I booked this band to play at my father's birthday party and they were terrific. Ross Anderson met…read morewith me two weeks prior to discuss the space, my event details and how they could fulfil our entertainment needs. All I wanted was for my dad to have a great time, and he sure did that! The band arrived and set up early, were very professional and played perfect Dixieland jazz all afternoon. They are a Melbourne institution on the Jazz scene with loads of international performance too! Also very reasonably priced. I'd book them again.

On Thursday night I went to an opening at Dark Horse Experiment because it is one of Melbourne's…read moreleading contemporary art galleries where the hippest young artists hang out. There was a crowd of people drinking the home-brewed beer and clean-skin wine that was for sale a small bar under the stairwell just inside the front door. Doyle, one of the gallery directors was calling everyone 'punk' because he can't remember names. The gallery is white walled converted factory space. The cool contemporary art on exhibition was by a young emerging print maker, Joel Gailer - I won't try to describe the art because the gallery has a new exhibition opening every three weeks. Outside in the street there were projections on the gallery windows - the projections in the windows are on every night. When you visit Dark Horse Experiment be sure to see the alleyway a door down the street because it has pieces by many of Melbourne and international street artists: HaHa, Vexta, E.L.K., A1one and Drew Funk. I met E.L.K. in the alley when I was there last time - nice guy just moved down from Canberra. The reason why there is so much street art in the alleyway is that at the back of Dark Horse Experiment there is Blender Studio where a number of these artists work.

Amazingly accurate destiny readings. Brilliant free healing in at J11 Dandenong Market as well.read more

Contemporary art & theatre in a wonderful setting…read more Went west to catch a highly rated play "Cain & Abel" which whilst disturbing was a revelation. But this isn't a review of the play, the theatre space was fantastic (an aisle on the right of the stage would be handy as you have to hop over other patrons legs), seating a lot but every seat with a view. Stage massive and could suit large productions. Gallery space downstairs fantastic with a number of rooms able to show works by different artists. Again a great use of an old building's space. Bar a little ordinary with one red & 2 whites to choose from & your standard fare, wine only average at $8 a glass. Wonderful space I'll be visiting again.

The substation is an iconic building of Melbourne's west. If you've ever tracked by rail through…read moreNewport, you've seen it. When I was growing up, it was derelict and home to many homeless and winos. And of course the fascination to kids all around. All the "cool kids" would break in to throw rocks at the window, or so my cool older sister would tell me. I was too busy at trombone practice. Newly renovated to resemble a New York loft, the substation is opened for business. Ideal for many functions, current uses are performances, art shows and markets. I do believe they can host wedding, though I'm not sure they have kitchen facilities. All in all, it's a modern building with multiple uses. The only (major) downfall is there is no aircon. Meaning during summer it can and does get extremely hot. And for that reason, it's 3, not 4 stars.

The first thing you will notice about the Melbourne Recital Centre is of course the facisnating…read morearchitecture of its exterior. The location of the Centre proved to be quite a challenge to designer Ashton Raggatt McDougall, being situated on post war sloping hills and uneven ground he had to come up with something special in order to achieve acoustic quality. The building seems to be covered in an irregular honeycomb shaped pattern giving it a shell like texture. At night time light escapes through some of these shells and makes for a beautiful structural appearance. The Recital Centre showcases a range of different performances from stage shows to music performances and even has some amazing artwork displayed on level 1. You can organise to have a guided tour of the MRC in which you will be atken throughout the building and can learn all about the design of the performance spaces, appreciate the artwork and explore backstage. The tours will set you back $15 full price and $10 for concession and they last usually about 1 hour, well worth it if you have time and are wanting to explore Melbourne.

Very nice and confortable place to listen a concert, the sound is so good…read more I went for a classic piano recital and it was amazing!

I would not have known that this little tucked away gallery would have existed if it was not for…read morethe recent Melbourne Fringe Festival. There was a piece of art created by Antonia Goodfellow that sparked people's attention, yet it was so simple once one entered the gallery. The show was called "Consilience - We All Jump Together" comprising of a large scale sculptural item that makes people think long and hard about the natural world, however the construction is synthetic. This piece of art comprised of a rubbery artificial stimulation and super magnification of the micro-universe visualised through the use of recycled materials, with another piece of art. I have lost re-collection of the second piece of art. Two minutes later I leave the gallery as there is nothing else to look at, although who can really complain as it was free to enter and observe. Although simple and dullish looking; no doubt a lot of work was put into this artificial masterpiece. Prior to observing and touring the gallery (albeit briefly) it was great to connect with someone who is so passionate about the arts after all; the attending art assistant who is also a chef. Interesting, although I would not head back in a hurry unless there was more art to see and appreciate.

This inconspicuous gallery on King st is an artist run project space that displays..........art? Is…read moreit art? What is art? The exhibition opening I attended was a series of performances by conceptual artists utilising various mediums including a loud distorted free styling keyboard player and people drawing on each other, I get there's a concept but not so sure I can appreciate it. Obviously each exhibition will vary and opinion is subjective however the vibe of this gallery feels decidedly on the cultural fringe and boundary pushing art is the norm here. The gallery consists of several white walled rooms and artists' studios on the floors above. Being used to free booze at openings I wasn't overly impressed that they were selling Bowlers Run wine ($2.80 a bottle at Dan Murphys) for $4 a cup at the opening. Guess they got to pay rent somehow.

Collingwood Gallery is great art space in the centre of the large Collingwood art scene…read more The rental space is over 120 square meteres and has been host to some amazing art exhibitions. My friends and I were lucky enough to attend 'HELM2', and Portrait exhibition from Benjamin F Guy. It was a real eye-opening exhibition, we loved the spacious area of the gallery and afterwards enjoyed a drink and meal in one of the many great pubs in the area.

I was walking along Smith St. and to a look inside Collingwood Gallery. I've seen some excellent…read moreexhibition here in the past and I've seen some truly awful exhibitions here. This time the art is all right, it is not amazing but it was worth a look. In another two weeks there will be a different exhibition from who ever rents the space. This is basically a kind of grungy empty shop space available for rent for short-term art exhibitions. There is a partition wall somewhat dividing the space and not much else to it. The gallery's opening hours depends on who is running the exhibition.

I went to Sutton Gallery to see the latest exhibition by Gordon Bennett, a contemporary Queensland…read moreartist with aboriginal ancestry. I always enjoy Bennett's painting style and the thoughts behind the paintings. Sutton Gallery represents Gordon Bennett and other established Australian artists. When I arrived at Sutton Gallery as one of Gordon Bennett's large canvases, "(Abstraction) indigene" 2011, sold for $38,500. There was a small group of people talking as the gallery assistant went and stuck a small red pin into the wall beside the painting to indicate the sale. Sutton Gallery sell art to major art galleries and other public collections; I've seen a Gordon Bennett painting that I first saw exhibited at Sutton later in the Bendigo Art Galleries permanent collection. Although the address for the gallery is Brunswick Street, Fitzroy the entrance to the gallery is on the side in Greeves St. The building looks like it has been converted from an old garage or maybe a stable; there are these large doors on the side. Inside the large white walled space is divided into two gallery spaces. There is another space behind some open half doors with the gallery office. Sutton Gallery has a different exhibition every month.