Every Wednesday evening in Melbourne’s inner city suburbs, a group gathers to play the ukulele. Titled the Melbourne Ukulele Kollective, and outnumbered by beginners, the group is united through a passion for the instrument. Having performed at Federation Square and the Port Fairy Folk Festival, it might not be long ‘til you can claim you knew this group before they went commercial.

If you’ve been watching the new TV program Fringe Lane, you’ll know what I’m on about. In only the show’s second week on air, Fringe Lane has featured segments on Melbourne’s Ukulele Kollective, St. Kilda’s Veg Out Community Garden, West Footscray’s Women’s Circus, and other quirky attributes of this city.

Fringe Lane focuses on Melbourne’s art, fashion, food and music culture. Hosted by four young women, the show presents stories on emerging and undiscovered pastimes, enterprises and events that slip under the mainstream media radar. ‘We just felt there was no room on Australian television for something a bit different, a little left-of-centre, so this is our way of trying to change that’, says Fringe Lane Producer, Tahlia Azaria.

Better yet, Fringe Lane is associated with Yourthworx Productions, enabling at-risk minors to get involved in the show’s production. Watch Fringe Lane, and you’ll be supporting Melbourne youths gain skills in editing, and operating cameras, audio and lights for the program.

Fringe Lane

Wednesday evenings 8:00pm
Channel 31 (Digital Channel 44)

Details: Fringe Lane