A family-friendly day of arty activities kicking on to a live music-filled evening will liven up venues across the Port Adelaide Enfield Council area this Saturday. Here’s what to expect.
The one-day event put on by the City of Port Adelaide Enfield starts at Klemzig Oval and ends with alfresco dining on Commercial Road and Iparrityi Laneway.
Similar to their New Found Sound festival earlier in the year, MELTFest encourages locals and visitors to get around the districts and check out live music and activities across a range of venues.
From 11am to 3pm you’ll find food trucks Beyond India, El Guaco Taco, Modpizzeria and Wafflestix along with pop-up exhibitions by emerging local artists and children’s entertainers at the Gaza Sports and Community Club in Klemzig.
The evening trail includes a live music lineup with familiar names from CityMag’s Best New Music column.
My Chérie is one of the artists on the lineup, and while at other shows you might see her with a full band, for MELTFest she’s performing a stripped-back gig, duetting with Slowmango saxophonist Nicole Hobson.
“I started off as a solo live looping show and after a bit of time I wanted to bounce off more energy and I was lucky enough to have a band that just understood what the vibe of the project is,” she says.
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“I’m really excited to come back to the roots and do a more intimate set for MELTFest.”
Cherie says this year she wanted to manifest playing live more often, and that it’s great to have councils put on events like this to show that they value artists.
“As a musician trying to do this full time, we have a lot of gratitude, because it’s just helping the overall culture, making it a better city full of arts and music,” she says.
“I think having these councils do this, what it can do is bring people that aren’t in the music scene or in the arts scene, bringing those worlds together.”
My Chérie in action.
Cherie is currently working on a larger collection of songs for release after releasing singles including ‘Darkness & Gold’ and ‘Don’t Compare Yourself’.
“When we release music and things, I know a lot of artists feel this kind of disconnect, and when you are on stage, you’re in real-time connecting with audiences and seeing the facial expressions and seeing them connect directly with your music,” she says.
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“It’s like, we write these songs and we feel these feelings, and then people care about what you have to say and your feelings, and want to be with you watching you play these songs and it’s a beautiful honour, and it’s just something that I just love with all my heart.”
Also on the lineup for MELTFest are rocker Max Savage, indie duo Siberian Tiger, art folk group Wake In Fright, and singer-songwriters Ella Ion and Jamie Lena.
You can catch them from 5pm to 9pm across the Port Adelaide area. The trail also includes 15 brick-and-mortar venues showing off the area’s creative and hospo scene.
Street dining on show includes the Lighthouse Wharf Hotel, Low and Slow American BBQ, Commercial Hotel, Miss Viet Kitchen and the Port Admiral Hotel.
MELTFest is a part of SALA, incorporating a visual art offering on the trail and workshops including night photography with light painting artist Denis Smith who will take participants through long exposure and light painting techniques featuring the Wonderwall murals of Port Adelaide.
Port Adelaide Enfield Mayor Claire Boan says MELTFest is their invitation to get South Australians to embrace the charm of the area in winter.
“We’re bringing together the best of local talent, from artists and musicians to chefs and performers, to create a warm community celebration in the heart of the cool season,” she says.
“It’s your chance to cosy up to a warm fire, enjoy delicious food, and be surprised by the lively festivities around every corner.”
MELTFest is on Saturday, August 3. For the full list of activities and music on show, visit their website.
