Want live, local and raw entertainment? Well you’ve come to the right place…

Live from the Underground at Transit Bar and Bootleg Session at the Phoenix present a flurry of great, local and unsigned talent every week.

We chat to Ben Drysdale from Cardboard Charlie Management, the team who continue to support local musicians in Canberra by organising these events, giving young talent the opportunity to perform to attentive audiences, at great venues.

Describe the local music scene in Canberra?
“There is an amazing amount of talent in the Canberra scene across all genres. The struggle has always been the amount of venues that are willing to support local, original music. Over the last few years the vibe of the local scene has picked up greatly and hopefully more venues will jump on board to support the immense amount of talent our city harbours.”

What are the Cardboard Charlie nights all about?
“My music nights are all about showcasing the diversity and range of Canberra talent across as many genres as possible in one sitting. With at least two nights a week, each night showcasing four or five local bands/artists, Cardboard Charlie’s showcases aim to give both audiences and musicians a regular platform to appreciate and develop local talent.”

What kind of music will we hear at one of these nights?
“The Independents, which in Canberra, is pretty much everyone. We have found it hard to incorporate the heavier side of the music spectrum into our showcases, but still try to support them through the online CD store at cardboardcharlie.com.”

What can we expect if we attend?
“A great night out full of friends, old or new, and music of all sorts… All live, original, and home-grown. Cardboard Charlie nights have free entry. However, we do take a contribution jar around during each act, which goes towards paying the artists, so that the punters have a chance to show their appreciation at their own discretion.”

Check out our what’s on guide for times, line-ups and live music events at other great venues such as Olims, All Bar Nun and more.