Here’s where you can get barista coffee for $3, hot lunches for $5 and all-you-can-eat dinner for $10 in Melbourne
Melbourne’s cheapest barista coffee
Otherside Coffee
- Small coffee – $3.40
- Large coffee – $3.80
Otherside, nestled in the heart of Melbourne on Collins Street, offers a caffeine fix with an all-day coffee priced at a very modest $3.40 – calling out to “those feeling disenfranchised by the coffee industry”. Their signature blend, the Little Temperance is bold yet balanced and a testament to their meticulous approach to roasting and brewing. Given they also sell plenty of their coffee beans through their website, you can trust its high-quality stuff. Certainly worth the extra $1.40 over your 7-Eleven regular.
Melbourne’s cheapest home-made cafe lunch
Heart of Carlton
- Pastas, baguettes, toasties, curries – $5
- Orange juice, coffees – $4
- Slices, cakes – $2
Mum-and-pop Elgin Street cafe Heart of Carlton boast of their 1970s prices and at this point, they’re probably the cheapest inner-city cafe in Australia. They’ve been serving fantastic, hearty and humble, home-made lunch dishes for decades now. What’s more, they play live music courtesy of a local pianist on Tuesdays and if you’ve got a knack for the ivories, you’re welcome to entertain the guests yourself.
Melbourne’s cheapest lunches and dinners
Udon Yasan
- Noodle bowls for around $5
- Both lunch and dinner, open very late on weekends
A Japanese canteen-style, self-serve noodle restaurant, open late on weekends, which has a massive range of cheap eats with plenty of items on the menu under $5. Their star attractions are the noodle bowls that start at under $5 and include the likes of teriyaki chicken, with a range of additional add-ons that are also very cheap.
Melbourne’s cheapest all-you-can-eat dinners
Om Vegetarian
- All-you-can-eat curry – $9.50
Om Vegetarian, on Collins Street, offer a special $9.50 all-you-can-eat thali meal. It’s a range of vegan curries, and is available all day, every day, boasting a medley of seasonal delights like vegetable, chickpea, and lentil curries, served with fragrant basmati rice and piping hot naan bread straight from their tandoori oven.
Honourable mention: Kim Soju
- 30mins $19.90
- 60mins $21.90
- 90mins $25.90
Korean BBQ has taken Melbourne by storm so it’s little surprise that to see Kim Soju on Queen Street take the honours for Melbourne’s cheapest all-you-can-eat dinner for BBQ lovers, offering 30-minute sessions for just $19.90. That’s unlimited noodles, vegetables, meat and seafood, plus they offer a range of similarly priced takeaway deals as well.
The best cheap meal-deals every night of the week
We’ve also compiled the best cheap eats in Melbourne in this master list of affordable restaurants, because saving money doesn’t have to mean staying in. Whether you’re on a budget or just trying to dedicate less of your paycheck to eating out, you don’t have to resign yourself to eating homecooked meals seven days a week with this list of the best cheap eats in Melbourne.
There are ample meal deals around town! We’ve hunted down the best spots around Melbourne to eat for cheap every night of the week, so you can wine and dine yourself with nothing but pocket change.
To read it, head here.
Ruby Lou + Connor Kerr-Newell
Playing Trio
Kōyō Quartet + FiveFour Quartet
Blue Mode + Propane Trio
Ecstatic: Melbourne #1
JOLTED ARTS SPACE Presents:
ECSTATIC: MELBOURNE #1
10 MAY /// 7:30PM DOORS OPEN FOR 8:00PM
TARLOCHAN (BOBBY) SINGH
HULLICK & THE BOLT ENSEMBLE
BOLT: Zac Johnston (violin), Mary Doumany (harp), Dave Brown (bass), Philip Brophy (drums)
ANDREW CROSLING
W/ VIDEO BY AKIKO NAKAYAMA (JPN)
TIX: $10 AT THE DOOR.
ABOUT ECSTATIC
JOLT Arts will showcase three ecstatic and legendary in-house acts. Prepare to levitate upon audio waves of delight and heightened awareness.
Mesmerising and technically bedazzling, Tarlochan Bobby Singh is Australia’s master of the tabla and Indian Classical rhythmic flows.
A reimagining of what it means to be avant-garde: with leading chamber ensemble/band BOLT Ensemble (Zac Johnston (violin), Mary Doumany (harp), Dave Brown (bass), Philip Brophy (drums)) and Australia’s recalcitrant sound artist James Hullick in a night of multicultural, electric and expansive sonic offerings. Andrew Crosling will offer a sonic and video performance art presentation.
Each act will be presented in surround sound delivered by Michael Hewes, Australia’s leading sound diffusion engineer and artist. Hullick and the BOLT Ensemble will perform alongside projections by Japanese video master Akiko Nakayama.
Paint the Town Red
Three all-redhead, female singer-songwriters team up for this one-off blockbuster night of music: Georgia Ray, Duxie Franklin and Cari Scharl.
Free entry, doors 8pm.
Dan Sultan x MSO: NAIDOC Week Celebration
This NAIDOC Week, one of Australia’s most loved singer-songwriters, Dan Sultan, joins the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra to celebrate the tenth anniversary of his third studio album, Blackbird.
After headlining the Orchestra’s 2023 performance of One Song: The Music of Archie Roach, Dan will reunite with the MSO on this special anniversary to perform songs from the album and hits from his impressive catalogue.
Billed as ‘the simple journey of a man singing about love, desire and identity’, the album set Sultan’s wide-ranging talent as a songwriter and performer at the fore. It was filled with powerhouse riffs met by crackling gospel interludes, rock and roll and soul jams, pure country tones, and bare, aching ballads and harmonies.
With orchestral arrangements by Alex Turley and conducted by Noongar man Aaron Wyatt, this is a performance ten years in the making.
Castlemaine Jazz Festival swings into town for a King’s Birthday bonanza
The 2024 return of the Castlemaine Jazz Festival is coming in hot, unveiling a sensational selection of jazz aficionados set to swing into town. Building on last years hit event, the festival is set to take over six iconic venues in the town centre including the historic Theatre Royal, Castlemaine Bowling Club, the Goods Shed, Phee Broadway Theatre, Coolroom at the Northern Arts Hotel and taking over the very popular Boomtown Winery for two night.
Castlemaine Jazz Festival Details
- When: King’s Birthday Long Weekend – Friday 7 June – Sunday 9 June
- Where: Theatre Royal, Castlemaine Bowling Club, the Goods Shed, Phee Broadway Theatre, Coolroom and Boomtown Winery
- Tickets (Full/Concession/Under 18): Opening Night – $30/$25/$15, Day Pass – $90/$80/$50, Full Weekend – $150/$125/$90
- Further information: www.castlemainejazzfestival.com.au
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
With a special community-focused opening night at the Goods Shed, Castlemaine Jazz Festival will be in full swing thanks to Thompsons Foundry Band and the Castlemaine Secondary College Stage band who reign as the division winners of the 2024 Generations In Jazz. Keeping the community-focus, the evening will also feature a performance from a community choir as led by Adam Przewlocki of Choir of Hard Knocks fame, featuring the voice of Divine Divas, Rainbow Voices, Marcapellas, Mainesong and the Castlemaine Secondary College Vocal Ensemble.
All of that performance power and that’s not even the main program. Jumping into the festivities, Castlemaine Jazz Festival is full of established jazz names as well as newcomers to the scene. Over at the Theatre Royal you can dig into sets from Tamara Murphy, Ade Ish, Shirazz and a gamut of big bands. Phee Broadway boasts a huge headline act on the Saturday evening – singer, trumpeter, songwriter and three-time ARIA award winner Vince Jones, who is this year celebrating his gold career anniversary; a whopping 50 years in the spotlight.
Brooklyn ’86, Esstee Big Band, Flying Home, Funk Junkies, Harry Coulson’s Blue Dogs, Rebecca Barnard and Stat are a few more names on the huge bill for the Castlemaine Jazz Festival.
“The committee has been working hard this year to bring an even more exciting festival to Jazz enthusiasts, and we can’t wait to bring this to the community,” says Lyndal McClure, President of the Castlemaine Jazz Festival.
“We are also so excited about our paste up project which aims to showcase our artists at this year’s festival as installations along Castlemaine’s main street. It is the first time ever that we have done something like this and we think it will add to the overall feeling of the festival.”
Tickets are now on sale to the 2024 Castlemaine Jazz Festival and can be purchased here.
André 3000 to perform in a World War II oil tank for this pioneering music series
André 3000 New Blue Sun LIVE, the critically acclaimed experimental jazz project of American hip-hop titan André 3000; American art rock trailblazer and Sonic Youth founding member Kim Gordon; multiple ARIA Award–winning Ghanaian–Australian multidisciplinary artist Genesis Owusu; and ARIA Award–winning Zimbabwean–Australian singer-songwriter and rapper Tkay Maidza.
From Friday 5 July to Sunday 21 July, the Art Gallery’s iconic Tank, a former Second World War oil tank that is now a breathtaking art and performance space, will be transformed with a series of boundary-pushing performances, melding art and music.
Volume at Art Gallery of New South Wales
- Genesis Owusu | Friday 5 July & Saturday 6 July 2024
- Tkay Maidza | Saturday 13 July 2024
- Kim Gordon | Thursday 18 July & Friday 19 July 2024
- André 3000 New Blue Sun LIVE | Saturday 20 July & Sunday 21 July 2024
Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Volume’s exceptional lineup
André 3000 New Blue Sun LIVE
In a very special Australian exclusive, Volume audiences will witness André 3000 New Blue Sun LIVE, the transcendent live interpretation of the 2023 debut solo album New Blue Sun. André 3000’s two shows in the Tank mark his first appearances in Australia in a decade, after headlining Splendour in the Grass 2014 as one half of renowned hip-hop duo Outkast. André 3000 will be accompanied by a phenomenal group of American jazz and new-age musicians, including percussionist and multi-instrumentalist Carlos Niño, guitarist and guitar synthesist Nate Mercereau, Surya Botofasina on keyboards, and Deantoni Parks on synthesiser and drums.
Kim Gordon
Over two nights, legendary musician, author, actor, designer and visual artist, the iconoclast Kim Gordon will perform music from her solo catalogue, including her critically acclaimed new album The Collective. Released in March this year, The Collective mixes oblique half-sung and half-spoken lyrics with scuzzy guitar, noise and trap beats, showcasing a 21st-century musical interconnectedness through lyrics, attitude, art and sound.
Genesis Owusu
Ghanaian–born, Canberra–based artist Genesis Owusu will open Volume, premiering a visual arts-inspired performance featuring brand new music and cuts from his critically acclaimed albums in the Tank. Owusu burst onto the scene with his acclaimed debut album Smiling With No Teeth (2021), followed by his celebrated second album STRUGGLER (2023), which takes on post-punk, post-rap and R&B via Owusu’s alter ego The Roach, a Kafka-esque character intent on challenging notions of survival and power beyond control. For Volume, Owusu will be backed by The Black Dog Band, comprising guitarist Kirin J Callinan, bassist Touch Sensitive and drummer Tim Commandeur.
Tkay Maidza
LA-based rapper Tkay Maidza returns to Sydney for her first headline show in Australia in 2024. Her performance at Volume follows the release of her second album Sweet Justice last November, which featured hit single ‘Silent Assassin’ with Flume. Following a tour of North America, a powerful peformance at Splendour in the Grass 2023, plus a national tour of Australia supporting Dua Lipa, Maidza is an artist in demand. She will bring her dazzling live show to the Tank for one night only, before returning to the US for a set at the prestigious Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago.
The best of contemporary music and art combine
Minister for the Arts, Music and the Night-time Economy, and Minister for Jobs and Tourism, John Graham said he welcomes the return of Volume to the Art Gallery this winter. “Through Volume the Art Gallery of New South Wales will bring the best of contemporary music and art together, in an inspiring and unique location. The program and the location offer artists and audiences a chance to experience something bold, ambitious and truly memorable,” said Minister Graham.
Curated by the Art Gallery’s music and community curator Jonathan Wilson, Volume forges electric connections between art and music, from avante-garde jazz explorations to trap-beat driven noise, post-punk R&B and subtle melancholia.
The first iteration of Volume in 2023 included three sold-out performances from American Grammy Award–winning R&B singer-songwriter and multidisciplinary artist Solange, an exhilarating takeover of our new Naala Badu building by Zambian rapper and vocalist Sampa The Great, and stellar performances by local and international artists including Mount Eerie, Lonnie Holley, Joe Rainey, Black Belt Eagle Scout, Sonya Holowell and more.
Art Gallery of New South Wales director Michael Brand said: ‘Volume continues to break new ground in the curation of music in public art museums.
“We are thrilled to be inviting some of the most innovative and bold local and international musicians to the Tank to create unique music experiences that will make audiences think, feel and move. We look forward to seeing how each artist responds to this remarkable space.”
Volume is proudly supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW’s Blockbusters Funding initiative. This year, Volume welcomes major partner Defender, driving innovation and the creative journey of new music.
Volume will be presented at the Art Gallery of New South Wales from Friday 5 July to Sunday 21 July in both Naala Badu – our north building – and Naala Nura – our south building. In addition to the seven ticketed performances, a wider program of free events will be announced soon.
Tickets $80–150, on sale Tuesday 21 May at 11am AEST (presale) and Wednesday 22 May at 11am AEST (general sale) at volume.sydney
Sketch comedy sensations Sooshi Mango announce Australian tour this August
This follows an international tour earlier this year and a sold-out Australian tour in 2022 which saw them break the house record at Rod Laver and bring laughter to over 100,000 fans.
The trio, made up of brothers Joe Salanitri, Carlo Salanitri and friend Andrew Manfre, are award-winning comedians, podcasters, and content creators and are among the best-loved comedians working in Australia today, consistently performing to sold out crowds across the country and around the world.
Sooshi Mango’s Australian tour
- Saturday 3 August Gippsland Performing Arts Centre Traralgon
- Saturday 10 August Mildura Arts Centre Mildura
- Friday 16 August Civic Theatre Wagga Wagga
- Tuesday 20 August Theatre North at The Princess Launceston
- Wednesday 21 August Theatre Royal Hobart
- Saturday 24 August Civic Theatre Newcastle
- Wednesday 28 August Pilbeam Theatre Rockhampton
- Friday 30 August Townsville Entertainment Centre Townsville
- Saturday 31 August Cairns Convention Centre Cairns
- Friday 6 September Lighthouse Theatre Warrnambool
- Saturday 7 September Civic Hall Ballarat
- Monday 9 September Ulumbarra Theatre Bendigo
- Saturday 14 September Costa Hall Geelong
- Wednesday 18 September Albury Entertainment Centre Albury
- Saturday 21 September Griffith Regional Theatre Griffith
- Tuesday 24 September Riverlinks Eastbank Shepparton
- Sunday 29 September WIN Entertainment Centre Wollongong
- Wednesday 2 October Venue TBC Canberra
- Saturday 5 October Qudos Bank Arena Sydney
- Thursday 10 October The Star Gold Coast
- Saturday 12 October Brisbane Entertainment Centre Brisbane
- Saturday 19 October Rod Laver Arena Melbourne
- Saturday 26 October Adelaide Entertainment Centre Adelaide
- Friday 1 November Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre Bunbury
- Saturday 2 November RAC Arena Perth
Explore Melbourne’s latest arts and stage news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Known for their skits and characters inspired by their beloved Italian family, Sooshi Mango have taken the world by storm in recent years thanks to their relatable, nostalgic humour and hilarious delivery. Now, ‘ethnic dads’ Johnny, Vince, Sam, and all their friends are set to return to the stage with all-new material in Home Made! Think outrageous skits, knee-slappers, and musical numbers galore that will transport you back in time and have you laughing until your ribs are sore. New show, same antics!
The 25-city Home Made tour will kick off in Traralgon on Saturday August 3, and then head to Mildura, Wagga Wagga, Launceston, Hobart, Newcastle, Rockhampton, Townsville, Cairns, Warrnambool, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Albury, Griffith, Shepparton, Wollongong, Canberra, Sydney, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Bunbury, before wrapping up in Perth.
A special Sooshi Mango pre-sale starts this Friday (10 May) at 11am local time. Register for access at sooshimango.com. Tickets go on sale to the general public Wednesday 15 May, 11am local time.
Carlo Salinitri said: “Australia we are back, and we are bringing you all our biggest and best show yet! Our Nonna would be proud! Get ready, it’s coming.”
Andrew Manfre said “It’s been great to tour internationally but it’s always super special launching a brand-new show in our homeland, Australia. This is some of our best work yet!”
Joe Salinitri said “We are going above and beyond to make sure this is not just a comedy show but a memorable comedy event for the people. It’s going to be a comedy rock concert.”
The Home Made tour comes off the back of an international tour earlier this year which took the boys global with stops in London, New York, LA, Toronto and beyond. This followed their wildly successful 2022 Australian tour which saw an Encore run of shows added due to overwhelming demand with over 100,000 tickets sold around the country, as well as a broken house record at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena after selling it out three times. In November 2023, they hosted the 11th edition of comedy extravaganza Just for Laughs in Sydney.
This year, the boys are stepping things up a notch with their all-new Home Made tour which is shaping up to be HUGE and like nothing you’ve ever seen from them before. Tickets are expected to sell fast, so round up the gang and don’t miss it!
Who are Sooshi Mango?
Sooshi Mango is an Australian troupe founded in 2015. The group features brothers Joe and Carlo Salanitri and friend Andrew Manfe. The comedy kings known for their iconic characters, including Johnny, Vince and, Sam (‘the dads’) and Giuseppina, Carmela, and Angela (‘the mums’) among others, Sooshi Mango have mastered creating content that people want to see and share.
To date, their videos have amassed over 1 billion views online with 5 million followers online — and counting! At the 2021 AACTA Comedy Awards, they won Favourite Digital Comedy Creator. In 2021, they launched their podcast titled Spicy Meatballs now on the LisSTRN network in its third season, which has featured major sporting stars, Hollywood stars and our former Prime Minister. and become one of Australia’s most listened to podcasts. In 2022, they commenced writing the script for their first feature-length film which is set for release in 2026.
Further expanding their business empire, Sooshi Mango’s three most popular characters inspired a wine brand, Johnny, Vince & Sam’s Vino, with the first releases launched in 2022: the Sangiovese ’21, and the Moscato ’22. Later that year, the Johnny, Vince, and Sam’s Sangiovese became the number one selling Sangiovese in all of Dan Murphy’s liquor merchant stores, Australia-wide. In 2023, the Johnny, Vince & Sam’s Vino brand launched: Rosé ’23, Prosecco ’22, and Tiramisu (limited edition), again proving to be very well received.
In 2023, Sooshi Mango partnered with Johnny Di Francesco of 400 Gradi, Dani Zeini of Royal Stacks, and Steven Ballerini to create Johnny, Vince & Sam’s Ristorante, in Lygon Street, Carlton, in Victoria, Australia, to much acclaim.
For tour info and VIP packages, visit www.tegdainty.com.
Castlemaine Jazz Festival 2024
The 2024 Castlemaine Jazz Festival is gearing up to build upon the stellar success of last year’s festival, and is looking to exhibit the best established and emerging talent of the Australian Jazz Scene.
This year’s festival will take place across the June long weekend (June 7-9) and features 38 bands performing in 6 iconic venues, including the historic Theatre Royal, Castlemaine Bowling Club, Phee Broadway Theatre, Coolroom at the Northern Arts Hotel and this year two nights at the very popular Boomtown Winery.
Opening night at the Goods Shed will be a community focused event, featuring local artists such as the Thompsons Foundry Band and the Castlemaine Secondary College Stage band (division winners in the 2024 Generations In Jazz). Also featured on the night will be a community choir extravaganza led by Adam Przewlocki (Choir of Hard Knocks) featuring the Divine Divas, Rainbow Voices, Marcapellas, Mainesong and the Castlemaine Secondary College Vocal Ensemble. The main program features many established artists including Tamara Murphy, Ade Ish, Shirazz and a gamut of big bands in the historic Theatre Royal. Headlining at the Phee Broadway on Saturday night will be singer, trumpeter, songwriter and three times ARIA award winner Vince Jones. Who this year will be celebrating the 50th year of a long applauded career.
“The committee has been working hard this year to bring an even more exciting festival to Jazz enthusiasts, and we can’t wait to bring this to the community.” says Lyndal McClure, President of the Castlemaine Jazz Festival. “We are also so excited about our paste up project which aims to showcase our artists at this year’s festival as installations along Castlemaine’s main street. It is the first time ever that we have done something like this and we think it will add to the overall feeling of the festival.”
Never mind the buzzers: RocKwiz Live has announced a massive Australian tour
RocKwiz is an Australian music institution, with many a-music fan historically trading pre-gig drinks on a Saturday night to stay at home and watch the show instead. Well, for the past 14 years, we definitely haven’t had to.
The RocKwiz gang are back on buses, trains, planes and automobiles and coming to a theatre near you! Julia, Brian, Dugald and the ever-expanding RocKwiz OrKestra are coming your way, revelling in the chaos and quizzery that is RocKwiz LIVE!
If you’ve seen a RocKwiz LIVE! show you’ll know what we mean. If you haven’t, buckle up for a fantastic night of musical and comedic treats from Australia’s premiere Rock and Roll Trivia show.
RocKwiz LIVE! Australian tour dates and venues
- Tuesday, 8 October 2024: Orange Civic Theatre, Orange NSW
- Wednesday, 9 October 2024: Dubbo Regional Theatre, Dubbo NSW
- Friday, 11 October 2024: Tamworth Town Hall, Tamworth NSW
- Saturday, 12 October 2024: Glasshouse Theatre, Port Macquarie NSW
- Sunday, 13 October 2024: Saraton Theatre, Grafton NSW
- Tuesday, 15 October and Wednesday, 16 October 2024: The Art House, Wyong NSW
- Saturday, 19 October 2024: Odeon Theatre, Hobart TAS
- Wednesday, 23 October 2024: Riverside Theatre, Parramatta NSW
- Thursday, 24 October 2024: The Pavilion Performing Arts Centre, Sutherland NSW
- Friday, 25 October 2024: Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre, Nowra NSW
- Saturday, 26 October 2024: Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul NSW
- Tuesday, 29 October 2024: Townsville Civic Theatre, Townsville QLD
- Thursday, 31 October 2024: Cairns Performing Arts Centre, Cairns QLD
- Tuesday, 5 November 2024: Pilbeam Theatre, Rockhampton QLD
- Wednesday, 6 November 2024: Moncrieff Entertainment Centre, Bundaberg QLD
- Thursday, 7 November 2024: The Events Centre, Caloundra QLD
- Friday, 8 November 2024: HOTA Theatre, Gold Coast QLD
- Saturday, 9 November 2024: The Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane QLD
- Sunday, 10 November 2024: Empire Theatre, Toowoomba QLD
- Thursday, 14 November 2024: Frankston Arts Centre, Frankston VIC
- Friday, 15 November 2024: Costa Hall, Geelong VIC
- Saturday, 16 November 2024: West Gippsland Arts Centre, Warragul VIC
- Sunday, 17 November 2024: Gippsland Performing Arts Centre, Traralgon VIC
- Thursday, 21 November 2024: Civic Theatre, Newcastle VIC
- Saturday, 23 November 2024: Canberra Theatre, Canberra ACT
- Sunday, 24 November 2024: Enmore Theatre, Sydney NSW
- Tuesday, 26 November 2024: Albury Entertainment Centre, Albury VIC
- Wednesday, 27 November 2024: Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo VIC
- Thursday, 28 November 2024: Ballarat Civic Hall, Ballarat VIC
- Friday, 29 November 2024: Palais Theatre, St Kilda VIC
- Saturday, 30 November 2024: Swan Hill Soundshell, Swan Hill VIC
- Tuesday, 3 December 2024: Chaffey Theatre, Renmark SA
- Wednesday, 4 December 2024: Northern Festival Centre, Port Pirie SA
- Thursday, 5 December 2024: Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide SA
Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
How RocKwiz LIVE! works
Every show begins with Brian’s hilarious contestant selection process where audience members show off their rock knowledge … and additional singing and dancing skills they may have! The contestants with the highest scores get to sit at the desks alongside famous and up-and-coming musicians for a magical night of music and trivia, climaxing with the final scores and the duets and ensemble performances they’re famous for.
“I’ll be in the foyer before the show so if people think that they’ve got what it takes to be part of the show, they should come and find me and I’ll run a little test,” Nankervis explained to us back in 2022.
“This way I find about 18 potential contestants. And then once we get into the theatre, the first half of the show is me working with the whole crowd and then working with the people on stage. It’s great, we get people singing, we get people dancing and it’s all pretty funny.”
From SBS to Hamer Hall to Bluesfest
Following fifteen (15!) seasons on television, RocKwiz first kicked off LIVE! in 2010 and have since played most theatres in Australia.
An annual show in Melbourne’s Hamer Hall (RocKwiz’s Really Really Good Friday), a permanent position at Bluesfest’s Delta stage, festivals and sold-out performances at concert halls has resulted in a totally unique, wonderfully curated night of music, laughter, and joy.
Julia Zemiro said, “Getting back on the road and touring around the country is what RocKwiz does best! If life is all getting a bit much, and you need to have a laugh and hear some fabulous music, come join us! We guarantee we’ll make you feel better.”
“So excited to be doing this big run of RocKwiz shows! ‘On The Road Again’, ‘Roadhouse Blues’, ‘Hit The Road Jack’, ‘Freeway Of Love’ … you know the tour bus will be rocking!” added Brian Nankervis.
“There’s something very special about being on the road, playing beautiful theatres with a travelling company of artists, inviting audience members to be part of the action. On a RocKwiz tour, performing night after night, the shows develop and consolidate, but also twist and turn. We’re constantly refining, and evaluating the shows in hotel rooms and airport lounges. Late-night singalongs might be rehearsed the next afternoon and performed that night. There’s nothing quite like a RocKwiz show.
“It’s a thrill to travel around Australia with this show we love. See you in the foyer!”
RocKwiz Kwizlist pre-sales commence at 10.00am AEST on Thursday, 9 May 2024. Click here to register. General Public ticket sales commence at 10.00am AEST on Friday, 10 May 2024 from rockwizlive.com.au.
There’s an sober friendly, community focused rave happening in Melbourne next week
But Ecstatic Temple Melbourne wants to change that. They’re hosting a “Conscious Clubbing and Community Portal” – a day event that reframes party culture and will leave you feeling glowing instead of hungover.
Held at Collingwood’s Second Story Studios, the event promises to be filled with spice, rhythm, and enchantment. Set against a backdrop of stunning decorations, this gathering offers an immersive experience unlike any other.
Ecstatic Temple: Rave Edition Lineup
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Kundalini Project (two-hour live set)
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Mickey Space
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Julie Jones
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Cavedweller
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Mehpsyah
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Local artists will take centre stage, spinning an eclectic mix of tunes that traverse genres, from the soothing beats of down-tempo and afro house to the hypnotic rhythms of tribal tech-house, folktronica and psytrance. Each track is carefully curated to elevate your spirit and move your body in harmony with the music.
But the entertainment doesn’t stop there. Prepare to be mesmerized by incredible performers showcasing captivating acts that will leave you spellbound and wanting more. From mesmerizing dance routines to awe-inspiring acrobatics, each performance is a testament to the creativity and talent of the artists involved.
As you dance the night away, the bar awaits, offering a selection of elixirs designed to refresh both body and soul. Indulge in delicious cacao drinks or sample creative alcohol-free cocktails, each crafted with care to tantalize your taste buds and enhance your experience.
More than just a party, Ecstatic Temple embodies the spirit of conscious clubbing, where connection and presence are paramount. It’s a space where strangers become friends and barriers dissolve as we come together to celebrate life and the power of music.
So, whether you’re a seasoned raver or a newcomer to the scene, join us as we dance into a new era of mindful revelry. Let the music move you, the performances inspire you, and the camaraderie of the dance floor uplift you. Welcome to Ecstatic Temple – where magic happens and memories are made.
For more information and to grab your tickets, head here.
Nine new parks set to be created around Melbourne’s CBD: ‘Transform our city from grey to green’
Council will open or progress work on nine new parks and open spaces across the municipality, through a proposed $29.5 million investment in open space in the draft Budget 2024–25.
Normanby Road Reserve in Southbank will see up to 1.2 hectares added, under a proposed expansion to be considered at Tuesday night’s Council meeting.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
If endorsed, the $22.5 million project will deliver significant and multi-use amenities to the area – including spaces for play and lawns for recreation, picnics and community gatherings. The park will also feature extensive plantings and integrated water management features.
Southbank is the city’s most densely populated residential neighbourhood. Council will progress key projects delivering more open space including the Australian Centre of Contemporary Art forecourt and Miles and Dodds Street Reserve.
Melburnians will soon be able to have their say on Council’s City Road Masterplan as community consultation begins on plans for the Northern Undercroft – which would convert a 5,000 m2 area into multi-function spaces, gardens and public plazas.
This is in addition to the new Southbank Boulevard Reserves adding a further 4,000 m2 of new open space in Southbank.
The North Melbourne community will be able to enjoy a larger, more beautiful and functional park when the Bedford Street Pocket Park opens next year – featuring a new play area, a barbeque and picnic area and more recreation space for friends and families to come together.
As part of Council’s draft Budget, our parks and gardens will be protected and maintained through a $30 million investment, and a further $1.7 million will aim to plant another 3,000 trees across the municipality.
Major construction will begin later this month on the City of Melbourne’s Greenline Project, which will deliver 4 km of interconnected promenades, parks, open spaces, plants and more to life between Birrarung Marr and the Bolte Bridge.
Council is well on track to achieve its goal of 40 per cent canopy cover by 2040 through the Urban Forest Strategy – planting more than 33,000 trees since 2012.
Even more areas of the city will be transformed from grey to green with $3.9 million to support greening projects including the Swanston Street Triangle, Chapman Street Reserve, Roden Street and MacKenzie Street.
A further $300,000 will encourage the private sector to contribute more towards greening our city, through Council’s match-funding Urban Forest Fund.
The City of Melbourne will continue building toward its zero-carbon target through a $281,000 investment in Retrofit Melbourne – to advance the city’s plan to support commercial building retrofits for a healthier, more sustainable city.
The draft Budget 2024–25 will be announced on Tuesday 14 May, with public consultation to follow until 5pm Monday 3 June.
“This draft Budget will be about doing what counts and delivering on our promises to the community – continuing to transform our city from grey to green in neighbourhoods that need it most, like Southbank,” Lord Mayor Sally Capp said.
“As more and more people choose to make the City of Melbourne their home – we want to ensure all our residents have access to green, open space.”
“Increasing greening and canopy cover further improves environmental biodiversity and helps to mitigate climate change effects, future-proofing the health of our city.”
Follow City of Melbourne here.
Carb on Carb
This coming May, Carb on Carb will release their third album Take Timeand head out on a 10-date lap of Australasia.
Lucky to be joined in Naarm by Gil Cerrone & Sylvia!!
This new album Take Time (out May 17th) ruminates on time; looking forward and backward to triangulate the right place to be in the present. The song out now, heart-swelling (Undertheradar.co.nz) album opener 2009, begins at the start. It’s a song about the unrestrained nights with friends on dark city streets with fuzzy guitars and an explosive chorus line (Rolling Stone AU) that were a genesis of the band.
Tickets:
Early Bird $12+BF, GA $15+bf, Door $20
Set Times:
8pm – Sylvia
9:00pm – Gil Cerrone
10:00pm – Carb on Carb
Please note that online ticket sales will close at 5.30pm on the day of the event, then the remainder of the tickets will be sold on the door.
Michael’s Rule: Music industry unites behind mandating local artists on all Australian tours
The announcement comes after a preliminary announcement last week from The Association of Artist Managers (AAM) seeking to ensure Australian artists are included on all tours by international acts.
In alphabetical order, leaders from The Australian Live Music Business Council (ALMBC), The Australasian Performing Rights Association (APRA), The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and the newly formed Music Australia have all got behind this initiative. Leading concert promoters Michael Chugg, Danny Rogers and Ben Turnbull have also already expressed their support.
Michael McMartin, the late manager of Hoodoo Gurus, and co-founder of the AAM, was a key lobbyist 20 years ago in helping institute the convention of promoters including at least one Australian artist on every international tour. In his final public speech at last year’s AAM Awards Michael called for this policy to be reinstated due to an increasing number of major international tours packaging foreign line-ups that feature no local talent. Given the current dearth of new Australian music in the charts the AAM sees ‘Michael’s Rule’ as a modest practical measure which can help improve things for Australian culture.
The organisation is calling for promoters to work with the industry to devise a voluntary code of conduct. If they do not engage in that process then the AAM will turn to government who have multiple levers they can use to ensure Australian fans get to see more live local music.
Michael’s Rule is:
1. Every International artist must include an Australian artist among their opening acts
2. The Australian artist must appear on the same stage at the International artist using reasonable sound and lighting
3. The Australian artist must be announced at the same time as the tour so that they benefit from all the marketing and promotion
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
“Since the seventies I have been involved with Australian talent & this continues today. I have been a strong advocate for our homegrown talent being on international tours. Through my involvement with Michael Gudinski at Frontier touring for 20 years and as Chugg Entertainment since 2001 and in my JV with Frontier Touring present day, I’m proud to say we have helped many local acts careers in this way. There are instances where local talent can’t be involved but they are in a low percentage of tours.
It’s great to see the Australian music industry standing together here and I fully support Michael’s Rule,” Michael Chugg AM, Chugg Entertainment said.
“Michael’s rule is imperative. We need unequivocal support at all levels of touring and festivals to ensure that we can find avenues and growth opportunities for our local talent. From 500 cap venues to stadiums, offering up these opening slots to Australian artists is a way for international artists to help celebrate and foster the local community which keeps the eco-system alive and gives the country its cultural leaders, critical in maintaining long term creative identity,” Danny Rogers, Lunatic Entertainment / St Jerome’s Laneway Festival added.
“The Australian music industry has taken a huge hit since Covid and we need change at the top in order for things to improve. Over the last 12 months 97% of Destroy All Lines tours featured an Australian act, so we know it can be done. We wholeheartedly support Michael’s Rule being reinstated,” Ben Turnbull, Destroy All Lines said.
“Repairing our industry and increasing the prominence of Australian artists is going to require teamwork and many steps. Michael’s Rule is one such step that will make a huge difference,” Millie Millgate, Music Australia said.
“Tours play massive roles in discovery and provide important support slots for Aussie artists to connect with new fans. Taylor Swift, the 1975, Harry Styles and Ed Sheehan all rocketed up the charts with multiple albums the weeks they were in the country recently.
At the local level, these tours provide huge opportunities for Australian artist via support slots, which can connect our artists with whole new fan bases. Doing whatever we can to get our local artists in front of new audiences is the most important issue facing our local industry, and as such the Michael’s Rule is a fantastic initiative, which we are confident can be implemented in a way that doesn’t impact the viability of international touring.
Other initiatives, including looking to broaden venues like sports stadiums to multi-use facilities in NSW is a really important step to increase the availability of entertainment for everyone outside of sport, and continue to increase opportunities to see local artists alongside global icons,” Annabelle Herd, ARIA & PPCA CEO said.
“The AAM initiative to reinstate ‘Michael’s Rule’ is an exciting and important step towards nurturing Australia’s extraordinary music talent. With international tours to Australia increasing, it’s critical we also provide local artists the platform they deserve. This homage to Michael’s legacy isn’t just about honouring a giant of the industry, but to also ensure his legacy includes securing the future vibrancy of Australian music. APRA AMCOS unites with the AAM and the broader industry in support of this initiative so we can all truly celebrate the depth and breadth of Australian music,” Dean Ormston, APRA AMCOS said.
“The Australian Live Music Business Council (ALMBC) understands that the many micro and small businesses that make up the lifeblood of the Australian live music industry are in crisis and we support the Association of Artist Managers (AAM) statement released today calling for major touring artists to engage local support acts,” Ant McKenna, ALMBC added.
“Select Music Agency is 100% behind the introduction of Michaels rule. This is not a power play or a shot across the bow of the incredible major promoters that operate in Australia but an opportunity for them to get behind and support the industry that is responsible for developing the live careers of every current major headlining Australian act in the world. Many of which work with the major promoters to tour Australia currently. Fans are won through connection to the artist when performing. Discovery is the most exciting aspect of hundreds of thousands of people who attend live music events. Australian artists need and deserve these high profile support slots. As an agency who works at the coal face of developing artists careers we know how hard it is for acts to break through & how much of a difference playing on big stages with a major international name can change that,” Stephen Wade, Select Music concluded.
Find out more here.
Macbeth (An Undoing) reimagines Shakespeare at Malthouse this July
A prophecy has been told, Lord Macbeth will be king, but this side of the story is yet to be seen. Visionary playwright Zinnie Harris reimagines Shakespeare’s Scottish Play from Lady Macbeth’s perspective in an exhilarating epic of ambition, manipulation, and the intoxicating need to challenge the roles others prescribe for you.
Macbeth (An Undoing)
- A Malthouse Theatre production
- Australian Premiere
- Merlyn Theatre
- 5-28 July 2024
- Previews: Fri 5 Jul, Sat 6 Jul, Mon 8 Jul, Tue 9 Jul
- Opening night: Wed 10 Jul
Explore Melbourne’s latest arts and stage news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Bojana Novakovic (Love Me) and Johnny Carr (Five Bedrooms) star in a visceral and haunting epic of the 11th century on stage. Lady Macbeth has a vision to unleash the forces of change and renewal-and to seize control of the kingdom.
Malthouse Theatre Artistic Director Matthew Lutton crafts a grand spectacle, igniting a historic battle of power in a world rife with superstition and the supernatural.
Finally, Lady Macbeth takes her rightful place. The path to freedom is sometimes stained with blood. Scottish playwright Zinnie Harris is a multi-award winning theatre maker and renowned for her feminist
interpretations of theatrical classics including reimagined versions of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi and the classic Greek trilogy The Oresteia by Aeschylus. She has been commissioned by The Royal Court Theatre, Royal National Theatre, The National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Shakespeare Company and her plays have been translated and performed in multiple countries across Europe and the globe.
Tickets here.