For anyone who witnessed the frenetic pitch of Afrolankan Drumming System, the festival’s name might seem like a misnomer. Now in its third year, Ballarat’s Festival of Slow Music isn’t about reduced tempos but about listeners slowing down to properly digest music. All of the performances across nine days were acoustic, yet that term too can mislead, associated as it is with folky songwriters. The Festival veered far beyond that – in genre as well as in geography. When a sixteen-piece band paid tribute to cosmic jazz voyager Sun Ra on opening night, earplugs became necessary despite the lack of electrical amplification.

While housed largely in two rooms of the historic Mechanics’ Institute, settings ranged from a public library to art galleries and gardens. Beyond providing calm counter-programming to modern life’s harried oversaturation, the festival removed many invisible barriers found at concerts, whether rock gigs or classical recitals. Music was performed on floors (or on grass) rather than on stages. A mix of day and night and free and ticketed events opened it up to a wider audience, and children sporadically romped on the periphery. The unenhanced volume meant listeners could absorb everyday sounds at the same time.