Review: Ainslie Salon Music Series

The Ainslie Salon series took hold of the Ainslie Arts Centres in February 2022 and has continued to grow from strength to strength over the last six months.

Supported by funding from the first round of the ACT Government’s Amp It Up initiative it was originally slated to be delivered in 2021. Ainslie Main Hall was our live music venue of choice in which creative producer Sia Ahmad curated a bold program of superb local music and acclaimed artists from around Australia to perform in an up close and intimate setting. 

Pairing our favourite local artists with kindred spirits from out of town was a special part of each event, as well as seeing homegrown talent hold their own alongside high-profile performers and making connections to use in the future.

The combinations have resonated with our patrons too.

“Another night of amazing music at Ainslie Arts Centre… Indeed, of all the gigs hosted by A+G (and I’ve been to most, I think), the last two – Erasers/Low Flung and Liars/Bree van Reyk – have been absolutely amazing. A great pairing of support and main acts.” 

Highlights from the program included:

• improvised magic from Alister Spence Trio and underground legend Ed Kuepper as Asteroid Ekosystem
• cult favourites HTRK and spoken word duo 莎瑜 (ShaYu) sharing their delicate melancholy to a sold-out house 
• a total post-punk rock takeover on the Ainslie Main Hall stage from the imitable Liars 
• moody electronic atmospheres from Penelope Trappes and Alphamale on a cold winter night 

Ainslie Salon has developed a loyal following and we’ve seen regular faces coming back gig after gig. The intimate setting coupled with artists relaxing with the audience over a drink at the preshow and connecting post show at the merchandise table, has created a unique atmosphere that our audiences love and have come to understand as the Salon experience. 

Coming up in the next six months, A+G is delivering more exciting sets of programming as part of the Ainslie Salon series with further support from the Amp It Up initiative. First cab off the rank is On Location, a two-day festival that explores electronic and improvised music in a deep listening environment.  

Once again A+G is bringing together a whole slew of great artists from the ACT region and beyond to the Ainslie Salon.