Why residencies matter

A one-off gig is exciting. A residency is how a scene actually builds itself.

When a band holds down a weekly or fortnightly slot, something different happens. Audiences start to trust the night. Musicians get to take risks. The room develops a personality. It becomes a place — not just an event.

Brisbane has always had a handful of residencies that function this way. Liv Marlton's Sunday session at Mirrorball. JMI Live on Thursdays. The Sunday afternoon sets at the Hyatt. These nights are the connective tissue of the scene — they're where students hear working musicians up close, where sit-ins happen, where the informal mentorship that defines a jazz community takes place.

The sit-in tradition

Most of Brisbane's open residencies operate on a loose sit-in model. You bring your axe, you introduce yourself to the bandleader, you wait for the nod. It's informal, but there's an etiquette to it — listen before you play, lock in with the rhythm section, read the room.

If you're new to the scene, these nights are the fastest way in. Show up, listen, play when invited, come back next week.