Posted by Penny Cropper on July 19, 2010
This month sees the launch of Winterland, the brand new winter festival currently on location at Carriageworks. Ice skating, mulled wine and market stalls are all on offer, but the free music nights are the real pick of the bunch. Here we speak to the man behind the music, Carriagworks Executive Producer Jamie Dawson about how it's all going.
Covered: Sydney's newest live music venue, taking risks with live music, The Stiff Gins.
Penny Cropper: What was the idea behind the music program for Winterland? What did you want to achieve?
Jamie Dawson: We wanted to launch a program that showcased some of Sydney’s best emerging musicians and sparked the idea of CarriageWorks as a live music venue. In its first few years of programming I felt CarriageWorks has been under represented in its presentation of live local music. This festival is to help balance that programming and establish a model for regular gigs in the future.
PC: How are the live music nights going so far? Have you had much feedback yet and are you happy with the response so far?
JD:We are quite early in the program, but so far things have been fantastic. It has been a great response in terms of the music. I think people are most appreciative of having the chance to come and see free great live music in a fun and cheeky atmosphere.
PC: What are the best things about the live music nights? Why should people come for a look?
JD: In the space of a month you’ll see everything from Alt Country to Jazz, Disco to eccentric Gypsy and at each and every stage it’s a classy line up. All gigs are free so you can take a risk on a new band and try something you’ve never done before.
PC: There are a few events for which Winterland is teaming up with organisations such as Music for Trees and Oxfam; was it your intention to make this a socially-conscious festival? How are you hoping to make a difference?
JD: A values-based approach is central to our programming vision at CarriageWorks. I don’t know if I’d say we necessarily set out to do a ‘socially-conscious’ anything. We program what we believe in and work with organisations who have similar values and who support what we are trying to do. At the same time I believe that a major arts centre is in a unique position to engage a community on a mass scale and if that helps support amazing people like Music for Trees, then we are all the better for it.
PC:What are your picks for the best music events at Winterland?
JD:I can’t express the delight I have knowing that The Stiff Gins will be playing in a festival I produced. Awesome, simply awesome.
carriageworks, winterland, the stiff gins