The Victorian Government's Online Music and Comedy Hub Is Streaming a Heap of New Gigs

Earlier in the year, when Victorians were asked to stay at home and the city's venues were forced to close, the State Government launched a digital entertainment portal to both help support local creatives and keep everyone connected. Now, with the state in the midst of its second lockdown — including stage-four restrictions in Melbourne — that online hub is getting a big boost.

As announced today, Saturday, August 15 by Premier Daniel Andrews, Victoria Together will score a new range of virtual experiences, such as streamed comedy performances and live music. If you've already worked your way through your Netflix queue and played every board game in your house, this will be welcome news. If you're eager to do whatever you can to help Australia's arts industry, which has suffered greatly during the country's fight against COVID-19, it's fantastic news as well.

Once again, the Victoria Together platform is hosting everything from cute animal videos from Melbourne Zoo to ACMI's film screenings, wellbeing resources, workout routines, recipes, digital art exhibitions and theatre shows — you get the idea. Basically, where all of the above is concerned, it's a one-stop-shop for the state's already exisiting online content. Best of all, it's completely free.

Looking for something completely new? The hub also features freshly made content, with more coming in its rebooted form. The state government has once again partnered up with independent music and entertainment company Mushroom Group to continue the popular The State of Music weekly live-stream music series, which'll support and champion Victoria's developing artists this time around. This iteration is called The State of Music — Introducing, and will feature four episodes kicking off from 7.30pm on Friday, August 21. Expect to see Paul Kelly introducing Jess Hitchcock, The Chats' Eamon Sandwith introducing Clamm and The Teskey Brothers' Josh Teskey introducing Gena Rose Bruce, for instance.

Cybele Malinowski

Also coming soon: an eight-part stand-up comedy series which'll be hosted by Nazeem Hussein, and boast the likes of Frank Woodley, Em Rusciano, Rhys Nicholson and Geraldine Hickey behind the microphone; the second season of cooking series Big Night In; and, in partnership ACMI, a new 'Victoria on Film' series that'll showcase locally made movies such as Ride Like a Girl, Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears, The Dressmaker, The Australian Dream, and Romulus My Father.

As proved the case the first time, the aim isn't just to give Victorians something new to watch, but to keep a sense of connection going between artist and audience, and venue and punter. And, as Premier Andrews explained, to support "our musicians, filmmakers and others in the creative industries who are doing it tough".

To visit Victoria Together, head to the online hub. The State of Music — Introducing will kick off at 7.30pm on Friday, August 21 and will run every Friday for four weeks — and for details on the rest of the online platform's content, keep an eye on its website.