At-the-edge music plays large role in Darwin Fringe program

Music plays an important role in the program of the 10-day Darwin Fringe.

Over 80 shows are planned between July 6—15 in venues around the city.

Festival director CJ Fraser-Bell said, “Darwin has a wealth of artistic talent, and the Fringe really aims to celebrate those artists and bring them together.

“We want to help connect funny, brave, and honest performance works and exhibitions with audiences - having everything explode out in one big festival fever dream really allows audiences to get out there and see things they mightn’t go to otherwise.

“Fringe Festivals are really important in developing new artists and new shows, they play an important role in the broader arts and festival sector.”

To that end, the huge opening party will kick off the event with all-female triple-j played saltwater rock band Ripple Effect from Maningrida, producer James Mangohig’s From the D.O.T.S g-funk and disco project and emerging Darwin underground lounge-country-pop-hardcore band So Called Friends.

Pitch Black White Noise brings together outsider and experimental noise/rock/electronic music acts as Unden, Fish Slappa, IO, Septentriones, Melbourne’s Automating and the premiere of Hector, a live improvised and collaborative piece of ambient drone performed by Warp members and inspired by a local seasonal cumulonimbus.”

Electric Heart showcases two examples of Alice Spring’s electronic scene, Cooperblack and OLA´LAB, which adds Afro-Caribbean elements.

Live On Fridays has singer-songwriters as Jeremiah Johnson and Steve Jean.

Sounds at Sunset is an open-air family-friendly dose of chilled back local music.

Asian Beat Collective brings four producers/songwriters together for a night of experimental sounds generated by growing up Asian in Australia.

Also performing through the 10 days are self-proclaimed vaudeville vamp and blues singer Christa Hughes; Bad Habit, who blurs the line between hip hop and theatre; new ska-reggae band The Neo; Saltwater Divas, a team-up of Emily Wurramura and Alice Sky; The Trap House DJs; and Queen Potter Stomp.

Also on the program are theatre, comedy, spoken word workshops and art installations. Visit the website here for further details.