Musicians from across Orange will fill restaurants, cafes and pubs in the vicinity of Robertson Park with live music during a one-day mini music festival next month.
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With about 50 bands and musicians, from established rock bands to choirs and school bands the festival will be held in a dozen venues.
JAM SATURDAY will be held on Saturday, March 24, and entry to each venue is free.
JAM Orange secretary Paul Kelly said there’s a lot of excitement among local musicians about next month’s event and so far about 40 applications have been submitted and more have expressed an interest.
“JAM Orange has been staging concerts in local venues for many months now,” Paul Kelly said.
“We’ve had a string of performances by touring acts and local musicians and that has shown us there is a strong demand and interest in the live music scene.
All musicians at the mini-music festival will also be from the Orange and Cabonne area.
Orange City Council’s services committee chairman Kevin Duffy supported the decision to stage the event across so many different venues.
“The beauty of a music festival is that music fans will be able enjoy a smorgasbord of local performers by strolling to venues that are all with a stone’s throw of Robertson Park,” Cr Duffy said.
“Less than a block away from the park, people will be able to sit in their choice of cafes and pubs and other stores and enjoy live music.
“With the festival funding, all the professional performers will be paid for their shows, and by doing that we’re working on developing a local live music scene.”
He said it’s hoped that after having musicians performing in their hospitality venues, owners and managers will want to continue hosting live performers throughout the year.
Among those that are on board for the festival is Grocer and Co Organics in McNamara Street and owner Guy Hampton said he’s hoping to have acoustic guitar players playing during their Saturday morning breakfast service.
Among the more unusual venues, are plans to have a musical taxi with musician sitting in the front seat and performing during trips.
The state government has contributed $20,000 funding, Orange City Council $15,000 and businesses $5000, which will cover costs including equipment and paying musicians.
Tanya Marschke
I am based at Orange and cover a wide range of subjects as well as the weekly business column. I've worked consistently in the the media industry since 2006 including the past seven years at the Central Western Daily. Before moving to Orange, I worked as a journalist at weekly newspapers the Beaudesert Times and the Gold Coast Sun in Queensland, as well as the Scone Advocate in the Hunter Valley. I started my career at the Ridge News in Lightning Ridge while I completed my journalism studies remotely at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst.
I am based at Orange and cover a wide range of subjects as well as the weekly business column. I've worked consistently in the the media industry since 2006 including the past seven years at the Central Western Daily. Before moving to Orange, I worked as a journalist at weekly newspapers the Beaudesert Times and the Gold Coast Sun in Queensland, as well as the Scone Advocate in the Hunter Valley. I started my career at the Ridge News in Lightning Ridge while I completed my journalism studies remotely at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst.
