Concrete Playground

Fringes are easy to identify, mainly because by definition a fringe forms the outer edge of a discernable whole (or, in other cases, it’s the bit of hair just above your eyes). Verges are a lot more exciting in comparison, because they promise that something greater is on its way, something unseen but sure to dazzle in its nascence.

So the University of Sydney’s Union is promising a lot with its chosen title and, judging from previous incarnations and a peek at this year’s line-up, The '09 Verge festival will certainly deliver a pyro’s stash of explosive cheer.

It all goes bang on August 28th, with a massive Festival Opening night that combines indie electro outfit Telefonica, the Purple Sneaker DJs and the launch of SeeSee Miscellany Magazine – a creative writing periodical that is flare-worthy in its own right.

Also, a favourite festival piece returns this year with the Night Markets on September 4th, giving everyone an opportunity to navigate the fairy realm’s equivalent of Westfield.

As part of VergeTalks, On Blue King Brown’s Natalie Pa’apa’a, The Herd’s Tim Levinson, Rolling Stone’s Dan Lander and musicologist Dr Cecilia Sun will get together to talk about the role of music in revolution on September 9.

However, the heart of a good Verge festival is its Tent, which this year kaleidoscopes from OH&S-defying electric wunderkinds Dorkbot, through to Western Chinese rockers Askar Grey Wolf, and blossoming out as a blissful, chai-swilling gypsy music love nest. In fact, there’s so much cascading out of that piece of canvas that I’m not even sure if I’ve linked the correct adjectives and nouns. Ah well, it’ll make for a delightful surprise on the night.

Photo by Amelia Schmidt