Live space becoming a recording venue

WHILE normally a place for live music, the Eastern Hotel’s doors will soon be opened for a more controlled musical environment.

In the coming months, the band room is set to see regular use as a recording space when welcoming live acts, as part of a project aimed at stimulating Ballarat’s music scene.

To launch the initiative entries have opened for a competition that’ll see four local acts have a song recorded, mixed, and mastered at the venue at no cost.

The initiative is being funded through the Ballarat Creative Inspiration Grants and the project’s coordinator Jackson Cass said his aim is to give artists a space to properly record their music.

“I found just in conversations with Matt and people from the local music community that there was a bit of a gap in the market for a locally-ran recording industry,” he said.

“We’re inviting all local engineers and producers so everyone’s involved and it’s using local talent at accessible prices.

“The idea behind it is that it’ll bring some publicity and excitement around the program so we can keep doing it after this initial program.

“Once that starts, it’ll only cost them about the pay from two, three gigs.”

The competition can be entered via an application form on the Eastern Hotel’s Instagram and Facebook pages.

Mr Cass said although demoes are encouraged, they aren’t essential to enter the competition.

“We want some emerging artists involved as well,” Mr Cass said.

“Some of them may never have actually played live before so this gives them not only a recording, they can release but also the ability to perform that at a gig for the first time ever.”

Matthew Stone, owner of the Eastern Hotel, said they have all their equipment ready to go.

“We’ve got all the facilities in-house to do our recordings so it’s just a matter of setting up and doing it,” he said.

“There’s a lot of home setups around Ballarat but not really any professional studios here. A lot of people go out of town to get their recording done.

“We’re not professional either, but we’ve got everything to provide a good sound.”