entertainment.
This Summer Sunday’s artists for January 16 will feature modern Australian rock icon Adalita, best known as frontwoman for the multi-ARIA Award-nominated Aussie rock band Magic Dirt. Adalita has forged a successful solo career blitzing the music scene and is currently working on her highly anticipated third solo album.
Joining her on the Summer Sundays stage is The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra. This mammoth 18-piece ensemble, inspired by the infectious afro-beat music of Nigeria, is set to take the audience on a percussive journey into contemporary African funk. The line-up also includes Melbourne singer/songwriter D’Arcy Spiller, whose song Wolf Blood has made a significant impact on the sound waves and is not to be missed live and Ballarat’s own Tim Currie, a songwriter known for blending pop hooks and lush sounds with relatable lyrics to create wistful music that tells tales.
This Summer Sundays concert at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens (4-8pm) will then be capped off with the city’s biggest ever fireworks display at Lake Wendouree at 9.30pm.
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The following week will see four more musicians take over the gardens on Sunday, January 23, including the likes of locally-loved touring troubadour Skyscraper Stan, sought-after session musicians The Sam Boon Quintet, indie-folk performer Coda Chroma and Ballarat’s Brodie Glen and The Clinic, who will take over the stage with 90’s nostalgia indie rock with twang, sure to get you grooving!
Rounding out 2022’s Summer Sundays, Sunday, January 30 will see folk project Shadow Feet, folk-rock collaboration Grove, and Melbourne cosmic country rocker Ben Mastwyk and His Millions ease us into the afternoon, while pop and retro rock band The Soul Movers featuring Murray Cook – the original red Wiggle, will take punters on a journey for the final session.
A limited number of bean bags were available for the audience to lounge, or people could bring a rug and picnic for a relaxed afternoon of free live music.
Alongside the music, a selection of Ballarat’s favourite food vendors will also be on-site serving up the best in local produce each week. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Sunday session without some cheeky beverages from the Garden Bar. This fully-licensed pop-up bar will showcase some of the Ballarat region’s best wine, craft beer and cider, and is the ideal place to relax and take in all the action with the best line-of-sight to the stage.
Summer Sundays is a free concert series and a COVID Safe event. Patrons will need to check-in to the Summer Sundays event at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens on arrival.
The Summer Sundays concert series is presented by the City of Ballarat and runs January 16, January 23 and January 30 at Lake Wendouree.
For more information about the January concert series, visit the Summer Sundays Facebook page.
