Church Is Now in Session: Geelong's New Live Music Venue's Opening Weekend Is Finally Here
Geelong's newest live music venue is raising the roof with Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, local talent and a packed debut gig guide.
Revealed for the first time in early July, Church is Geelong's landmark new live music venue. Now, it's time to get dressed in your Sunday best, as this redeveloped former church on Ryrie Street gears up for its opening weekend celebration. Designed as an intimate, artist-led venue, this $180 million project has a slate of gigs ready to hit the stage, bound to make the most of its top-notch acoustics and structural work.
While that includes an assortment of big names, expect a curated lineup of the Bellarine region's most diverse voices. To mark the official opening, Church welcomes Aussie rockers Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers for an up-close gig on Friday, August 14, with Surf Coast-raised folk-rock singer-songwriter Jasmin Adria and surf-rock trio The Shore kicking off the night. While the gig is sold out, Church has a double pass to give away (entries close on Tuesday, August 11).
Night two is all about fine regional music minds, with Bless This Mess running from mid-afternoon until late and featuring Operation Karma, Blyss, Cooldad, Motel Neptune, Maddie Jackway and Will Gibb. Looking ahead, Darcie Haven takes over Church on Saturday, August 29, bringing emotionally raw songwriting and a rapidly growing online following to one of her most intimate gigs to date, then genre-blurring Tjaka promise electronic beats, hip hop and First Nations culture on Saturday, September 5.
Lotte Gallagher, another of Australia's most quietly compelling emerging singer-songwriters, arrives on Saturday, October 10. Next, Aussie-born, Canadian soprano Ruth Moody — founding member of The Wailin' Jennys supergroup — hits Geelong on Wednesday, October 14, touring our shores once again with her evocative songwriting.
Before the year is out, November sees alt-rock band #1 Dads bring their gentle, heartfelt melodies to the venue, guided by Big Scary vocalist-guitarist Tom Iansek. Finally, Brisbane-based singer-songwriter Shane Nicholson, winner of 15 Golden Guitars, brings Side One, Side Two to Church — a tour of his greatest hits complemented by covers that shaped his musical identity.
"The opening weekend will bring to life the vision behind Church: an accessible, artist-led space where independent performers can take creative risks, build audiences and develop their practice," says Geelong Arts Centre CEO and Creative Director Rhys Holden. "After years of careful restoration, planning and support from our community, it is incredibly exciting to see this room ready to welcome its first artists and audiences."
Church opens on Friday, August 14, at 71 Ryrie Street, Geelong. Head to the website for more information.
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Images: Peter Foster.
