All posts tagged: free

Sidney Myer Free Concerts 2015

Published by

It’s summer in Melbourne, which means the annual Sidney Myer Free Concerts are fast approaching. This year, the three concerts will be held over eight days from the 14th to 21st of February (Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday). Each concert will feature a soloist (soprano, piano and violin respectively) and is arranged around a theme: A Musical Valentine, Summer Nights in Budapest, and Bohemian Rhapsody. If you’ve attended these free concerts in the past, you will know that the venue fills up fast — you will have to arrive a couple of hours early to nab a decent spot on the grass. If you haven’t been before, go. It’s rare to have the chance to hear the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra for free, and even rarer to be able to sit with friends and listen under the stars. If you’re in Melbourne this summer, lap it up. And a note to my readers — this Melbourne Local is not, in fact, currently in Melbourne (cheers from Dili, East Timor!) so apologies for the lack of updates of late. I’ll be back in …

Sunset Series 2015

Published by

Melburnians don’t need much coaxing to get out and enjoy the city’s parks during summer, but in case you need some extra motivation, the Sunset Series in Melbourne’s Fitzroy Gardens should give you a kick where you need it. For the next two weekends, there will be free entertainment on Saturday and Sunday evenings, including two dance workshops. The Saturday events — each featuring four music acts — will start at 5pm and last till 8.45pm, while the Sunday dance workshops will also begin at around 5pm. There will be food trucks on site if you can’t muster a picnic. Here’s the full line-up: Saturday 10 January: 5–5.45pm Beautiful Beasts 6–6.45pm Dash 7–7.45pm APES 8–8.45pm Echo Drama Sunday 11 January: 5pm Melbourne Salsa Dance Workshop with Live Latin Band Saturday 17 January: 5–5.45pm Dan Flynn and the State of Things 6–6.45pm The Tiger and Me 7–7.45pm Passerine 8–8.45pm Madre Monte Sunday 18 January: 5pm Rhythm and Spice Bollywood Dance Workshop A couple years back I saw the Bollywood dance workshop and it was a lot …

Free Opera in the Bowl 2014

Published by

Ooh! Free opera! This Opera in the Bowl event at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on the 13th will feature five singers performing a selection of chorus pieces and arias from popular operas including Madame Butterfly, Carmen and The Pearl Fishers.     These free events are always incredibly popular so turn up early if you want a spot on the grass. Gates open at 4pm so I’d recommend taking a picnic and a good book and arriving as early as possible. As we all know, opera tickets are far too expensive in this country so if you enjoy classical music it’s really worth taking advantage of this rare free event under the stars.   Mazda Opera in the Bowl Date: 13 December 2014 Time: 8pm start (doors open at 4pm) Venue: Sidney Myer Music Bowl  

Free public lectures in Melbourne

Published by

“Learning never exhausts the mind,” said the great Leonardo da Vinci. Another wise man had similarly encouraging words for his readers: “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” That was Dr Seuss. We are never too old to learn. And, in Melbourne, not being enrolled in a university course doesn’t mean you can’t go to university. Several of the city’s largest universities host free public lectures on a weekly or biweekly basis. If you’re craving some juicy brain food, check out the public lecture series at The University of Melbourne in Parkville, Monash University in Caulfield or Clayton, and La Trobe University in Bundoora. You can find more info on talks and lectures in Melbourne (not all free, mind) by clicking here.  

The Cat Empire free in Fed Squre

Published by

Late notice for this one, but Melbourne’s much-loved band The Cat Empire will play a free gig tonight in Federation Square to mark their 1000th show. The Cat Empire originally grew out of a Melbourne jazz group called Jazz Cat, splintering off into a three-piece outfit in 1999 before adding three more band members in 2001. Their music is notoriously difficult to pigeonhole, with strong jazz, Latin, reggae, hip-hop, funk and gypsy influences creating a rich and seriously infectious sound. It’s almost impossible to stand still at a Cat Empire concert. Despite 1.5 million albums sold world-wide and fans around the globe, The Cat Empire have remained strongly tied to Melbourne, something that’s felt by audiences every time they gig in their hometown. It’s no surprise they’ve decided to give back with this free concert for their original fan base. I first saw these guys play over ten years ago, before the release of their first album. Their performance energy and incredible instrumental skills impressed me then, and they’ve only gotten better since then. Here …

outside-in cinema

Published by

– I love the State Library of Victoria. Not only is it beautiful, with its glorious books and artworks and soaring architecture, but it also features exhibitions and events throughout the year, most of which are free to attend. One of these is the Outside-In Cinema. I only stumbled across this recently, but judging by the line-up of films screening over the next few months, it looks like a great find. The cinema shows contemporary documentaries and animated features in the Experimedia room every second Wednesday from 6.30pm. This coming Wednesday (9 May) showcases the film Crossing The Bridge, a documentary about Turkish music directed by Fatih Akin. You can bring food and non-alcoholic drinks along, and entry is free, although you will need to book a seat online. A few of the other films due to be screened over the next couple months include Babies, Being Elmo and Page One: A Year Inside The New York Times. I’ll try to give you heads up when the screening dates approach. – Outside-In Cinema Film: Crossing The Bridge Address: 328 Swanston …

Friday On My Mind

Published by

Attention all filmmakers, film students and film enthusiasts: cancel your Friday after-work plans. The Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) runs a weekly free event that brings successful film professionals to ACMI to discuss various aspects of the industry. Running from March until November, these ‘Friday On My Mind’ talks take place from 6pm until 7pm, although occasionally the event will also include a film screening. Guest speakers have so far included actor Eric Bana, and filmmakers Matthew Saville and Tony Ayres, with many more to come. These intimate talks are a great opportunity to hear from the country’s leading filmmakers and ask your own questions towards the end of the session.   Friday On My Mind Address: ACMI, Federation Square, Melbourne Vic 3000 When: Fridays, 6pm (check the website to confirm) Damage: free – but you will need to pick up a ticket from the ACMI box office (open from 10am)

wikileaks at the wheeler centre

Published by

–   If you’ve been following the WikiLeaks story, or that of it’s now famous (or infamous) Australian founder, Julian Assange, you may be interested to know about an upcoming free event at The Wheeler Centre called ‘WikiLeaks, Assange and Defending Democracy‘ on Thursday 19 April. The event will feature a panel comprising Assange’s mother, Christine Assange; Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlum; lawyer Lizzie O’Shea; Crikey‘s Canberra correspondent, Bernard Keane; and barrister and writer Greg Barns. Even though this is a free event, you’ll still need to book a ticket online. You can do this through the Wheeler Centre’s website. It’s always best to secure your place as early as possible because events do sometimes book out.   WikiLeaks, Assange and Defending Democracy Date: 19 April 2012 Time: 6.30pm-8pm Venue: BMW Edge, Federation Square, Melbourne Tel: 9094 7800 Free  

fly birdman, fly!

Published by

That’s right, the Moomba Festival is upon us once again over this long Labour Day weekend. There’s fireworks, live music (including performances from Australian artists Josh Pyke and The Panics), a waterskiing competition and a good old-fashioned parade on Monday. But everybody’s favourite at Moomba is the Birdman Rally, whereby  competitors sweep through the air across the river with ingenious homemade wings attached to their arms. (Ok, I exaggerate. In reality, a bunch of humourously attired and testosterone-filled men jump from a four-metre platform flapping their arms madly before splashing painfully into the Yarra. Entertaining nonetheless.)   Moomba Festival: 9-12 March 2012 Birdman Rally: Sunday 11 March, 12pm-2pm Moomba Parade: Monday 12 March, 11am (starting at the Shrine of Remembrance) To view the music program, click here. V