Central Geelong gets groovy again with free music series

LITTLE Malop Central is again awash with music with the return of the Music in the City series.

The free entertainment program will run throughout the year on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 12 noon-2pm and feature a rotating cast of homegrown talents and street performers.

City of Greater Geelong mayor Trent Sullivan said the community can expect a wide variety of musical genres throughout the series, including rockabilly, upbeat pop and original music.

Folk songstress Rach Brennan, funky soul trio Spider Jazz and 60s cover two-piece The Rhythm Boys are among the local artists who will hit the Little Malop Street central stage in the coming weeks.

“The Music in the City program in Little Malop Central has received a remarkably positive response from the local community,” Cr Sullivan said.

“Feedback indicates that the initiative has played a role in fostering social connections and creating a welcoming atmosphere for residents.”

Music in the City forms part of the City’s efforts to revitalise the long troubled Market Square precinct and aims to encourage people back into Geelong’s CBD by contributing towards the safety, vibrancy and community feel of the area.

Cr Sullivan said the program supports the Market Square quarter masterplan and will “assist in strengthening pedestrian laneway connections within central Geelong”.

The masterplan, which is currently open for public consultation, will see the city block bound by Malop, Yarra, Ryrie and Moorabool streets progressively revamped and transformed into the “thriving heart of Geelong”.

“Programs such as Music in the City encourage a greater mix of uses and support revitalising important public spaces, like Little Malop Central, to make it livelier and better utilised,” Cr Sullivan said.

He said the Music in the City program also aligns with the city’s Live Music Action Plan.

Developed in 2017, the plan strives to co-ordinate community, commercial and government efforts towards a more active and sustainable live music culture in Geelong.