Iconic Australian bands Spiderbait and Augie March will feature at Ballarat’s Civic Hall during the upcoming Be Hear Now culminating conference and concert.  

This year’s Be Hear Now festival and conference runs from August 9 – 11 with a variety of events for musicians and lovers of music to enjoy.  

Janet English, bass guitarist and singer from Spiderbait, will participate in a panel at the conference, providing a keynote address and insights to the participants about songwriting, and discussing mistakes she made over her career.  

Well known Aussie band Augie March will also be performing live at Civic Hall on 10 August, supported by Be Hear Now cohort performer Coda Chroma and Dayfever.  

Tickets are on sale online for the one-off show, with pre-Festival performances at various locations across Ballarat on Friday 9 August, featuring local musicians in concert before the conference kicks off on Saturday 10 August.

Be Hear Now member, Connor Toomey, from Dayfever says this year’s wider program has been a fantastic opportunity for the band to engage with likeminded musicians in the local scene who we wouldn’t normally get the chance to speak with.  

“It has provided a space for connection and a great sounding board of peers in which we can all grow and develop our craft with the support of other local musicians,” he said.  

“We’ve spoken to a few industry leaders who have helped shed some light on brand development and marketing which are invaluable insights into a space that we as a band had not much knowledge of.

“Augie March is a band synonymous with Australian music, something we are intensely passionate about as a band. We are currently cultivating a special set to unveil for the show at Civic Hall as we are very excited to be playing alongside the lovely Coda Chroma and Augie March.”

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said the Be Hear Now program is a great initiative from the Creative Ballarat team to find, foster and develop artists in the Ballarat region.  

“Supporting the emerging artists of Ballarat is great for our city, we have some fantastic musicians right here in our backyard, and this program provides mentoring, training and resources to turn them into the next big thing,” he said.  

The participants in Ballarat’s esteemed live music development program Be Hear Now have been announced for 2024.  

The Be Hear Now showcase will be held on 23 – 25 August at Ballarat’s Civic Hall for all to attend to hear from industry experts, artists, songwriters and more.  

The program, supported by the City of Ballarat and Creative Ballarat, nurtures the development of musicians by providing them with a framework to celebrate their skills and talents, as well as the tools to help them refine their craft.

The 2024 program celebrates Harry Nijam, a performer under the name Surfe, who is a laid back, dance, indie-pop artist that has been announced as part of this year’s cohort.

Harry participated in the program last year, as a fringe member, which allowed him to take a small gig in the schedule and attend the inaugural Be Hear Now live music conference.  

From this experience and mentoring, Harry was able to network and meet with industry contacts, secured a deal with Unified Music Group, and is developing new music for release this year.  

The 2024 cohort finalists and festival headliners are:

• ZÖJ
• Aaliyah Bise
• Dayfever
• Surfe  
• Coda Chroma  

This year, there is also a remaining shortlist of musicians that will be supported by the Be Hear Now program, they are:

• Juan Alban
• Thing From Spring  
• Oluwatobi Akanbi  
• Darlings Family Trust  

To see the musician’s full bios, you can visit creativeballarat.com.au/music

The main goal of the Be Hear Now program is to find, foster and develop artists within the Ballarat region.  

The selected acts for the 2024 cohort are given headliner status in a festival showcase program and are mentored by the festival team, provided with profile articles and coverage including radio, newspapers, magazines and online.  

They are also introduced to industry connections from record labels, booking agencies, streaming and online marketing and industry bodies.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said 2023 saw a very successful Be Hear Now cohort deliver a great selection of live music for our city.  

“Since 2019, when the program commenced, we have been committed to supporting performers in Ballarat, identifying talent and providing mentoring and training,” he said.  

“The 2024 program has added elements of education, with the participants to be trained in subjects such as business, branding and networking.”