The Ballarat Independent.

Ballarat's community groups performing at Buninyong Brewery to assist refugees

Melbourne band Redcoats begin their national album launch tour this Thursday 8 November at Karova Lounge, Ballarat.

In the Nineteenth Century Monster meetings were a regular form of protest. Without a vote it was one way ordinary people could voice their grievances and desires. In 1851 Castlemaine was known as the Forest Creek gold rush. It was the world's biggest ever gold rush.

Local concert pianist, Bronwyn Blaiklock, and Sydney clarinettist, Samantha Kelson Gray, come together for an evening of contemporary clarinet and piano in the Oddie Gallery as part of the Art Gallery's exhibition 'Capturing Flora - 300 years of Australian Botanical Art', which opened on 25 September.

Over 1,000 students from regions around Victoria have been collaborating with acclaimed East Timorese singer and songwriter, Ego Lemos (currently in London performing in international concerts that accompany the Olympics). Now Ballarat Locals get the chance to hear this fantastic chorus concert at Wendouree Centre for Performing Arts Sunday 26th August at 2pm.

Spyndrift, Otways dynamic dance band serve up a visual feast at Portico on Saturday May 5th

Matt Malone is a singer/songwriter and poet straight from the Pete Seeger mould who performed to an appreciative audience at the Babushka Bar on the 12th of April. Malone played a variety of cover and his own original pieces, including a number of original poems.

Ballarat's Eastern Station found itself to be the home base of a large variety of bands on the 7th of April under the title of ‘Rock n' Roll Lifestyle'. All in all the large audience was treated to a variety of artists ranging from the folk styling's of Peter and Kristine Allen, ‘The Funky Turtles'

Lack of funding to the Arts Academy whilst the VCA receives 24 million.

While the international campaign 16 days of activism to end violence against women gains force across the world, Victorians have been marking the event creatively. A hip-hop CD containing messages against violence and promoting respectful relationships has been created and distributed across the country, with the Ballarat CASA branch distributing for this region.

17 acts performing live celebrating local original music!

For those who enjoy listening to good guitar grooves and dynamic soulful voices here's a special night for you.

Musicians of all ages are being encouraged to apply for the 2011 Balhausen Bequest Organ Scholarship.

The successful recipient will receive a year of free organ tuition from Ballarat City Organist Bruce Keck.

Ballarat Songwriter's Night, songwriting brilliance showcased online in a 34min Ballarat music TV show. The first time such an array of local songriters had been placed together on the one bill.

Earl is a local musician with a difference - his target audience is barely in primary school.  He plays regular gigs around Ballarat and has recently recorded and launched his CD 'Hello Good Morning'.

Coming up next Sunday October 9 is Ballarat's very own contemporary craft market, the Design Exchange. Founder and organiser Lyndelle Flintoft shares her inspiration for getting this market off the ground.

Double Bassist Leigh Barker is coming to Ballarat as part of an Australian tour this spring. Leigh will bring his band 'The New Sheiks', featuring blues great Heather Stewart on vocals and violin.

A frolicking tour de France via food.

What do you do if you are a classically trained pianist who can sing, speak fluent French, you don't like to take art too seriously and you have a menagerie of eating tales from your time living in Brittany with - oh dear - 25 creperies and several restaurants to choose from?

Creswick's Longest Picnic will be taking place at Federation Square on Thursday 6th October, 11am - 2am.

Ballarat's community media are joining forces to deliver you the best content and give you ample opportunities to have your voice heard and your story told. Leon and Jon from The Ballarat Independent had the honour of being invited as guests of Amy and Lauren on their program 'Tinderbox' on VoiceFM, Ballarat's own community radio station. They brought a special surprise of their own, check out the video here.

Three local high school bands will enjoy an opportunity of a lifetime on Saturday (03/09) when they play with one of Australia's biggest up and coming bands in Australia.

Known as Cellar Door in their Ballarat days, Secondhand Heart will return to their hometown of Ballarat to launch their self titled EP. Secondhand Heart have retained the harmonies of Jess and Lily but have created a new sound of blues infused, euphoric pop/rock with songs that unfold through fervent builds, tension and release.

Jon Stanger found so many flaws in Ballarat City Council's plan for Civic Hall that it wouldn't fit into one article, so he broke it down to five. As well as five reasons to reject the current course of action on Civic Hall, it reads as five ways the current Council is heading off track.

Here Jon puts the microscope, or possibly the blowtorch, to Council's approach to culture and heritage.

The second in the Portrait Series Upstairs at the Gallery featured composer and master performer of the sheng Wang Zheng-Ting with Adam Simmons. The Portrait Series are four concerts organised by Adam Simmons in which he plays with different guest performers. It is part of the Upstairs at the Gallery music series at the Art Gallery of Ballarat and the first half of the series has been phenomenal.

Recorded in photos, a fun night including music, performances, art, food and passionate speakers. Kaleidoscope celebrated the 17 different cultures we have living in Ballarat.

What does one do when there's a themed dinner to attend and no suitable dress in the wardrobe or time for a shopping expedition? Why, whip one up of course! And the weekend's creativity did not stop there, not with the inaugural Lyonville Bake Off happening on Sunday. I tell you, getting out of bed on Monday morning was a trial!

Thus far my column has focussed on autumn fruits, so I thought it was about time I wrote about something other than food. Last weekend I ventured to Melbourne to kick up my heels and have fun with old friends. I also managed to fit in a bit of vintage shopping and a few hours of pampering before attending Miss Burlesque Victoria. Next week I promise to bring you an instructive piece about lemons, but this week I hope you enjoy the recount of my adventures which were followed by a delightfully lazy Sunday.

Wind back 4 years. For anyone who kept their eye on the news, or who attended the infamous Kryal Castle Raves, you will remember a rave party named Ultraworld that brought Kryal Castle's dance party days to an end.
The reason was put down to excessive illicit drug consumption, with police noting that the party seemed awash with "cheap, nasty" drugs.

Noriko Tadano has been playing shamisen since she was 6 years old. and has performed in Japan and Australia.

Her ability to cross over between traditional and modern Japanese music has seen her perform with renowned blues and jazz musicians as well as traditional Japanese musicians. She joins with composer and multi-instrumentalist Adam Simmons who has worked with extraordinary range of performers from different cultures and traditions.

It may have been a cold and rainy day in Ballarat, but the fires of creativity were burning at Babushka Bar on Saturday 10 April. Babushka Bar is a new addition to Ballarat, replacing Bar Saloon Bar on Hummfray St North.

Starting with a highly anticipated exhibition opening for Ron McKeegan's visual art, not the talent Ronnie is known for, but if this new exhibition is anything to go by that is likely to change now. Better known as the front man for local bands 23rd of Elvis and 80 Hundred, Ronnie has produced a striking collection of works on paper.