Beat 1720

DAN SULTAN

Reflecting on 10 years of Blackbird with the MSO this NAIDOC Week.

2024

COUCOU CHLOE

DONATO DOZZY

ESTELLA BOERSMA

GABBER MODUS

22———31

Creek Tavern

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EDITORIAL NOTE

Haters would say the Melbourne music scene goes into hibernation in July. They’d be wrong.

Æ While the month lacks any super major festivals, it’s kind of a blessing in disguise, because it motivates us to look for fun in lesser-known places, through mysterious doors, down dimly lit laneways… If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that you lot will stop at nothing to find a party. You sniff them out like Salomon-footed truffle pigs. And we love you for it.

Dan Sultan graces our cover this month, reminiscing on the making of his hit record Blackbird a decade after its release. Read on to find The Last Dinner Party’s musings on their glamorous and gothic aesthetic world, Militarie Gun’s guide to writing easy-to-love punk anthems and the Jesus and Mary Chain’s lament on their messy twenties.

We also catch up with local favourites Serpette and Horsepower ahead of their appearances at Leaps and Bounds. Grace Cummings phones in from a balcony in Norway to chat about the healing power of music (and $150 fish) and Kingswood takes us back to when they were a baby band with big dreams.

If there’s a theme tying this month’s stories together, it’s one of reflection and renewal. Let this be your inspiration to craft your future just the way you want it. Or at least, you know, see a show or two.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF TRADITIONAL OWNERS

Our magazine is published on the lands of the Bunurong Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation, and we wish to acknowledge them as Traditional Owners. We pay our respects to their elders, past, present and emerging.

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Beat Mag will be distributed free every month to hundreds of locations around metro Melbourne, to enquire about having it at your venue email distribution@furstmedia.com.au

COVER

Our July cover star is Dan Sultan photographed by Daniel Boud

Ç NOW OR NEVER REVEALS INCREDIBLE PROGRAM

Now or Never festival will run from August 22 – 31, showcasing more than 250 local and international creatives, from boundary-pushing pop-stars like Eartheater to large-scale installations on the Yarra River.

THE SUBSTATION WELCOMES EXPERIMENTAL GEMS THIS JULY

Over two showcases on July 11 and 20, The Substation will host mind-expanding musicians from Japan, the United States and Kenya, including Eiko Ishibashi, Jim O’Rourke, Keiji Haino and Nyokabi Kariuk.

Ç I HATE MODELS BRINGS FACE II FACE TO PICA

On October 13, the global techno sensation I Hate Models will showcase his newest audio-visual project at PICA, supported by Yasmin Gardezi and Kendal.

Ç THOM YORKE COMES TO MELBOURNE ON DEBUT SOLO TOUR

The Radiohead and The Smile frontman will be coming for his debut Australian solo tour, including two nights at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on October 29 and 30.

QUEENSCLIFF MUSIC FESTIVAL DROPS 2024 LINEUP

The charming seaside event happening from November 22 – 24 will feature Michael Franti & Spearhead, Marlon Williams, Kasey Chambers, Bob Log III, Grace Cummings, Queenie, Cash Savage & The Last Drinks and more.

Ç BIGSOUND REVEALS FIRST ARTIST LINEUP

Kelis, Peking Duk, Sly Withers and more will bring their craft to Fortitude Valley from September 3 - 6.

Ç TWO AUSTRALIAN ICONS HEAD TO KINGSTON CITY HALL

Kingston City Hall in Moorabbin is set to host two bright stars this July. Eskimo Joe will be performing on July 6 and Ella Hooper will take the stage on 26, with tickets to both shows on sale now.

Ç SAKE FESTIVAL COMES TO THE QUEEN VICTORIA MARKET

On July 20 and 21, the annual Australian Sake Festival will head to Melbourne, bringing workshops, Japanese ceramics, traditional drumming, dancing, live music and more than 200 different sakes to taste.

A DAY ON THE GREEN MAKES AN EPIC RETURN

The beloved Geelong festival has announced a six-date tour of the Teskey Brothers, Band of Horses, Sierra Ferell, CMAT and Charlie Needs Braces, heading home to Mt Duneed Estate on January 11.

POCKETS + PIES ALE NICE BISCUIT ‘RAIN’ TOUR - WITH HEAV Y AMBER + WINSKY RIFLEBIRDS ‘MODERN COMPLICATIONS’ ALBUM L AUNCH WITH THE FLICKERING STARS + THE DELVENES KAKAROT ‘MERCHANT OF THE LIGHT ’ SINGLE L AUNCH - WITH L AVA L AKES + CITRUS BERGY BAT TLE OF THE BANDS HEAT #3 - WITH LIPSTEREO + DIRT Y GWEN + CHLOE BOOTH + JACQUI LUMSDEN + TUDOR CLUB

EARTH CADET ‘ TALES FROM THE END’ EP TOUR - WITH FUR BLOSSOM + PINK ROCK S ALT

ALIENIST PRESENTS ‘THE LOVE//HATE’ AUS TOUR - WITH ATLVS + SYNGE + LIAR

AN EVENING WITH LOW MONROE & THE FUGITIVES - WITH ECHO SOCIAL CLUB + K ANDALINI

ARVO - BLOODSHED AT THE BERGY WITH BLOOD ON MY HANDS + NEBUL AM + GRAVERISK + TARNISHED

NEEMA NAZ ‘ESTUPID’ COMEDY POP UP SHOW - THIRD AND FINAL SHOW!

ARVO - CATILIN MIN FA BY EMMA BOULT STUDIOS - ARTISTS LIVE AT THE BERGY

STRICTLY LIVE WEDNESDAY SHOWCASE - WITH BACKBONE + SIDETRACKED + SHARP EDGES + CA SS AWARE

SHELLY’S MOTOR CLUB ‘YOU DO THE MATH’ SINGLE L AUNCH - WITH BAILEY JUDD + EA STBOUND BUZ Z HASSALL & INDIGO HUE ‘LOVE YA GUTS’ AUS TOUR - WITH DEL A CRUZ

ZACHARY LEO ‘ON MY MIND’ EP L AUNCH - WITH BAREFOOT SPACEMEN

ARVO - EMMA BOULT STUDIOS PRESENTS - STEPHANIE BARROW + ANDY B + GRACE LIPM AN

SUN STONE - WITH JOHN YANKO + LUK A S BAT TEY THE JAM BIG BAND - JA Z Z AT MELBOURNE BIG BAND!

TICKETS AVAILABLE VIA OZTIX

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Saturday

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In

Friday

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Sunday

Ernest

Saturday

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Sunday

Renee Spijker FRONT

Ç LIME CORDIALE AND BALL PARK MUSIC ANNOUNCE

MELBOURNE

SHOW

The beloved Aussie indie giants are venturing out on an Australia and New Zealand double-header featuring a date at John Cain Arena on October 8.

Ç RIDIN’ HEARTS COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL RETURNS

Following a successful debut last year, Ridin’ Hearts is back with a lineup featuring Riley Green, Cooper Allan, Josh Ross, MacKenzie Porter and more. It’ll be taking place at Melbourne’s Caribbean Gardens on November 3.

COLD CHISEL ANNOUNCE

50TH-ANNIVERSARY TOUR

The iconic rock band will be celebrating their 50th in style, with a massive tour stopping at Flemington Racecourse on October 25. They’ll also be headlining the Red Hot Summer Tour.

LIVE AT THE GARDENS BRINGS GIGS TO THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS

The brand new event series will run over two weekends in November 2024 and has announced Matt Corby and Xavier Rudd as headliners. It has plans to become a recurring series, with more dates locked in for March next year.

Ç PLAY NOW RETURNS FOR MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL GAMES WEEK

After a knockout inaugural event last year, Australia’s pre-eminent games market, Play Now Melbourne, is set to return for another round in 2024. Happening in October, it’ll bring together local game developers and investors.

Ç DEAN LEWIS ADDS NEW MELBOURNE DATE

The ever-popular Aussie pop artist best known for his heartfelt lyrics and crystal clear voice has extended his national tour due to popular demand. He’ll now be playing at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on November 7 and 8.

Ç ELISION AND NGULMIYA HEAD TO MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE

The acclaimed First Nations musicians will bring spine-tingling ancient vocals, boundary-pushing artistry and fantastical sonic visions to Melbourne for one night only. They’ll be playing at Elisabeth Murdoch Hall on July 5.

FESTIVAL OF VOICES CELEBRATES SINGING TOGETHER

Running for 10 days across Tasmania, this winter festival features singing workshops, community events and performances by Macy Gray, Montaigne, The Wolfe Brothers, Deke Sharon and more until July 7.

Ç SEX AND THE CITY AUTHOR CANDACE BUSHNELL COMES TO MELBOURNE

The internationally acclaimed novelist, journalist and It Girl will be sharing her salacious tales of New York life when her one-woman show touches down at Hamer Hall on December 10.

CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN HEAD TO MELBOURNE

The British alt-rockers are coming down under in support of their fourth studio album. They’ll be playing at Festival Hall on September 6.

Ç LISTEN OUT DROPS 2024 LINEUP

The single-day hip-hop and electronic festival has announced 21 Savage, Skepta, Lil Tjay, Tyla, Flo Milli and more on the lineup. It’ll be going down at Melbourne’s Carribean Gardens on September 27.

SPIDERBAIT TO CELEBRATE BLACK BETTY ANNIVERSARY

Iconic Aussie rockers Spiderbait are playing at the Forum on September 19 and 20 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Black Betty.

SILVERS CIRCUS RETURNS TO BURNLEY OVAL

The longstanding circus is back until July 21. This year, the show will be hosted by Australia’s Got Talent’s Walison Muh and will feature awe-inspiring acrobatics, impressive riders and ‘wonder dogs’.

Ç MELBOURNE

INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL REVEALS FIRST LINEUP

Running throughout the city from August 8 to 25, the festival will show local and international gems and highly-anticipated premieres, including the opening night film Memoir of a Snail directed by hometown hero Adam Elliot.

MODE BRINGS YOUNG MARCO, SWEELY AND MORE TO MELBOURNE

Taking place at PICA on October 5, the third edition of this techno festival features Club Angel, Dj Swisha, DVS1, Gorgon Sound, Mabel, Om Unit, Pearson Sounds, Rhyw, Rochelle Jordan, Tommy Holohan and more.

CARL COX, CHRIS LIEBING LEAD EAT THE BEAT FESTIVAL’S LINEUP

Melbourne clubbing legends Eat The Beat are hosting their own festival at PICA on October 5, featuring Carl Cox, Chris Liebing, Lilly Palmer and Mha Iri.

PILL TESTING TRIAL CONFIRMED FOR SUMMER

The Victorian government has announced they will trial pill testing of illegal drugs at music festivals this summer.

NEW GIN FESTIVAL TAKES OVER THE TIMBER YARD

On the weekend of August 17 and 18, the Botanica Spirits and Food Festival will bring more than 25 craft distillers to Port Melbourne for tasting, snacking and revelry.

Ç FREE TO FEED’S WINTER FEAST SERIES RETURNS

Sample homemade delicacies from North and East Africa, Ukraine, Iraq and Iran cooked by refugee and asylum seeker chefs at this ever-popular community event series held in Fitzroy North across July and August.

Ç FOLK DUO SALT TREE HEADS TO MELBOURNE THIS OCTOBER

The Western Australian favourites are heading out on a national tour in support of their latest release Follow Me In The Ocean. They will hit the Northcote Social Club on October 25.

BANDROOM

Ç MELBOURNE MUSEUM NOW HAS A 66-MILLION-YEAR-OLD T. REX

The 12-meter-long, 3.6-meter-high beast affectionately named Victoria has taken up residency at the Melbourne Museum. It’s one of the largest T. rex skeletons in the world and is now open to the public.

Ç CONFIDENCE MAN ARE SET TO PLAY THE FORUM THIS NOVEMBER

The London-based party starters are returning home for a tour in support of their forthcoming album 3AM (La La La), set to drop on October 18. They’ll hit Melbourne not long after with a big show on November 4.

THE SAINTS ARE REFORMING WITH NEW MEMBERS

The Australian musical legends are reforming in celebration of a vinyl box set release of their classic debut (I’m) Stranded. The group will feature members of Mudhoney, The Bad Seeds and Sunnyboys.

CLOCK TOWER

THE MSO WILL BE PERFORMING JOHN WILLIAMS’ FILM SCORES LIVE

Composer, conductor and movie buff Nicholas Buc will lead the MSO on an epic journey through the work of acclaimed film composer John Williams, happening on the 17, 18 and 19 of October.

DEFECTED RETURNS TO MELBOURNE

The iconic UK house label returns with a lineup featuring Nic Fanciulli, Danny Howard and more, coming to 170 Russell on November 1..

NEW ART EXHIBITION TRACES THE STRENGTH OF ABORIGINAL WOMEN

Running from July 6 to September 8 at the Incinerator Gallery, These Arms Hold features commissions by First Nations artists that celebrate the enduring power of female Indigenous Australians.

Ç SARAH MILLICAN TO PERFORM IN MELBOURNE

The award-winning UK-based comedian known for her relatable and engaging humour has extended her Australian tour booked for 2025. She’s now set to show at Hamer Hall on March 9, 10 and 11.

Arj Barker’s The Mind Field

Friday, 5 July at 7 30pm

Grigoryan Brothers – This is Us

Saturday, 3 August at 7 30pm

The Fence

Wednesday, 4 September at 7 30pm

MZAZA - The Birth & Death of Stars

Saturday, 5 October at 7.30pm

Ç THE BEAST’S DEEP FRIED COMEDY NIGHTS RETURN

On the last Thursday of every month, Brunswick East’s beloved neighbourhood bar The Beast will be throwing a hilarious free comedy night with a rotating lineup hosted by local legends Belal Hassoun and Max Flett.

ST KILDA FILM FESTIVAL REVEALS 2024 WINNERS

The winners of Australia’s Top Short Film Competition include The Dancing Girl and The Balloon Man, Yeah The Boys, Marungka Tjalatjunu (Dipped in Black), Bird Drone, Katele (Mudskipper) and Marlu Man.

PARTIBOI69 IS HEADLINING A RAVE UNDER A BRIDGE

Amsterdam techno agency Intercell is hosting its first-ever Australian event in the underpass at Graham St in Port Melbourne, featuring Partyboi69, MRD, Fukhed, Faster Horses b2b Wolters and more on October 12.

TIM MINCHIN’S BOOK TOUR COMES TO MELBOURNE

The writer, comedian, actor and mastermind Tim Minchin will be coming through town for a conversation about his new book, You Don’t Have to Have a Dream. He’ll stop at Hamer Hall on October 4.

FIDLAR AND DUNE RATS ANNOUNCE FORUM DOUBLE-HEADER

The skate-punk favourites have become fast friends after touring together in the UK, so they’re bringing a huge co-headline tour to the Forum on September 6.

Late, Late at Night - The Rick Springfield Story

Sunday, 13 October at 2pm

Damien Leith Irish Classics

Friday, 15 November at 7:30pm

EDINBURGH CASTLE HOTEL

MICHAEL

JULY

DAN SULTAN

“You just want to do the best work you possibly can with the options that you have in front of you. In that way, there is no difference, but in, in another way, it’s with a fucking orchestra.”

WORDS BY TYLER JENKE

As Dan Sultan will tell you, he’s no stranger to performing as part of NAIDOC Week, having taken part in the annual celebration of First Nations culture for as long as he’s been performing shows.

Æ This year, however, features one of his biggest appearances yet as he reinterprets his 2014 album Blackbird with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. The shows take place on July 12 and 13 at Hamer Hall, with the two sets featuring both the album and his wider catalogue.

For Sultan, it’s a chance to reflect, reimagine and take part in a wider program showcasing overlooked Australian art.

“NAIDOC Week is a time when we can reflect on a few things and I see it as a celebration where people who aren’t First Nations get an opportunity to be exposed to some incredible work done by really great people from all facets of the community,” he explains. “It’s a really nice opportunity to highlight a small part of all the beautiful things that go on.”

First released back in April 2014, Blackbird was Sultan’s third album and his biggest success up to that time. Hitting #4 on the charts, going Gold and winning his second Best Independent Blues and Roots Album award at the ARIAs, it amounted to a bright spotlight shining upon him.

Writing it with names including Alex Burnett and Pip Norman and recording it with Jacquire King at Nashville’s titular Blackbird Studios, it was a record Sultan describes as being lyrically sad, yet diverse and ultimately influential within the Australian music scene.

“Get Out While You Can, that was certainly my breakout record and it was the first time I’d gotten big festivals and national radio and ARIA Awards,” he remembers. “That really brought about a lot of change and then Blackbird followed on and picked up the mantle from there. I feel proud of the contribution that I was able to make with Blackbird.”

Described as “the simple journey of a man singing about love, desire and identity” upon its release, 10 years on, the record serves as something of a time capsule for Sultan, crystallising those feelings, those memories, and those times into one concise album that stands tall in his discography.

“For me, it feels like a long time,” he says. “It feels like 10 years, but I mean that in a really beautiful way. It was an exciting time making that record and it was certainly exciting bringing out things I was experiencing and things that I hadn’t experienced before as far as my work was concerned.

“I’d moved on from a situation that I was in for a long time and it was pretty scary at the time,” he notes. “Then I find myself in Nashville at Blackbird Studios, which is just an incredible place, and just those life experiences, I’ll never forget.”

A decade later, it’s time to revisit Blackbird in a wholly new way. Though this isn’t Sultan’s first time with the MSO (he performed as part of last year’s NAIDOC Week performance, One Song: The Music of Archie Roach), and though it might not seem like a typical performance, he’s not fazed, admitting there’s no such thing.

“I’ve done a lot of solo shows, three-piece shows and a lot of different types of performing, and I don’t really feel like there is much of a ‘regular performance,’” he notes. “You just want to do the best work you possibly can with the options that you have in front of you. So in that way, there is no difference, but in another way, it’s with a fucking orchestra,” he adds.

Sultan has never been afraid of new things, admitting if he’s not pushing himself toward new frontiers, he’s not evolving as an artist. With arrangements by Alex Turley and Aaron Wyatt as the conductor, the shows are bound to be exciting for everyone involved. At the end of the day, Sultan just wants to share good music in a new capacity.

“I’ve always wanted things to sound pretty epic and cinematic in my writing and in my production,” he admits. “And I feel like there’s probably no better way to pay tribute to that energy than with a symphony orchestra.”

DAN SULTAN X MSO

WHEN: 12 & 13 JULY

WHERE: HAMER HALL

Æ

GRACE CUMMINGS

WORDS BY JAKE FITZPATRICK

The Melbourne-based singer-songwriter talks about her new album Ramona , her upcoming Australian tour and what lies beyond.

Perched on a balcony somewhere in Norway, Grace Cummings appears to be living inside a fairytale. Complete with cobblestone streets and thousand-year-old churches, this fairytale, however, has a few slight differences. In this one, Cummings does not get her happily ever after.

She does, however, get a critically acclaimed third album, a seven-week tour across Europe and an upcoming homecoming. Which, to be honest, sounds better to me, and to Cummings as well for that matter.

Currently on the tail end of her European run and living among the chaos that is live touring, Cummings greets me with a big smile written across her face.

“I’m very tired but loving it,” she tells me. “I think I paid AUD $150 for a piece of fish last night without realising it – with a few boiled potatoes and a piece of salad.” But she doesn’t seem to mind… that much.

Speaking of the tour, Cummings says, “It’s been really great. I can’t believe anybody’s come and they have. I’m blown away”.

The tour comes in support of her third album, Ramona, a beautifully delicate yet strong body of work that’s been well-received by critics and fans alike. Upon first listen, you can immediately hear the influence of names such as Joni Mitchell and Nick Cave within her voice. But as you dig a little deeper, you realise that Cummings is something quite unique.

The album was written about a slice of Cummings’ life where turbulence ran wild. “It was a collection of things going on in my life at the time, and a very difficult time of my life.”

The album, named after Bob Dylan’s 1964 song, To Ramona, feels at times from the perspective of the Ramona Dylan sings of, a weepy, sorrowful southern girl torn between the country and the city.

“I was once likened to the character of Ramona, and it made me upset about myself and who I was. I didn’t want to be like that. So loosely that’s where it came from,” says Cummings.

The album contains many beautiful tracks, from A Precious Thing, where Cummings’ voice contorts into the sounds of tragedy, to Common Man, where Cummings sings about wanting to be a cowboy and obtain freedom.

But the starkest track from the album is Help Is On It’s Way. “I put [the song] on the end of the album as an antidote. It’s a bit cliche, but the only thing that I can do to make myself feel better is sing. And the only thing you can do is listen. It’s like, if you keep going and find something that holds your hand, let it be heard.”

Such is Cummings’ gift in crafting songs that sound as if she wrote them just for you. Speaking of this power, Cummings offered, “It’s the lyrics. It’s everything. It’s what keeps you company when you’re alone and it’s what holds your hand when you’re not having your hand held by anything else, really”.

Ramona also offers a markedly different sound and process to Cummings two previous releases. For the first time in her career, she worked with a producer. In this case, it was the acclaimed Jonathan Wilson.

“Jonathan’s the best. He didn’t sit there and tell me what to do. I brought all the songs and he has all the stuff and people. And he’s really open and confident. It also meant I could push things to another level. I don’t exactly know how to arrange an orchestra!”

As Cummings wraps up her European tour, she is also readying herself for her many upcoming Australian shows.

“I’m excited as we have a lot of gig miles under our belt. Now we know the show very well because we’ve played a shitload of shows. So I’m excited to be confident and comfortable about it in front of Australian audiences,” she says.

As for what lies around the corner after all of this, not even Cummings fully knows. She’s always writing and trying something new with it.

“I like to listen to new things and have new influences that add to the tapestry. The only thing you can give the world that it doesn’t already have is you, so that’s what I’m doing.”

GRACE CUMMINGS

WHERE: THE ESPY AND BRUNSWICK BALLROOM

WHEN: 12 AND 14 JULY

By Jane Harrison

Photo credit: Rob Hookey

HORSEPOWER

Guitarist Nath,

vocalist

Dermott

and drummer Dean trace back the origins of the band ahead of their all-ages show at The

Tote for Leaps and Bounds festival.

WORDS BY WILL BRUSSEN

Æ It is evident that friendship the driving force behind Horsepower. It’s mates having fun together and exploring the sounds of hardcore in their own way. They were friends long before they ever started the band together and it’s clear their camaraderie is at the very core of what they do and how they operate.

“It was during COVID – me, Dean and Nath – we lived together,” Dermott says. “It was kind of reaching the end of their band that they were in previously. I wanted to start a heavier band and wanted to sing in it, in particular, and we just started jamming at our house. We had a garage.”

He says the demo that resulted was the first time they’d ever tried writing anything hardcore, or even just heavy for that matter.

“We didn’t have an idea of what we wanted it to sound like. It was whatever came out and that probably is exactly what it sounds like – a couple of different styles in there, but it was a pretty accurate representation of where we were at at the time.”

Although Horsepower isn’t the first time the boys have played together. “We all played in the same band at one stage [previously],” Dean shares. Dermott continues, “I played in a weird mathy soft rock band before, where I was doing clean singing and playing guitar. It’s a vast contrast, but I think it kind of works in our favour as well in that it broadens the spectrum of what we’re able to do within the genre. It’s good to have those previous influences and experiences to formulate what we do now.”

Dean describes himself as “a blues rock drummer that had been placed in a hardcore band”. “Hardcore as a whole was like a completely new thing to me,” he says. “When we first started, I didn’t even really know that it existed, that very niche genre.”

For Horsepower, there’s a sense of freedom without constraints of the rigid nature of what hardcore should sound like that many bands can fall into.

When the conversation moves to what drives them, Dermott jumps in. “The purpose is pretty much just to have fun and play music. We’ve grown up together, [have] known each other for years and years, and just playing together is like, the funnest thing you can do,” he tells me.

“We get to write what we enjoy and just do it for ourselves, and if other people enjoy it – which luckily, some people have – that’s awesome. People get to come to shows, have fun, dance around, hang out with us. That’s pretty much all it is, we’re just trying to have fun and do the style in our scope.”

Dean adds, “I think it sounds maybe a bit corny and cliche [to say] that it’s all about having fun and being with your mates, but it really is.”

He then goes on to describe a typical Saturday for the band, which involves getting a coffee together and then band practice all day. Nath chimes in, “We’d feel completely lost if we didn’t have it”. Laughter ensues. “We’d all be so sad – we pretty much play in this band so we’re not sad.”

The hardcore community has quickly welcomed Horsepower and the band is eager to repay the favour.

“Everyone in the scene is so lovely. We’ve made a lot of good friends,” says Dean. Dermott adds, “Yeah, we have great friends in the scene, a lot of great relationships, and it’s so DIY, which is perfect because the people that you can look up to could be your friends the following week. It’s very open in that sense.

“It’s an interesting thing. It’s a niche interest. And when you meet people that have this interest also, you kind of automatically click and have a bit of connection because it’s something that you feel so passionately about,” he says.

“It’s not just those people in the bands. The community is the broader spectrum of the people that always come to these shows. It’s very open and everyone’s there to have a chat and just be friendly. It’s always a good time, it’s not super cliquey or very closed off. Everyone’s just there to have fun, enjoy each other’s company and enjoy the music.”

It’s this sense of community that motivated the band to make their show at Leaps and Bounds open to all ages.

“It’s always super important to involve the younger generation coming up because without shows that bring them in, you can’t foster the next generation of bands or the next generation of showgoers,” Dermott says.

“I think it’s important to play the shows that show up for the younger crowd and get everyone involved. Because the more you do that, just the better it’s going to be, the more beneficial it is for everyone.”

HORSEPOWER

WHERE: THE TOTE

WHEN: 27 JULY

Credit: Chris Roese

SERPETTE

WORDS BY OLIVER WINN

When the doom-punk band Serpette agreed to play their first-ever show in 2023, they didn’t even have a name.

Æ The week after, they played their second-ever show at last year’s Leaps and Bounds festival, where guitarist Andy rocked up with no shoes on.

“He’d seen God the night before”, vocalist Spyke tells me, offering no explanation or context. But this is what makes Serpette the great punk band they are today. “It’s chaotic people making chaotic music.”

Serpette are set to return to their old stomping ground with two huge shows at Leaps and Bounds in late July. They only formed last May, but like the French knife they’re named after, Serpette has slashed through the noise of Melbourne’s music scene with their blistering brand of doom-punk, proving themselves a musical force to be reckoned with.

On March 1, Serpette released their self-titled debut album. The record feels like a monolithic wall of guitar, drums and bass, egged on by Spyke’s aggressive snarling vocals. Clocking in at 16 minutes across nine tracks, Serpette doesn’t beat around the bush.

If the nature of punk didn’t already make their music emotionally charged, then it sure would’ve been after guitarist Lexi went through some romantic drama right before the band recorded their album.

“I got told someone was in love with me and dumped within 24 hours of recording,” Lexi says.

Luckily for Lexi, the band managed to channel this raw emotion in the studio, teaming up with Andrew McEwan at Ritzland Studios who Spyke describes as “truly a magician”.

“I don’t think we were even that good when we recorded it, but it came out and I was like, ‘We didn’t sound shit,’” Spyke says.

Thanks to McEwan’s production expertise, the album is one of those rare instances where the recording manages to capture the energy of the live performance.

“I mean recording live, I guess, made the energy transfer pretty good. So like, all the amps [were] in separate rooms and then I was on the kit in the other room with everyone playing,” Woody says.

They all come from different occupations – Spyke is a social worker, Lexi is a screenwriter, Andy is a psychiatrist, Lauren is an international artist and Woody is a BAFTA-winning videogame designer. But this motley group all have one thing in common.

“We’re all freaks,” Spyke says proudly. “When we’re making music, we’re all just, like, real freaky and weird.”

This freakiness is the band’s glue – it creates a non-judgemental vibe, allowing them to seamlessly collaborate on ideas and try out new things. “It kind of translates to the sound that we’re making, which is chaotic,” Spyke says.

When it comes to staying organised, the band’s drummer Woody is the one who keeps things together. He’ll say an event starts an hour early just so the rest of the band turns up on time.

“I think the rest of us are really untethered and in space and then Woody is really the person that tethers us. Thank God –we wouldn’t be a band if it wasn’t for him,” Spyke says. This sort of unruliness is fairly on-brand for a punk band. But for Serpette, maintaining the mental well-being of each member is just as important as playing live shows.

“I think the thing that we always said is that playing music and writing music together always has to be enjoyable for us so we always make sure we’re protecting that,” Woody says. When I talk to them on Google Meet, it’s obvious they care for each other. Huddled shoulder-to-shoulder around a laptop, each joke cracked sees a playful punch in response, accompanied by a chorus of contagious laughter. Every member has been close friends for at least the past five years.

The band are also strongly connected to the surrounding punk scene in Melbourne. When they play at the Leaps and Bounds festival’s All Night Fever, a Queercore Punk Gig and Dance Party show, Serpette will be surrounded by familiar faces.

“They’re literally all of our besties,” Spyke beams.

SERPETTE

WHEN: 27 AND 28 JULY

WHERE: THE TOTE AND THE OLD BAR

THE LAST

WORDS BY ASHLYNN HANNAH

The

Last Dinner Party have always known who they are. For the last few years, the band of five have been dressing up in lace-trimmed corsets and flowing gowns to put on performances full of grandeur and maximalism in spaces across London.

Æ

“We come from a really colourful, amazing music scene in London in its independent venues,” bassist Georgia Davies from The Last Dinner Party tells me. Born and raised in Australia, she moved to the UK for university where she fell in with the rest of the band.

From debuting at dim-lit local venues to performing at world-renowned festivals like Glastonbury and Coachella, The Last Dinner Party have officially broken away from London’s underground scene and are set to play in Australia for the very first time.

Their debut record Prelude To Ecstasy is emotionally dynamic, spanning from the explosive chorus of Nothing Matters to the tragic lyrics in On Your Side. It’s an elegantly smooth testament to a band that knows exactly what they stand for.

Brought together during the COVID-19 lockdowns, Abigail, Georgia, Emily, Aurora and Lizzie spent a lot of time practising and writing before they started performing under the name The Dinner Party in 2021. Two years later and gaining traction as a band, they added the word ‘Last’ to steer clear of any confusion with another group called Dinner Party.

“We started playing gigs and we quickly realised we didn’t want to record anything until it was good and ready,” explains Georgia.

“I think that there’s a lot of unnecessary pressure on young bands to have a really slick recording and to already be on Spotify, and to already be on a viral TikTok sound and to be a bedroom producer.

“I think what we ultimately wanted to do was go back to the days of just hearing about a band through a friend or on a gig poster and wanting to go see them based on nothing you could find online – just word of mouth and that kind of feral hype culture of it.”

“Every single note that you hear was composed, written and arranged by us – it’s very much our thing.”

Credit: Leonn Ward

DINNER PARTY

As a band, they’ve spent years honing in on the craft of playing live which is evident in the orchestral flourishes of their music and the visual opulence of their performances. Watching them now, it’s hard to believe there were only around 15 people who attended their first-ever gig at The George Tavern, but that didn’t stop them from putting on a classic Last Dinner Party show.

“We played that set like it was heading Glastonbury,” Georgia laughs. “I woke up that morning and have never been more nervous in my life – I’ve never felt like that before and we truly put everything into it.” They dressed up, coordinated the whole set and played some of the songs that now make up their debut album Prelude To Ecstasy.

From the arpeggiated synth riffs in Burn Alive to the Albanian melody in Gjuha (with a handful of guitar solos sprinkled throughout), the sounds that make up the record are hard to encapsulate in just a few words. Many have described the band as baroque-infused pop meets grungy art-rock, however, the members’ different backgrounds and tastes make for some genre-bending fun.

Together as a group, they share many of the same role models when it comes to the artists and music they love. “People who are unapologetically creative” is the way Georgia describes the common thread between influential artists such as Bowie, Queen, Kate Bush, Florence and the Machine and FKA Twigs.

“We were very inspired by people who create their own kind of sonic but also aesthetic world,” says Georgia.

In their accompanying music videos, the lyrics from Nothing Matters and My Lady Of Mercy are only further intensified by the visual worlds created by the band. In Ceasar On A TV Screen, they reenact the tragedy of Julius Caesar, with each member parading their male character’s fragile masculinity disguised as an animated rage.

The harmonious intro and outro on the record link together everything in between from the synth breakdowns to the heavy bass and haunting melodies. The album draws from motifs of the past, borrowing from time periods spanning from medieval to 18th century Gothic.

“If I had to design a perfect place to listen to it, it would definitely be on vinyl in an old library with those ladders that connect all the bookshelves that you have to climb up and maybe a little glass of whiskey or red wine and you’d just sit there and listen,” she laughs before she adds another important element, “as a storm rages outside.”

An album with a world as rich and theatrical as the one in Prelude To Ecstasy is ideal to listen to whenever you want to escape your surroundings for exactly 41 minutes and 8 seconds. With lyrics that border on the darker side and an energy reflecting the inner turmoil of being a woman, The Last Dinner Party will harmonise you into another world.

“I think people probably don’t know how much of it we did on our own. All of the orchestration Aurora literally wrote and [she] composed all of the sheet music on her laptop,” explains Georgia.

“People probably don’t even know how hands-on it was with the production and creation of the record. We only used outside help to record it. Every single note that you hear was composed, written and arranged by us – it’s very much our thing.”

For a female and non-binary led band to arrive as complete as The Last Dinner Party have on this record, it’s no surprise they were met with accusations of being ‘industry plants’. However, it’s clear the quintet are proud of their origins and will continue to deliver polished orchestral strings, bold vocal performances and electric guitar riffs which are entirely their own creation.

The album’s success has now brought them to selling out venues around the world, including in Australia, where they’ll be kicking off with a slot at Adelaide’s Spin Off Festival before hitting the east coast for a short but sweet tour. For Georgia, it’ll be the first time playing on home soil.

“All of us, not just me, are probably gonna have a lot of barrel, pent-up energy which will be fun, but I think fans can expect me to be pretty emotional,” says Georgia. “None of us can quite believe that we have fans anywhere, let alone on the other side of the world in Australia.”

THE LAST DINNER PARTY

WHERE: FESTIVAL HALL

WHEN: 22 JULY

KINGSWOOD

WORDS

BY TYLER JENKE

When Melbourne rockers Kingswood first got together back in 2007, they didn’t have grand plans of massive success.

Æ Maybe they make some music, get some gigs and perhaps one day play a mighty venue like The Forum.

“The initial goal was just to play somewhere in Melbourne,” remembers guitarist Alex Laska. “I remember going to see Metallica when I was 16 and going, ‘Yeah, this is great, I wonder if this sort of thing is possible for me?’

“Then seeing Jet at The Forum doing Get Born, it started to manifest as, ‘Maybe a tangible goal would be to see my own band playing at The Forum?’” he adds. “I remember that was one of the first cemented considerations we had as a band.”

Founded by Laska on guitar, Fergus Linacre on vocals, Jeremy Hunter on bass and Justin Debrincat on drums, Kingswood emerged onto the Melbourne music scene as a rock band who weren’t afraid of slick tracks that paired big choruses and gritty instrumentation.

As live shows proved their worth as ferocious contenders on the scene, it took only a couple of years for Kingswood to share their own music thanks to a self-titled EP, 2012’s Change Of Heart and singles like Ohio, She’s My Baby and more.

Before long, they’d managed to receive wider attention thanks to consistent airplay on stations such as triple j and their Unearthed program and appearances at major festivals like Splendour In The Grass. By 2014, this success had put Kingswood in a position where it was time to make a full album.

“It was like winning the golden ticket to the Olympics that year,” Laska remembers. “It was like Charlie in Willy Wonka giving up when that gift ticket gets announced and then it’s a hoax.

“Could you imagine the excitement and the potential he walks into the chocolate store, grabs that one last bar and bam, sees that flash of gold? Whatever that flash of gold feeling is, that’s what doing your first album was like.”

Kingswood grabbed that proverbial golden ticket and ran with it all the way to Nashville, where they worked with Grammy Award-winning producer Vance Powell (The White Stripes, Arctic Monkeys) at Blackbird Studio. Their connection with Powell came by luck after someone in America passed their EP onto the producer and they realised they had to take that chance.

“We were totally independent, so I was like, everyone needs to organise borrowing 15 grand, from their families, friends – whoever the fuck it is,” Laska remembers. “To everyone’s credit, we did it.

“The band was building from triple j at this point and we’d sold out The Corner twice in a row, the Oxford Arts Factory,” he adds. “We were selling out decent 500 to 700 cap rooms multiple times over and we’re going, ‘Fuck yeah, maybe this could happen.’”

After returning from Nashville, Kingswood returned with the album Microscopic Wars. Hitting number six on the Aussie charts, nabbing an ARIA Award nomination for Best Rock Album and boasting singles like Sucker Punch, ICFTYDLM and its title track, Micro Wars, the record was a monster. To add to the glory, Kingswood even got to live their dream by playing a headline show at The Forum in Melbourne.

Now, 10 years on, Kingswood are hitting the road to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the album which put them on the path to success. Kicking off in Melbourne on August 2, the group will hit up Brisbane, Newcastle, Bunbury, Gold Coast, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth, playing the album in full.

For Laska, these shows and the anniversary are a way to look back at such a pivotal moment in the band’s life.

“We were just kids. Everything was new and everything was exciting,” he explains. There’s a beauty to that and there’s obviously a sadness to that being lost, but there’s been a great progression since then.

“[With] the album, that’s what we did and we had so much fun making it,” he adds. “And it’s a great marker of a period of time of how we were, what our spirit was, what we wanted to achieve and how we did it – we did it all.”

While it’ll serve as a chance to revisit songs that haven’t been played in years, to connect with fans who themselves view Microscopic Wars as a crucial part of their lives and to share in 10 years of glory, it’ll also be an opportunity to reinvent songs, rediscover meaning and reflect on such a huge achievement.

“It’s obviously going to be a nostalgia trip and it will conjure memories of the time,” Laska explains. “We’re actually in discussions of bringing some very special guests onto the stage with certain songs to invoke the spirit of the album and the spirit of the band at the time.

“It also injects a wealth of knowledge that the band has amassed in 10 years, so we’ll be delivering it in a way that would make our younger selves say, ‘Holy shit, look at those dudes!’” he adds. “It’s about making our younger selves proud, honouring their intention at the time and celebrating the album.”

KINGSWOOD

WHERE: FORUM

WHEN: 2 AUG

THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN

WORDS BY SIMONE ANDERS

The Jesus and Mary Chain can be, and have been, many things.

Æ Their sound is at times brutal without being abrasive. It can be hopeful without being dishonest, gloomy but not defeated; distant and irreverent, but not disparaging or cruel.

Their hazy, melancholic miasma of distortion and reverb has been the background noise for several generations because of their ability to navigate those soundscapes. If you grew up with them, they sound like a memory – maybe one which you can’t quite place emotionally, but you keep with you fondly.

This has been the case for many listeners since the band released their first album Psychocandy back in 1985. Forty years later, they’re still at it, touring and releasing new music. Their latest album Glasgow Eyes just came out in March of this year.

Notoriously mysterious, even controversial in their earlier days, turning their backs to the audiences with sets that would last barely 20 or 30 minutes, brothers Jim and William Reid no longer feel the need for such statements.

Talking with Jim now, it isn’t hard to still see sides of that young musician, eager to create for its own sake. “I think that with old age you don’t get wisdom, but what you do get is a sense of freedom. We can write sounds now that we wouldn’t write in our 20s because we would be thinking ‘Is this cool? Are people going to laugh at us?’ whereas now we just don’t give a fuck.”

At this point in their careers, a great deal of their songwriting is reflective of their younger selves. Jim talked at length about when the band broke up in 1998.

“It’s obvious that we’ve been around for a while, I mean, we’re no spring chickens anymore. When you’re younger you are looking forward to the future – in your 60s everything is pretty scary, so you reflect a lot about how you got to this state,” he tells me.

He says the past can be felt in songs like Venal Joy and Jamcod, which was written about the band’s falling out and one particularly notorious night at LA’s House of Blues. During the sold-out show, Jim seemed too drunk to perform and his brother walked off stage after 15 minutes, resulting in the audience being refunded for their tickets.

“It was one of the worst nights of my life but it is good songwriting material,” he tells me.

“You tend to look back and think that perhaps the band didn’t need to break up for that long and I don’t think it did, but we were full of drugs and we were being fucking stupid, so it was inevitable then. If I could transport myself back then, I would give myself a good fucking slap. Essentially that is why the band broke up, stupid fucking bickering. The scary thing with you 20-somethings is that you never figure shit out.”

Fans of the band would be familiar with the track’s drawn-out guitar sections and feverish lyrical deliveries. Going into their new album, synths take a perhaps surprising primary place.

“If I could transport myself back then, I would give myself a good fucking slap.”

“When we hit the studio we let the album take its own direction. We’ve tried in the past to make an acoustic record and we were almost forcing a particular sound. Generally speaking, we don’t try to push a direction, although in this one William said ‘Let’s get the Moogs out’ and we got all of these old synths and dicked around with them basically.”

He explains the band has always been into synth music, drawing inspiration from icons like Suicide, Kraftwerk and DAF.

“This was the record where we would show it off,” he says. I ask if they’re still expecting people to hear their old sound, a call back to their previous work.

“What we have learned to do is not worry too much with everybody’s expectations. If you are making an album for someone else, you’re fucked. If you make a record and you feel good about it, and nobody buys it, you still feel good about it. You still think ‘fuck you, we’re old.’”

He says that’s what happened with the band’s sixth album, Munki. “It destroyed the band. We broke up because of it,” he continues. Munki was their first album not to hit Top 40 on the charts and it dropped just months prior to their split.

“I think it is one of the best records we ever made and nobody bought it! And you stand there and you think ‘We were right and every other fucker was wrong’. If we’d made a Britpop record or a grunge record we’d be looking back at it and thinking ‘Oh God, somebody bought it and it sounds like a piece of shit’. Nobody bought it, but it doesn’t sound like a piece of shit.”

THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN

WHERE: FORUM

WHEN: 4 AUG

Credit: Mel Butler

STAGE GUIDE

WORDS BY SARAH DUGGAN

DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST THE MUSICAL

Be enchanted by Disney’s classic tale brought to life in a spectacular production featuring beloved songs and dazzling performances.

HER MAJESTY’S THEATRE THROUGHOUT JULY

POETICA

Poetica features the somatic, unifying poetry of Tariro Mavondo, along with readings from Rose Lucas’s new book Remarkable as Breathing, Brendan Ryan’s exploration of rural landscapes in Feldspar and the alert, sharply observant poetry of genderqueer transfemme poet Josie/Jocelyn Suzanne.

LA MAMA COURTHOUSE 2 JULY

JON & JERO: THE FORGOTTEN TALES

Jon & Jero love telling stories but often forget how they go, so they need your help to decide what happens next in their fantastical adventures! The Forgotten Tales, ideal for kids five and up, promises a wondrous exploration of imagination with big characters, music, clowning and physical comedy.

LA MAMA COURTHOUSE 4–7 JULY

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

Nikki Shiels stars as Blanche DuBois, a Southern belle whose hidden secrets intensify the volatile marriage of her sister Stella and Stanley in A Streetcar Named Desire.

PLAYHOUSE FROM 9 JULY

TROPHY BOYS

A satirical drag extravaganza delving into power dynamics and adolescent masculinity unfolds during the high-stakes Grand Finale of Melbourne’s Year 12 Interschool Debating Tournament.

ARTS CENTRE MELBOURNE 16–21 JULY

MACBETH (AN UNDOING)

Visionary playwright Zinnie Harris reimagines Shakespeare’s Macbeth from Lady Macbeth’s viewpoint, exploring ambition and rebellion, starring Bojana Novakovic and Johnny Carr in a gripping tale of power and transformation directed by Matthew Lutton.

MALTHOUSE THEATRE 5–28 JULY

ONCE UPON A RHYME

Join Em the Storyteller in her land of fairy tales and nursery rhymes, where magical mail arrives from beloved nursery rhyme characters, promising an hour of fun with stories, original songs and surprises for kids 10 and under.

ARROW ON SWANSTON 9–13 JULY

EXPLORATIONS: HOLY FOOL

In 2024, amid chaos, Fabio Motta, a thespian-turned-spiritual jester, seeks world harmony through a comedic exploration of the Fool to Saint journey, drawing inspiration from Italy’s Saint Francis of Assisi to uncover divine wisdom in foolishness.

LA MAMA HQ 16–18 JULY

BY JANE’S HAND

A whimsical look into Jane Austen’s mind, this show blends music and verbatim theatre to explore her life and creations. Featuring three actors portraying Jane and characters from Pride and Prejudice, this intergenerational feminist piece invites audiences to immerse themselves in Austen’s world and discover new insights.

LA MAMA COURTHOUSE 17–28 JULY

KABARISQUÉ

Darling and Daring invites you to Club Voltaire’s intimate 50-seat theatre for Kabarisqué, a monthly cabaret show featuring a seductive and spicy blend of circus and burlesque.

CLUB VOLTAIRE 20 JULY

DANIEL

Daniel, a tech contractor at a remote military base, uncovers unsettling truths about his work and faces the internal struggle of whether to expose the secrets, delving into themes of surveillance, complicity, office dynamics and the daily grind of a disliked job.

LA MAMA HQ 19–21 JULY

THIS IS WILD!: BOB THE DRAG QUEEN

Bob the Drag Queen’s first solo stand-up world tour is here, promising a night of side-splitting wit, razor-sharp observations and hilarious personal anecdotes. Get ready for a unique comedy experience with pop culture dissections, sassy social commentary and unexpected twists – strictly for ages 18 and up.

PLENARY THEATRE 20 JULY

KING LEAR

Bell Shakespeare presents King Lear, Shakespeare’s epic tale of family discord and a nation in turmoil, directed by Peter Evans and starring Robert Menzies. This heart-wrenching production promises to be a powerful and unforgettable experience.

ARTS CENTRE MELBOURNE FROM 25 JULY

BREAKING THE WAVES

Explore Missy Mazzoli’s powerful opera, adapted from Lars von Trier’s film, delving into a young woman’s challenging journey of love, sacrifice and emotional extremes. It’s hailed as one of the best operas of the 21st century.

HAMER HALL 26 JULY

JUST THE THREE OF US: THE IMPROVISED SITCOM BY THE BIG HOO-HAA!

Just the Three of Us is an improvised TV sitcom featuring Big Hoo-Haa’s favourite players, delivering laughs, heartfelt moments and unique characters in each episode. Enjoy the hilarity and charm of this new hit show that hasn’t been written yet!

THE BUTTERFLY CLUB

27 JULY

FESTIVAL GUIDE

WORDS BY SARAH DUGGAN

LIGHTSCAPE

Lightscape returns to the Royal Botanic Gardens after dark, showcasing a reimagined trail and new installations. Explore interactive exhibits like Submergence along with beloved attractions like the Winter Cathedral and Laser Forest at Fern Gully.

ROYAL BOTANIC

GARDENS THROUGHOUT JULY

EAST GIPPSLAND WINTER FESTIVAL

Returning for a fourth year, the festival will celebrate How We Winter in the region through a dedicated program of art, performance, music and gastronomy.

GIPPSLAND UNTIL 21 JULY

MELBOURNE MAGIC FESTIVAL

Officially recognised as the largest festival of its kind in the southern hemisphere, attracting magicians and magic fans worldwide, the Melbourne Magic Festival offers a variety of shows tailored for little ones and adults.

VARIOUS LOCATIONS 1–13 JULY

ROOLA BOOLA CHILDREN’S ARTS FESTIVAL

Aimed at kids 12 and under, this curated program will offer performances, workshops and a range of free events and activities.

CHAPEL OFF CHAPEL 2–12 JULY

PAKKA LOCAL ANNIVERSARY

Pakka Local celebrates their first anniversary, redefining South Indian Entertainment in Melbourne.

170 RUSSELL 12 JULY

UNGRATEFUL DEAD FEST

Ungrateful Dead Fest presents Brutality 2024, with a lineup of 15 of Australia and New Zealand’s most prominent names in death metal.

CHERRY BAR 6 JULY

AFRICAN FESTIVAL

Feel the rhythm of the African Festival at Queen Victoria Market, celebrating the city’s diverse African community with tantalising flavours and soul-stirring entertainment.

QUEEN VICTORIA MARKET 7 JULY

THE FINDERS KEEPERS DESIGN MARKET

Featuring over 270 of Australia’s top independent designers, makers and food vendors, this market offers a vibrant space to connect and support the ‘mindfully made, thoughtfully bought’ movement while enjoying live local music, food and drinks.

ROYAL EXHIBITION BUILDING 12–14 JULY

ELECTRIC WONDERLAND

Featuring an enchanting sound and light show with interactive exhibits, immersive installations and magical projections, Electric Wonderland is a magical family experience.

ROSALIND PARK, BENDIGO UNTIL 14 JULY

SAKE FESTIVAL

The Queen Victoria Market is hosting a celebration of Sake and Japanese culture, with tastings, delicious food and amazing live talent.

QUEEN VICTORIA MARKET 20–21 JULY

BASTILLE DAY FRENCH FESTIVAL

Immerse yourself in the lively spirit of the Bastille Day French Festival at the Queen Victoria Market. Trade your winter gear for a touch of French flair and enjoy two days of festivities heralding the start of the countdown to French National Day.

QUEEN VICTORIA MARKET 13–14 JULY

MELBOURNE DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL

Experience the finest documentaries from top global film festivals as well as compelling Australian docos this July at Cinema Nova. The festival spans a diverse range of topics and will showcase over 50 stories from across Australia.

CINEMA NOVA 17–31 JULY

ECHUCA MOAMA WINTER BLUES FESTIVAL

Echuca-Moama is the ultimate destination for blues music, offering a perfect remedy for winter gloom at its annual Winter Blues Festival, featuring top-notch musicians performing in the Port of Echuca’s heritage precinct and neighbouring venues.

ECHUCA 25–28 JULY

LEAPS AND BOUNDS MUSIC FESTIVAL

Originally launched in an effort to support local venues, artists and businesses, Leaps and Bounds has become a cornerstone in the City of Yarra’s cultural scene. From emerging homegrown talent to international sensations, the festival promotes equality, sustainability and diversity, providing a platform for LGBTIQA+ and First Nations musicians.

CITY OF YARRA 25–28 JULY

CHRISTMAS IN JULY JAMFEST

Melbourne’s Glasshouse will be turned into a magical winter wonderland with the magic of Christmas in July. Enjoy festive music, mulled wine and delicious holiday treats from a range of vendors.

THE GLASSHOUSE MELBOURNE 27 JULY

MILITARIE GUN

WORDS BY ANDREW HANDLEY

A year

since releasing their assured debut album Life Under the Gun, Californian alt-rockers Militaire Gun continue their rapid-fire ascent.

Æ Their melodic hardcore laden with addictive hooks has landed them slots at major festivals and a growing fanbase. The final leg of their tricontinental six-week tour will conclude in Australia in July.

The band began as a solo project for singer Ian Shelton, who wrote the songs while honing his guitar skills during the pandemic. He’s more acquainted behind the kit, having drummed for various hardcore bands before Militarie Gun – including his own Region Justice Center (RJC).

Sonically, the two bands have little in common. RJC is dizzyingly heavy powerviolence – a subgenre of hardcore punk propelled by assaults of blast beats with equally ferocious vocals with songs often clocking under a minute.

Just before pulling into Indianapolis, Shelton speaks from the tour bus after an eight-hour day of travelling. “When I got into powerviolence and grindcore, the scene of friends that I had, we also liked Modest Mouse and random ska music and emo,” he says with a mid-tour rasp. “While I was developing that taste, I was developing other tastes.” “It never seemed crazy to do Regional Justice Center and Militaire Gun at the same time because nobody listens to one type of music,” he reasons. “If they do, either they’re completely stupid or they’re blind.”

Though he makes the music for both bands concurrently, there is little overlap in the songwriting process. “RJC is very instrumental based – it’s about the instruments being hard and then making something so aggressive on top of it,” Shelton says of the vocals, which he also takes care of. “Whereas the instruments in Militaire Gun are about making a palette for a vocal melody to go over the top, so it's more vocal-centric.”

By focusing on more traditional songwriting in Militarie Gun, Shelton has tapped into a deep well of hooky riffs and anthemic choruses. “I guess I’ve always loved big choruses,” he posits. “It’s about raising the stakes, so when you're in a part of a song you're like ‘How do I elevate in the next part of the song?’ The goal is always elevation – lyrically and in the melodies.”

Credit: Daniel Topete

Shelton is making the most of writing outside the confines of RJC. “We wrote a record that’s going to be released soon, but it’s not the all-consuming thing that Militarie Gun is,” he admits. “There's so much more to explore within the palette of Militarie Gun because it's less formal, so it's easier to be more obsessed with it. Anything can be a song for us, versus having to be blast beats and aggressive.”

The band’s songwriting evolution can be heard on the soon-tobe-released single I Thought You Were Waving. “The song is about not knowing how to ask for help but trying to invert it into the third-person perspective,” describes Shelton. “In the second verse it's like, ‘I saw you living in a burning house/ but I just thought you lived there/ so I shut my mouth.’”

“It's trying to make it comedic, but also paints a picture of someone who's in trouble and not getting the help they need,” he continues. “The Militarie Gun goal is always trying to make these concepts digestible by either making them ludicrous or catchy and I feel like we did that across the board on this one.” Shelton is also an accomplished music video director. He was pursuing this line of work when he moved to LA before Militarie Gun took off. “The goal for me currently is to be able to set aside enough time for me to direct all the videos for the next album,” he proposes. “I really like having the ability to impart my vision onto the song and have it be a continuation of the creation of the song. I really, really love directing… it's not just a marketing tool, it is a piece of art.”

The overwhelmingly positive critic and fan reaction to their debut album is unlike anything Shelton has experienced. “I've written so many other records and hoped people would like them, and there's always a little bit of growth, but this record has been such a life changer,” he says. “We're coming to Australia for the first time. I've never done that before, and that's because of Life Under the Gun. We're all really appreciative that it went to plan to some degree.”

The band has been invited to support Hockey Dad on their national tour, along with separate headline shows. In Victoria, they’ve asked Geld to join them, who are more akin to RJC in speed and ferocity. “I remember when Geld first started dropping stuff on [record label] Iron Lung and I loved it,” recalls Shelton. “We're very different bands so the idea that they were down to play with us is awesome.

MILITARIE GUN

WHERE: MARGARET COURT ARENA

WHEN: 5 JULY

Credit: Daniel Topete

Force Of Nature

Æ If you’ve been fortunate enough to experience Dallas Frasca live, you already know she’s a Force Of Nature. She has previously said that being in a band was like her armour. Now Frasca finally feels ready to step into the solo spotlight, without the safety net provided by her steadfast musical soulmate and guitar beast Jeff Curran (don’t worry, they’re still besties).

We’ve actually been jonesing for this release since rinsing its lead single, River Queen. Taking life cues from Mother Nature (“If the current is strong, then just wade for a while”), this is a song about surrender and going with the flow. It features innovative percussion, which evokes the crunch of autumn leaves underfoot, but Frasca’s vocal performance – all honeyed huskiness – is the true star here.

Opener Pray – a call to action over stomping beat – repeatedly asks, “What’s going on?” Let It Rain commences a cappella, Frasca’s fierce vocals quivering with emotion until the chorus hits: an onslaught of staticky, descending riffs, mass harmonies and percussive accents that evoke rain pelting against a water tank – instrumentally, it’s giving NIN!

A lot of this album’s percussion was recorded by Josh Barber at his Mollongghip studio – a converted 1930s church in the Victorian Goldfields – where a large, mic’d-up water tank was also utilised, adding rural reverb to some of Frasca’s filthiest riffs.

For the anthemic Stand On My Shoulders, with its “Tom Waits-style junk percussion”, Frasca contributes banjo and guitar alongside rousing vocals. During May The Bridges We’ve Burned Light The Way, Frasca sings, “Repair the cracks with gold,” and this entire record embodies Kintsugi (golden repair): the Japanese practice of fixing broken stuff with liquid gold. Be sure to listen out for the clever, inclusive lyrical twist that concludes She Was A Perfectly Broken Masterpiece, with its jubilant “Ah-oh-oh-oh/ Whoa-oh-oh…” singalong moment promising great things live.

Four years in the making, Force Of Nature draws from a boundless sonic palette: choir BVs, which send solidarity; dirty, reverb-drenched, blues-rock guitar; hooky vocal percussion (see: Nobody’s Coming To Save Me, with its punchy “OOH!/ AAH!” undercurrent); and field recordings from Frasca’s assorted writing trips in the bush. While recording The Window Blows’ pensive piano parts at her own Lady Luck Studios, Frasca noticed she’d somehow also captured the sound of birds chirping outside – nature, once again, announcing itself. Frasca’s long-time collaborator Andy Baldwin (Björk, Elle King, Morcheeba) produced and mixed the record, and she acknowledges his “adventurous spirit” helped her grow beyond self-perceived limitations.

Force Of Nature has the power to reset your headspace. After just one spin, you’ll feel ready to take on the world; kinda like Beyoncé in the Hold Up film clip, when she bursts through heavy mansion doors and unleashes a torrent of water that cascades down the stairs.

LABEL: SPANK BETTY RECORDS

RELEASE: 19 JULY

GUM / AMBROSE KENNY-SMITH

Ill Times

Æ Let’s face it, a collab between GUM, the musical moniker of Jay Watson (Tame Impala/Pond), and Ambrose Kenny-Smith (King Gizz/The Murlocs) was never gonna suck or be vanilla.

This dynamic duo’s origin story: Watson recorded an instrumental, which he loved but couldn’t find a home for. So he sent this track to Kenny-Smith and, voilà! Melodic nous, grooves for days and cosmic synths spilled forth.

Following the death of Kenny-Smith’s beloved dad, musician Broderick Smith, in 2023, he found completing a song they’d been working on together – GUM / Ambrose Kenny-Smith’s latest single, Dud – helped him negotiate the grieving process. Of this expansive song’s title, Kenny-Smith has revealed: “Dad used to always sign off on his emails and birthday cards with ʻ- love Dud xʼ.” One of his own lyrical contributions – “Father/ I bid you adieu/ Somewhere up there singing the blues/ Never out of tune…” – legit made us well-up!

Kenny-Smith’s thrillingly unhinged harmonica playing is exemplary as always (see: Resilience). Minor Setback’s mind-melting bassline, though! It’s such a ripper that we can even forgive them for rhyming “setback” with “back”.

Elsewhere: GUM / Ambrose KennySmith’s potent take on The Impressions ballad Fool For You renders it completely unrecognisable, Powertrippn (an Autocorrect nightmare) is a tripped-out masterpiece and lush vibrato further enlivens standout track Marionette.

The sound of two freakishly brilliant musical minds cutting sick, Ill Times is a whole vibe – like stumbling upon a lava lamp after dropping acid.

LABEL: P(DOOM) RECORDS

RELEASE DATE: 19 JULY

DALLAS FRASCA

SHEPPARD

Zora

Æ Upon discovering the Croatian word for dawn is Zora, this sibling band’s grandma’s name, Amy Sheppard recognised: “It was a moment of serendipity that couldn’t be ignored. The album name had found us.”

Now Nashville-based, Sheppard –which is rounded out by George and Emma – is a contagiously effervescent outfit. One of the band’s many strengths is having multiple lead singers: on album number four, Chasing The Sound wonderfully showcases George’s vocal gymnastics and Love Me Tomorrow nods towards Amy’s side hustle as a solo country artist.

Stadium-ready anthem Edge Of The Earth – with its geographical shoutout, singalong choruses (“USA, Tokyo, Amsterdam, Mexico-o!”) – is a pogo-friendly highlight. “Hey! I’d ride a tidal wave/ I’d run uphill both ways/ And brave the lightning and the thunder…” – Running Straight To You bottles ‘P-Plater’s First Roadtrip’ energy. The uplifting Dance On The Sun, with its playful plucked strings, hits like a treasured childhood memory. Nostalgic in a Beatles kind of way, Play On The Moon explores one of George’s early goals for this band. Nothing Without You, a song dedicated to their partners, is a heartfelt ballad to break up the bangers.

Elsewhere: Good Time incorporates a cheeky almost-wolf whistle, Respect was written to help a friend negotiate a bitter breakup and The Gift delves into the perils of social media.

Amy has said: “Our hope is that Baba’s legacy of gratitude and love in defiance of anguish will live on in our music.” The postlude, Sumrak, features Zora delivering birthday wishes to George via Voicemail –cuteness overload!

Sheppard create “glass-half-full pop music” (thanks, presser writer) and there ain’t nothing wrong with prioritising the spreading of joy through song. After listening to Zora, you’ll feel more grateful and optimistic.

TA’SIA

ESTA

Æ The electronic, trip-hop project of Wagga Wagga-raised producer/multi-instrumentalist Annastasia Lucas (primary instrument: tenor saxophone), Ta’sia crafts delicious beats using vintage vinyl samples, live instrumentation and analog samplers.

ESTA, Ta’sia’s debut album, is “a celebration of women in music” for which Lucas gathered a slew of female vocalists plus brass, woodwind and rhythm section players. Ta’sia incorporates her collaborator’s herstories into this work, much of which blossomed from improv jam sessions during gigs and rehearsals. See: the standout, Aramintafeaturing Stick Around – originally written for live performance, this one will get you swaying and forgetting about the world’s woes in no time.

Opener Evil Dub’s sinister undercurrent lures listeners in from the get-go before an instantly memorable brass melody brings the party. Araminta’s limber vocals – definitely One To Watch – are the intoxicating cherry on top: “Sloppy seconds like a seagull/ He don’t know that he’s evil…”

Naarm-based singer Araminta shines on many of these tracks – also Krill, which is sung in Spanish – which gives the collection cohesion. We recognise “Paso Doble” (translation: double-step) within Krill’s lyrics – it takes two to tango, after all. Hypnotic, textured and lush – the four-piece brass section is bang on.

Lady In Waiting is languorous, delighting in percussive detail – do we detect occasional triangle plinks? The bongos in Salt Plain – such nuanced playing! We recommend you add ESTA to your lazy Sunday playlist sharpish.

Human?

Æ “From little things, big things grow!” –after singing along with Paul Kelly performing his original chorus lyrics, also recognising those familiar harmonica parts – both of which are almost part of our DNA – Ziggy Ramo’s version of this classic song, Little Things, hits home. Vincent Lingiari, who led the Gurindji Strike that grew into the passing of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976, is still honoured within Ramo’s update, but this multidisciplinary Wik and Solomon Islander artist also delves into a side of history that hasn’t been told: a First Nations perspective on invasion, intergenerational trauma, lost history and Indigenous deaths in custody.

Did you know? The OG Kelly/Kev Carmody-penned song was released in 1991, the same year as the Royal Commission into Indigenous deaths in custody.

Throughout Human?, and especially Stand For Something, Zoë Barry’s heartsick string arrangements and Sydney-based singer-songwriter Vonn’s sublime additional vocals add gravitas.

“You didn’t give your life/ You weren’t an ANZAC/ If you’re gonna love your soldiers/ You’ve gotta love the blacks…” – Ramo invites us to recognise our own hypocrisy on April 25th. And it doesn’t get more real than Hopeless, which opens, “My mother still wonders if I’m gonna kill myself/ When I get low like before…”

Should we add Ramo’s album, and his non-fiction book of the same name it was written in conjunction with, to the Australian Curriculum? Abso-bloody-lutely! We need to keep having these difficult convos and move towards historical acceptance.

Human? is unflinching, important work. And Ramo says it best on his latest single: “Our nation needs to confront its shame.”

ZIGGY RAMO

BAD DECISIONS

LIVE MUSIC: takes place in the Bad Decisions bandroom, a narrow, brick-walled space with a private bar that serves up-and-comers of all genres. Open for shows seven days a week, you can almost always find something on.

FAMOUS FOR: its booming sound system, cordless mic and moody, red-lit interior which add theatrics and grandiosity to the show no matter the size.

INFAMOUS FOR: being the type of place where you never know what will happen. Lose your phone, wallet and keys in the mosh pit? End up at an afters with a mysterious stranger? I mean, it’s in the name.

Æ Bad Decisions is the antithesis of those chic, swanky wine bars you can find on every Carlton corner. It’s a place that favours chaos over class and isn’t afraid to get a little rowdy, from pouring up tequila shots with reckless abandon to letting the crowd go nuts in the bandroom upstairs.

That being said, there’s not an ounce of toughness or posturing at this place either – the staff are super lovely and happy to whip up whatever drink your heart desires. Pair that with a cheese toastie and some chips to cut the liquor, and you’re laughing.

If you’re a band looking to book a show, Bad Decisions is, in fact, a very good decision (sorry). The 100-capacity room welcomes artists of all genres from alternative hip-hop to death metal, as well as gallery shows, private functions and more. Plus, with soundproofing panels and a powerful in-house system, the stage sounds damn good whether you’re on it or in the crowd. The set-up of the room encourages punters to come to the front, meaning no matter how many tickets you sell, it still feels pretty full.

Whether you’re sipping on cocktails at the downstairs bar, hitting the vape in the courtyard or scampering up the stairs for a gig, you’ll quickly realise why Bad Decisions has such a dedicated fanbase.

GRAVITY CLUB

LIVE MUSIC: Techno and house takes priority at Gravity Club. On any given night, find one of Melbourne’s favourite DJs behind the decks, spinning high-energy tracks until the break of dawn.

FAMOUS FOR: the legendary team behind the venue who are best known for their other CBD offering: the one-andonly Sub Club.

INFAMOUS FOR: the luxurious Funktion-One sound system which delivers bone-rattling bass and glittery high-end that’s perfect for keeping the party going for hours and hours.

WHERE: 46 JOHNSTON ST, FITZROY

OPEN: THU & SUN 7PM–1AM FRI–SAT 7PM–3AM

Æ

We’re always excited when a new techno club pops up on the scene, and we’re even more excited when such a club is curated by local party veterans. The arrival of Gravity has got us so keen that we’re putting on our best dancing shoes and braving the cold, ready for a night of unexpected thrills.

Although the outside may be unassuming (as is the case with most of the best nightclubs), the inside is an urban oasis decorated with graffiti, hanging plants, disco balls and glowing neon lights. The massive dance floor provides a pulsing epicentre with room for a whopping 400 revellers.

If you’re in need of some fresh air, the sprawling courtyard is the top spot, featuring a multicolour mural of an astronaut and a retractable roof for stargazing on summer nights. Grab a round of shots from the bar, pull up a chair next to some handsome strangers and you’re guaranteed to leave with new friends.

It’s clear the team behind Gravity Club has a solid understanding of what makes Melburnians tick. Fusing art, music and subculture, the space is curious without being pretentious and oh-so-easy to fall in love with. We might very well have a new regular on our hands.

The venue has wasted no time on introductions – they’ve thrown themselves right into the swing of things, hosting DJs and late-night events almost every weekend. At the moment, the venue is open during special events and on Saturdays, so keep your eyes on the calendar if you’re keen on checking this one out.

WHERE: 420 LITTLE COLLINS STREET, MELBOURNE

WHEN: SATURDAYS & EVENTS

THE LEADBEATER HOTEL

WORDS BY OLIVER WINN

LIVE MUSIC: When it comes to genres, the Leadbeater Hotel doesn’t discriminate. Self-described as a “non-genre-fied” venue, the bandroom may one night be serenaded with soulful singer-songwriter tunes and another night see the walls bursting with metalcore of the heaviest calibre.

FAMOUS FOR: not limiting itself to just music. Have you ever wanted to try out some trivia? Or struggle for breath as you catch a comedy gig? The Leadbeater Hotel has it all, catering also to those who need to give their eardrums a break.

INFAMOUS FOR: being the home to some of the stickiest floors in town. Seriously, there must be something extra in the syrup here, because if you turn up in thongs… Well, you’ll leave bare-footed.

Æ Head on over to the perfect place for a roaring night in Richmond. Despite being one of Melbourne’s younger music venues, The Leadbeater has quickly established itself as a nightlife staple since it replaced the Eureka Hotel. From the pool table to the intimate beer garden, it’s hard not to love.

Everything about this place feels larger than life. The 400-capacity bandroom feels deceptively big when it’s packed out, making the experience at The Leadbeater Hotel intense in all the right ways. Anyone who’s spent a Friday night drunkenly parading the bandroom’s floors knows the arduous journey from the stage to the bar at the back.

It’s evident the bandroom is The Leadbeater Hotel’s main priority and its state-of-the-art venue gear is a testament to that. Acousticswise, the venue’s sound system delivers quality sonics comparable to bigger venues in Melbourne. The lighting rig punches above its weight for a venue of The Leadbeater’s size, making the performers onstage awash with colourful hues that dance and flicker.

To top it off, the dining experience doesn’t come at the cost of the bandroom. The kitchen really nails the essentials. Complete with classic pub feeds, a respectable list of beers on tap and an intimate beer garden, The Leadbeater Hotel is perfect for a meal with friends before the gig.

WHERE: 1 CHURCH ST, RICHMOND

OPEN: MON–FRI 3PM–1AM SAT 12PM–1AM SUN 12PM–11PM

ODEON RICHMOND

WORDS BY ASHLYNN HANNAH

LIVE MUSIC: is rightfully at home in this venue built to support the ever-evolving local music scene.

FAMOUS FOR: revitalising a space in the inner suburbs at a time when Melbourne has had to witness the closing doors of too many beloved venues.

INFAMOUS FOR: delivering a slice of ancient Greece to our very own city. The word ‘odeon’ is Greek for a building that is purpose-made for singing and this place promises to fulfil this title.

Æ A new venue has landed on Swan Street. Odeon Richmond offers Melbourne’s vibrant arts community a new hub, showcasing why live music is incomparable to anything else.

Odeon Richmond is a shining beam of hope within the local scene, especially at a time when many small music venues throughout the city have had to say goodbye. But when one door closes, another opens, as they say, and we’re happy that door leads somewhere so exciting.

Masterminds behind the music venue Eleni Tzaros and Bruce Butler know exactly what they are doing, with a combined six decades of experience in the music industry. The conception of the Odeon Richmond was born during their overseas travels last year when they made a trip to the Odeon of all Odeons in Athens, Greece.

While this one may not sit on the slope of the Acropolis, it is right at home in Richmond and equipped with a state-of-the-art sound system fit for any performance. Its official opening was a night for the books and it continues to deliver on being the newest stomping ground for artists, industry professionals and gig-goers.

The venue is only getting started. Odeon Richmond is one to add to your list of go-to music spots. If it was good enough for the Greeks…

WHERE: 267 SWAN STREET, RICHMOND

OPEN: TUE–SAT, 7PM–1AM

Check their gig guide or socials for additional open times.

GIG GUIDE

JULY 2024

THU 04 JUL

DAVID HELFGOTT: FAREWELL TOUR

Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 7.30pm. $89.

RABBIT. RACOO, GUN LAWS, FAVOURED STATE Shotkickers. Thornbury. 7.30pm. $23.45.

FAN GIRL. MR INDUSTRY, BOLLARD

Retreat Hotel. Brunswick. 7.30pm. Free.

VACATIONS

Corner Hotel. Richmond. 7.30pm. $39.99.

ANIA

Wesley Anne. Northcote. 6pm.

RYMAN HEALTHCARE

WINTER GALA: CARMINA BURANA Hamer Hall (Arts Centre Melbourne). Melbourne. 7.30pm. $82 - $142.

GUITAR TREK Collingwood Town Hall. Collingwood. 7pm. $33 - 47.

AN EVENING WITH LUCINDA LIGHT

Brunswick Ballroom. Brunswick. 8pm. $75.07.

JAZZ & JAFFLES

The Toff In Town. Melbourne. 7.30pm. Free.

J.R REYNE & THE FORD LAZERS. MATT EVANS Esplanade Hotel (The Espy). St Kilda. 8pm. Free.

JAZZ NIGHT

Morris House. Melbourne. 7pm.

MICHELLE

BRASIER: REFORM Arts Centre. Melbourne. 6.30pm. $30.

MAILEY. EMMA YUE, COOLABAH KINGS

The Tote. Collingwood. 7pm. $11.25.

MALCURA. THE MISTAKES

The Evelyn Hotel. Fitzroy. 7.30pm. $10.

OPEN MIC

The Merri Bar. Preston. 7.30pm.

INNER

SANCTUARY: DJ JNETT + JIMMY JAMES Whitehart Bar. Melbourne. 3pm. Free.

FRI 05 JUL

ELISION + NGULMIYA

Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 7pm. $45 - 55.

6 SENSE. PRIZEFIGHT, C000KIE, RENAESSANCE

Max Watt’s. Melbourne. 9pm. $49.90 - 59.90.

HOT DUB TIME MACHINE Forum Melbourne. Melbourne. 7pm. $89.90.

PERRY STREET PARK. WILLOWBANK GROVE, STRAWBZ Retreat Hotel. Brunswick. 7.30pm. $13 - 20.

RUSTED BLOOD. SPIAL, ACHEY PEACE

Bar Open. Fitzroy. 8.30pm. $17.35.

Dark FOMO 5: Choose Your Own Adventure

FT: Živa, Hearts & Rockets, The Moth Body Cactus Room. Thornbury. 8pm. $25.

“LIVE” FRIDAYS: INFINITY SESSIONS

The Vineyard Restaurant & Bar. St Kilda. 8pm. $15.

VACATIONS Corner Hotel. Richmond. 7.30pm.

STINA TESTER Wesley Anne. Northcote. 6pm.

THE FOUR SCOOPS

Bar Open. Fitzroy. 6pm. Free.

NGV FRIDAY NIGHTS: ROMAN

MC WITH AUSTRALIAN ART ORCHESTRA IMPROVISERS

NGV - National Gallery of Victoria. Melbourne. 6pm. $45.

THE AUSTRALIAN PANTERA SHOW

Cherry Bar. Melbourne. 8pm. $22.59.

ARJ BARKER: THE MIND FIELD

Clocktower Centre. Moonee Ponds. 7.30pm. $54.90.

SPIKE FUCK & FRIENDS

John Curtin Hotel. Carlton. 8pm.

THE SYNCOPATORS

Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 9pm. $45.

THE CALABRIANS

Bar 303. Northcote. 5pm. Free.

SISTERS DOLL

Northcote Social Club. Northcote. 8pm. $29.10.

THEE CHA CHA CHAS. THE BREADMAKERS, DJ MATT

TWISTING FEVER

Gem Bar. Collingwood. 8pm. Free.

LEFEVRE QUARTET

The Thornbury Local. Thornbury. 8pm.

EVES KARYDAS

Howler. Brunswick. 8pm. $28.56.

CHELSEA ELDER. KAITLIN KEEGAN, SADIE MUSTOE, EMMA YUE

Bergy Bandroom. Brunswick. 7.30pm. $22.95.

ALISON PARADE. RED MOON COWBOY, KITE VENDORS

The Penny Black. Brunswick. 9pm. Free.

RYMAN HEALTHCARE

WINTER GALA: CARMINA BURANA

Hamer Hall (Arts Centre Melbourne). Melbourne. 7.30pm. $82 - $142.

HYPER TOFF FT: Anya

The Toff In Town. Melbourne. 11pm. Free.

REAPER. PETROL, CULT OF THE NIGHT, PAROXYS

The Last Chance

Rock & Roll Bar. North Melbourne. $23.50.

ROLAND WITH BAND. TEAM LOVE

The Merri Creek Tavern. Northcote. 8pm. $10. Superficial presents PINK PONY CLUB

Esplanade Hotel (The Espy). St Kilda. 11.30pm. $22.95.

RAISED AS WOLVES. RAGING HORMONES, DENTAL PLAN, BABY SHOWER

The Old Bar. Fitzroy. 8pm. $11.25.

GENZINE FUNDRAISER DRAG BINGO

Pride of our Footscray Community Bar. Footscray. 7.30pm. $10.

SUGARUSH: PINK PONY CLUB - CHAPPELL ROAN NIGHT

Stay Gold. Brunswick. 11pm. DIRTY HARRIET. VICTIMS BALL, JESS SHREDS, THE UNMADE BEDS

The Beast. Brunswick East. 9pm. Free.

JR REYNE. MATT EVANS Lulie Tavern. Collingwood. 9pm. Free. REUBEN

KAYE: LIVE & INTIMIDATING Arts Centre. Melbourne. 8.30pm. $49.

BATTLESNAKE. LEATHERMAN

The Night Cat. Fitzroy. 7pm. $39.76.

HUSKEES. SKERZO, PET THERAPY

The Tote. Collingwood. 8pm. $13.30.

GET IT TOGETHER

The Motley Bauhaus. Carlton. 8pm. $30.39.

MIKE GURRIERI & FRIENDS: KGOMOTSO & PETER

Whitehart Bar. Melbourne. 4pm. Free.

SAT 06 JUL

LATE NIGHT ORCHESTRA: THE PORTISHEAD LEGACY

Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 8pm. $79 - 89.

SIMO SOO. ZE WISENHEIMER, LOWER KINGDOM, ASTRID AMPERSAND Retreat Hotel. Brunswick. 7.30pm. $15.

LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME: A TRIBUTE TO NINA SIMONE

FT: The Adam Rudegeair Trio, Christine Manetta Wesley Anne. Northcote. 8pm. $30.60. RABBIT. THE STATES, SUPER TART

Retreat Hotel. Brunswick. 2.30pm. $15. DEADNERVE. LIAR, DEADSKIN, DEADWEIGHT80 Bar Open. Fitzroy. 8.30pm. $25.

Dark FOMO 5: Choose Your Own Adventure

FT: Gringing Eyes, The Miffs, Long Hours Cactus Room. Thornbury. 8pm. $25.

KEMER YUSUF

Memo Music Hall. St Kilda. 7pm. $100 - 250.

SCATTER LIGHT. HEY SPIRO

Yah Yah’s. Fitzroy. 7pm. $15.

WREN BELLETTE & THE RESTLESS FEW. JACKSON FREUD

Tramway Hotel. Fitzroy North. 4pm. Free.

Ungrateful Deadfest:

Brutality 2024

FT: Dripped, Putrescent Seepage, Iniquitous Monolith, Rvkkvs Cherry Bar. Melbourne. 5pm. $38.91.

WESTERN BALLET PROJECT PRESENTS A CHRISTMAS (IN JULY) CAROL Clocktower Centre. Moonee Ponds.

6.30pm. $50. PROGRAM. PARSNIP, POSSIBLE HUMANS

John Curtin Hotel. Carlton. 8pm. $27.95.

EMMA GILMARTIN QUARTET

FT: James Sherlock Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 6pm. $45.

CHAMPAGNE JACKET

Bar 303. Northcote. 8pm. $16.

STEPH STRINGS. AUSTIN MACKAY, ANNA STANTON Corner Hotel. Richmond. 8.30pm. $40.40.

WALA IS LIFE: NUNGUA HOMOWO

FT: Wassawumba Ensemble

Northcote Social Club. Northcote. 8.30pm. $25.99.

RAISED AS WOLVES + THE SINKING SHIP Gem Bar. Collingwood. 4pm. Free.

BURLESQUE COMPETITION: 40 UP ON FIRE Brunswick Ballroom. Brunswick. 8pm. $64.87.

KAT GRETA

The Thornbury Local. Thornbury. 8pm.

ROCK ACADEMY

36 LIVE Howler. Brunswick. 1.15pm. $23.46.

MANNEQUIN DEATH SQUAD. DADDY ISSUES, NIGHTLIGHT, OPERATION

KARMA

Bergy Bandroom. Brunswick. 8pm. $16.85.

MILDLIFE. HANNAH CAMERON, ALCIDES NETO, GOLDEN SCISSOR PUPPETS

Northcote Theatre. Northcote. 7.30pm.

Saturdation Vol. 6

FT: DJ Jnett, DJ Kiti, Colette, Antwin, Ingrid The Toff In Town. Melbourne. 10.30pm. $33.66.

CHOOF. METH LEPPARD, MAGGOT CAVE, FESTERING

GENITAL ORIFICE

The Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar. North Melbourne. 8pm. $16.35.

BINGO LOCO 170 Russell. Melbourne. 6pm.

AM//PM EMO

NIGHT

FT: Future Static. Alienist, Ghostseeker Stay Gold. Brunswick. 8pm. $17.50.

SORDID ORDEAL. CANISHA

The Beast. Brunswick East. 8pm. Free. BASEMENT COMEDY CLUB

Morris House. Melbourne. 8pm. $25.

MICHELLE BRASIER: REFORM

Arts Centre. Melbourne. 6.30pm. $35.

CHARLI XCX BRAT RELEASE PARTY

The Night Cat. Fitzroy. 10pm. $22. RATTLEBACK. JONGO BONES & THE BAREFOOT BANDITS, MY SAFE WORD IS MURDER, SCUD The Tote. Collingwood. 8pm. $11.25.

JARED HEALY

The Merri Bar. Preston. 7pm.

OLD TIME JAM SESSION WITH CRAIG WOODWARD & FRIENDS

The Merri Creek Tavern. Northcote. 3pm.

WHISKY GIN

RUMMY

The Motley Bauhaus. Carlton. 7.30pm. HOUSE INSPECTION Whitehart Bar. Melbourne. 4pm.

THU 11 JUL

THE ROAST OF SANSONUS. TOMMY & ROY, HOT DOG, AMNA BEE, JEAN LIZZA, MATT JENNER

Shotkickers. Thornbury. 8pm. $18.35.

THREE BASE HIT Bar Open. Fitzroy. 6pm. Free.

MINGUS THINGUS

Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 7.30pm. $40.

TITRATION. DEAR MATILDA, THE SOGGY POCKETS, PIESALE

Bergy Bandroom. Brunswick. 7pm. $16.85.

NEARLY FRIDAY. CATERPILLAR

The Penny Black. Brunswick. 8.30pm.

JAZZ & JAFFLES

The Toff In Town. Melbourne. 7.30pm. Free.

ATIENNE BAKKER VARIETY PLATTER

Edinburgh Castle Hotel. Brunswick. 6pm.

IT’S CAMP! DISCO INFUSED DRAG SHOW

FT: Silvio Di Baci, Melissa Intent, Andii G, Roxy Rawhide, Darmanatrix

The Old Bar. Fitzroy. 7.30pm. $17.35.

SUZIE SO BLUE

Lulie Tavern. Collingwood. 9pm. Free.

EMMA HOLLAND: HERE COMES MR FOREHEAD

Arts Centre. Melbourne. 7pm. $30.

Y35.3. CULT OF THE PLACENTA HEAD, CLEANINGLADY, MVRK SVD

The Tote. Collingwood. 7.30pm. $11.25.

MALCURA. TRUBUG

The Evelyn Hotel. Fitzroy. 7.30pm. $10.

INNER

SANCTUARY: DJ JNETT + JIMMY JAMES Whitehart Bar. Melbourne. 3pm. Free.

JIM O’ROURKE: A MASTERCLASS ON THE SERGE PAPERFACE

Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 7pm. $37.

ASTON’S BAD BITCH WORLD TOUR (PART 1)

The Workers Club. Fitzroy. 8pm. $28.60.

GREG GOULD: STRINGS ATTACHED. ANYA ALCHEMY Memo Music Hall. St Kilda. 7pm. $35 - 50.

MOOD SPILL. FOGGY NOTION, AILSA MITCHELL Shotkickers. Thornbury. 8pm. $18.35.

SPÜRTS. DOG DOOR, THINK ABOUT YOU Retreat Hotel. Brunswick. 7.30pm. $12.25.

DAN SULTAN X MSO: NAIDOC WEEK CELEBRATION

Hamer Hall (Arts Centre Melbourne). Melbourne. 7.30pm. $75 - 125.

ATTICHE

Wesley Anne. Northcote. 6pm.

JACKIE

BORNSTEIN’S GREAT WOMEN OF JAZZ

Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 6pm. $45.

SIN CITY. THE STRIPP, TOMMY DYNAMITE Cherry Bar. Melbourne. 8pm. $15.43.

BONES & JONES. TAMARA AND THE DREAMS, GAVIN! John Curtin Hotel. Carlton. 8pm. $27.95.

OPA! BATO BALKAN BRASS Bar 303. Northcote. 8.30pm. $30.

SLY WITHERS Corner Hotel. Richmond. 8.30pm. $39.90.

REPUTATION: THE ULTIMATE TAYLOR SWIFT SHOW Northcote Social Club. Northcote. 8pm. $34.10.

AN EVENING WITH LUCINDA LIGHT

Brunswick Ballroom. Brunswick. 8pm. $54.67.

KEVIN CARRINGTON

The Thornbury Local. Thornbury. 8pm.

HARRISON STORM

Howler. Brunswick. 8pm. $37.50.

NICE BISCUIT. HEAVY AMBER, WINSKY

Bergy Bandroom. Brunswick. 8pm. $28.05.

DEAD ED. HAZY SKIES, DOG VALENTINE

The Penny Black. Brunswick. 9pm.

COSMO’S MIDNIGHT Northcote Theatre. Northcote. 7.30pm. $64.90.

HYPER TOFF

FT: Christian Belvedere

The Toff In Town. Melbourne. 11pm. Free.

SATIN CALI.

LOSER, THE VANDASTRUTS

The Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar. North Melbourne. 8pm. $16.35. GRACE CUMMINGS

Esplanade Hotel (The Espy). St Kilda. 7.30pm. $38.25.

BINGO

Edinburgh Castle Hotel. Brunswick. 7pm. Free.

Electro Cumbia Fest

FT: Sorbo Amplio, Karina Lehman Band, DJ Julia Towers

Revolver Upstairs. Prahran. 7pm. $21.42.

HUMAN NOISE. DOG WORLD, MR. INDUSTRY

The Old Bar. Fitzroy. 8pm.

STAY GOLD ALL STARS: 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF ATREYU’S ‘THE CURSE’ Stay Gold. Brunswick. 7pm. $24.50.

HAIL MARY JANE

The Beast. Brunswick East. 9pm. Free.

SMITH & WESTERN JURY + EATEN BY DOGS

Lulie Tavern. Collingwood. 9pm. Free.

BASEMENT

COMEDY CLUB

Morris House. Melbourne. 8pm. $24.

HOT DEPARTMENT

Arts Centre. Melbourne. 8.30pm. $30.

AWFUL NOISE. TONGUE SCUM, NEPHALEM, CLOTHESLINED

The Tote. Collingwood. 8pm. $16.35.

BAUHAUS BURLESQUE

The Motley Bauhaus. Carlton. 8.30pm. $30.39.

MIKE GURRIERI & FRIENDS: CHEAP MONEY WITH HENI & JARMAN

Whitehart Bar. Melbourne. 4pm. Free.

SAT 13 JUL

BRANDENBURG: NIGHT IN VERSAILLES

Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 7pm. $30 - 196.

DAN SULTAN X MSO: NAIDOC WEEK CELEBRATION

Hamer Hall (Arts Centre Melbourne). Melbourne. 7.30pm. $75 - 125.

SUNDAY HONEY. LOOSE CONTENT, SECOND HAND HIGH

The Workers Club. Fitzroy. 8pm. $12.75 - 23.50.

PORPOISE SPIT. BAD BANGS

Shotkickers. Thornbury. 8pm. $24.47.

SPANK THE 90’S. INDIGO BLUE Bar Open. Fitzroy. 8.30pm. $17.35.

MARIA BAMFORD

Palais Theatre. St Kilda. 7pm. $69.90.

Le Chalet Discothèque

FT: Simon Slieker, Katie Walker, Pixleton, Cuznmatt, petr:a, Chinbindi, Alpen Dreaming, DJ Slack Red Betty. Brunswick. 6pm. $17.19.

Blues Guitar Roadshow

FT: Geoff Achison, Jimi Hocking, Shannon Bourne, George Kamikara, The McNamarr Project, Kathleen Halloran, Nat Allison, Gilbert & Kealey Trio, more Memo Music Hall. St Kilda. 7pm. $40 - 60.

WILLIAMS / ATTICHE / TARENTO

Wesley Anne. Northcote. 6pm.

Soul Sisters Say No To Domestic Violence Fundraiser

FT: DJ Lady Soul, DJ Randy Lipz

XXX, DJ Gail Smith, DJ Soosie Wong, DJ Celia Bow

Odeon Richmond. Richmond. 7pm. $20.

THE DOUBLE AGENTS. DAN BRODIE & THE SHADOWS OF LOVE, CINCO SAVAGE

John Curtin Hotel. Carlton. 8.30pm. $27.95.

BORN TO BE BLUE: CELEBRATING THE MUSICAL LIFE OF CHET BAKER

Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 6.30pm. $45.

H_ART THE BAND Corner Hotel. Richmond. 9pm. $56.80.

CERES

Northcote Social Club. Northcote. 8pm.

PLEASANTS + REVV

Gem Bar. Collingwood. 4pm. Free.

THE PEARLY SHELLS BIG BAND. BEN PETERS

Brunswick Ballroom. Brunswick. 1pm. $33.76.

BRET MOSLEY

The Thornbury Local. Thornbury. 8pm.

RIFLEBIRDS. THE FLICKERING STARS, THE DELVENES

Bergy Bandroom. Brunswick. 7.30pm. $16.85.

THE VALIANTS. ECHO SOCIAL CLUB, LEFT AT THE AVENUE

The Toff In Town. Melbourne. 7.30pm. $14.28.

HEY SPIRO!. FUZZRAYS, PARASITE

The Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar. North Melbourne. 8.30pm. $16.35.

BUD ROKESKY

The Merri Creek Tavern. Northcote. 8pm. $18.40.

THE RADIATORS: 40 YEARS OF HITS

Esplanade Hotel (The Espy). St Kilda. 4.30pm. $38.25.

WAVE JAZZ TRIO

Edinburgh Castle Hotel. Brunswick. 6pm.

SCREENSAVER. BODY MAINTENANCE, LOTHARIO, ARMOUR

The Old Bar. Fitzroy. 8pm. $23.50.

MONNONE ALONE. VICTORIA

The Beast. Brunswick East. 9pm. Free.

BASEMENT COMEDY CLUB Morris House. Melbourne. 8pm. $25.

ALEX HINES: PUTTING ON A SHOW

Arts Centre. Melbourne. 7pm. $28.

MIDNIGHT DRIVER WITH ADRIANA: ALL NIGHT LONG

The Night Cat. Fitzroy. 9pm. $20 - 30.

Eviscerate

The Evelyn

FT: Kuntsquad, Scaphis, Pendle Hill, Born Of A Bastard King, Boswell Deathsquad

The Evelyn Hotel. Fitzroy. 7.30pm. $15.

3198

The Merri Bar. Preston. 7pm.

ZED’S DEAD. SOCIAL HIJACK

Mr Boogie Man Bar. Abbotsford. 8pm. $10.

A Pirate Xmas

In July

FT: Ambulance, The Ians, Double Pumper, Brand, Trash & Queer Cabaret

The Motley Bauhaus. Carlton. 7pm. $25.33.

UNCUT RHYTHM: BINOFSKI + MR PITIFUL Whitehart Bar. Melbourne. 4pm.

THU 18 JUL

PASH. WET DENIM, LYRAH GRAY, THE NOISE

The Workers Club. Fitzroy. 7pm. $12.75.

ADAM & TOM

Wesley Anne. Northcote. 6pm.

OVRNIGHT. BODHIEL, KHOJEMINI

Bar Open. Fitzroy. 8pm. $20.

NATHAN SLATER QUARTET

Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 8pm. $40.

SEVEN DRUNKEN NIGHTS: THE STORY OF THE DUBLINERS

Brunswick Ballroom. Brunswick. 8pm. $79.90.

SPLITLANES. NAKED MANNEQUIN

The Penny Black. Brunswick. 8.30pm.

FUNNY GIRL

The Round. Nunawading. 7pm. $40.

AETHER + VASSALLO

The Merri Creek Tavern. Northcote. 8pm. $15 - 25.

PRIDE MOVIE NIGHT: HEATHERS

Pride of our Footscray Community Bar. Footscray. 6.30pm. $15.

SHAKY STILLS + THE 6V6S

Lulie Tavern. Collingwood. 8.45pm. Free.

Frostbitten Weekend

FT: Algor Mortis. Bifurcation, Post Human The Tote. Collingwood. 7pm. $28.60.

MALCURA. JENNA CAMPBELL

The Evelyn Hotel. Fitzroy. 7.30pm. $10.

100% Phat: Forth & Back

FT: Teejae, Mrs Wallace, Mizhap, Agent 86 Section 8. Melbourne. 6pm. Free.

INNER

SANCTUARY: DJ JNETT + JIMMY JAMES Whitehart Bar. Melbourne. 3pm. Free.

FRI 19 JUL

MAMMAL

Max Watt’s. Melbourne. 7pm. $52.25.

SUMMER FLAKE. SCOTT & CHARLENE’S WEDDING, SLEEPER & SNAKE Shotkickers. Thornbury. 8pm. $18.35.

VILLAINS. ALL MONSTERS ARE HUMAN, ABSELOM Bar Open. Fitzroy. 8.30pm. $11.25.

NGV FRIDAY NIGHTS: KOI KINGDOM NGV - National Gallery of Victoria. Melbourne. 6pm. $45.

SEEN: An Evening Of Hardcore Jungle

FT: Sekkleman, Scibes, Kurtox, BTKA, Mista C, The Dreaded MC, Ell Gee Bar 303. Northcote. 8pm. $15.

C.W. STONEKING

Brunswick Ballroom. Brunswick. 8.30pm. $64.87.

MICHAEL MEEKING

The Thornbury Local. Thornbury. 8pm.

ALIENIST. ALTVS, SYNGE, MORE Bergy Bandroom. Brunswick. 8pm. $28.05.

HEART SHAPED ACES

The Penny Black. Brunswick. 9pm.

DANNY OCEAN Northcote Theatre. Northcote. 7pm. $91.70.

HYPER TOFF

FT: Mizhap

The Toff In Town. Melbourne. 11pm. Free.

UNDERGROUND

CABARET: JUDE PERL

The Round. Nunawading. 8pm. $30.

FUNNY GIRL

The Round. Nunawading. 7pm. $40.

CHECKPOINT. BUG HUNT, DE PORSAL

The Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar. North Melbourne. 8.30pm. $16.35.

MAMMA MIA! THE MUSICAL PARTY

Esplanade Hotel (The Espy). St Kilda. 9pm. $22.95.

BINGO

Edinburgh Castle Hotel. Brunswick. 7pm. Free.

LEGMOUTH. DEAD BEAT, DERROTONIN

Revolver Upstairs. Prahran. 7pm. $9.18.

TAITOSMITH

170 Russell. Melbourne. 11pm. $120.

PRIDE DRAG BINGO

Pride of our Footscray Community Bar. Footscray. 7pm. $10.

DOLE CHEQUE

The Beast. Brunswick East. 9pm. Free.

MSO MORNINGS: TCHAIKOVSKY’S ROMEO & JULIET

Hamer Hall (Arts Centre Melbourne). Melbourne. 11am. $63 - $103.

GODTET + STRINGS. THE RAAH PROJECT

The Night Cat. Fitzroy. 8pm. $34.90.

TERMINAL SLEEP + SKORN

The Tote. Collingwood. 7.30pm. $25.

THE OPERATIVES

FT: JPS, Nam, more Section 8. Melbourne. 6pm. Free.

JEFFREY COMBS FILM FESTIVAL

The Motley Bauhaus. Carlton. 7pm.

MIKE GURRIERI & FRIENDS: COLETTE Whitehart Bar. Melbourne. 4pm. Free.

SAT 20 JUL

PINK FLOYD’S EVOLUTION

Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 8pm. $79.90.

METEORA: LINKIN PARK TRIBUTE. SYSTEM OF A DON’T

Max Watt’s. Melbourne. 7pm. $45.90.

AVALANCHE. THE 6V6S, THE RARTEL

The Beast. Brunswick East. 8pm. Free.

FLOYD THURSBY & BAND

The Jazzlab. Brunswick. 2.30pm. $25 - 30.

MIDNIGHT CIRCUITRY / SYNAPTIC DREAMS

Bar Open. Fitzroy. 11pm. Free.

NANA KOIZUMI QUARTET PLAYS THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK

Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 9pm. $45.

RUDI SOUND SYSTEM

FT: Mago Neru, Rural Kid

Bar 303. Northcote. 8pm. Free.

MUSHROOM GIANT. BEAR THE MAMMOTH, ALL IS VIOLENT Northcote Social Club. Northcote. 8.30pm. $24.

GAVIN BOWLES & THE DISTRACTIONS + ASH ACID Gem Bar. Collingwood. 8pm. Free.

GRAND WAZOO’S WINTER SOUL EXTRAVAGANZA

Brunswick Ballroom. Brunswick. 8.30pm. $60.

BAD NEWS GOSPEL + A MAN CALLED SON

The Thornbury Local. Thornbury. 8pm.

OSUNLADE

Howler. Brunswick. 6pm. $44.37.

Bloodshed

FT: Blood On My Hands, Nebulam, Grave Risk, Tarnished Bergy Bandroom. Brunswick. 2pm. $11.75.

LOVESICK DREAM

The Penny Black. Brunswick. 9pm.

WILD ORCHIDS & THE WEEDS. ADAM PRZEWLOCKI & THE DIVINE DIVAS SHOW CHOIR

The Toff In Town. Melbourne. 2pm. $38.76.

FUNNY GIRL

The Round. Nunawading. 7pm. $40.

AARDVARK. LEATHERMAN, CULT OF THE NIGHT

The Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar. North Melbourne. 8.30pm. $16.35.

KINEMATIC

Edinburgh Castle Hotel. Brunswick. 6pm.

ASTRODEATH. SPACEJUNK, WOLFPACK, EL COLOSSO

The Old Bar. Fitzroy. 8pm. $23.50.

BASEMENT COMEDY

Club Morris House. Melbourne. 8pm. $25.

RELAX WITH MAX

The Night Cat. Fitzroy. 7.30pm. $15.

GOODY’S HIFI. DIANA’S KRANKENWAGON, MARTHA

The Tote. Collingwood. 8pm. $16.35.

JIMMY HARWOOD. ARAMINTA, KOOK JOEY

The Evelyn Hotel. Fitzroy. 8.30pm. $17.

RORY NEWMAN + ROB PATTON

The Merri Bar. Preston. 7pm.

OLD TIME JAM SESSION WITH CRAIG WOODWARD & FRIENDS

The Merri Creek Tavern. Northcote. 3pm.

JAZZ ARVOS

The Motley Bauhaus. Carlton. 5pm. Free.

THU 25 JUL

MUDRAT. PRIYA, DADDY ISSUES, STREWTH THE DRAG QUEEN Shotkickers. Thornbury. 8pm. $23.45.

JACK MARKEN TRIO

Wesley Anne. Northcote. 6pm.

SEVEN DRUNKEN NIGHTS: THE STORY OF THE DUBLINERS

Clocktower Centre. Moonee Ponds. 7.30pm. $89.90.

RHYS TOLHURST SINGS THE CROONERS

Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 8pm. $45.

SHELLY’S MOTOR CLUB. BAILEY JUDD, EASTBOUND BUZZ

Bergy Bandroom. Brunswick. 7pm. $16.85.

GESUNOLIKE. SUPERDIVER

The Penny Black. Brunswick. 8.30pm.

KIM GORDON

Northcote Theatre. Northcote. 7.30pm. $89.35.

TITRATION. FINN KIRBY, MONROE

The Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar. North Melbourne. 7pm. $16.35.

MASAMI KAWAGUCHI. PENNY IKINGER, ORANGE PAW

The Old Bar. Fitzroy. 7.30pm. $17.35.

BAYNK 170 Russell. Melbourne. 6.30pm. $59.90.

MEGHAN MAIKE + THE 6V6S Lulie Tavern. Collingwood. 9pm. Free.

JAZZ NIGHT

Morris House. Melbourne. 7pm. NO QUESTIONS. DOLLS, ELKIE KERSHAW

The Tote. Collingwood. 7.30pm. $16.35.

INNER

SANCTUARY: DJ JNETT + JIMMY JAMES Whitehart Bar. Melbourne. 3pm. Free.

FRI 26 JUL

JOEP BEVING

Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 7.30pm. $69 - 79. NGV FRIDAY

NIGHTS: BALL/ HANLON/SCHULZ

FT: Vahideh Eisaei NGV - National Gallery of Victoria. Melbourne. 6pm. $45.

EYEHATEGOD + GOATWHORE. CHOOF

Max Watt’s. Melbourne. 8pm. $82.65.

CUTTERS. FUTURE SUCK, CANTONA, THE ANTICS, LOTHARIO Shotkickers. Thornbury. 8pm. $18.35.

SUGARTONE. MOTH, TITRATION Bar Open. Fitzroy. 8pm. $17.35.

THE WINFIELD ROAD EXPERIMENT

Wesley Anne. Northcote. 6pm.

THE YACHTSKI BROTHERS

Northcote Social Club. Northcote. 8pm. $40.

THE CHILLI PICKERS

Bar Open. Fitzroy. 6pm. Free.

CELTIC ILLUSION Clocktower Centre. Moonee Ponds. 7.30pm. $99.90.

STEAMING JAZZ WITH STEVENSON’S ROCKETS

FT: Juliarna Clark Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 9pm. $45. WRESTLEROCK 40 Corner Hotel. Richmond. 8pm. $45.45.

DARREN HANLON Brunswick Ballroom. Brunswick. 8pm. $40.90.

BLACK CAB. SIMONA CASTRICUM Howler. Brunswick. 8pm. $38.76.

HASSALL + INDIGO HUE. DELA CRUZ Bergy Bandroom. Brunswick. 7.30pm. $16.85.

VOLT JOLT

The Penny Black. Brunswick. 9pm.