I subscribe to all the things so you don’t have to. This is a curated list of what’s been announced over the past week so you can save the date, or swoop on tickets, and also a list of what’s coming up soon if you’re looking to make last-minute plans.
What’s new?
Alice Cooper, Blondie, Deep Purple and more headed to Melbourne
Australia’s newest rock festival, Pandemonium, is headed to Melbourne on 20 April, with a lineup of major rock acts.
Iconic international acts will include Blondie, Alice Cooper, Deep Purple, Placebo, Wheatus, the Dead Kennedys, The Psychedelic Furs and Palaye Royale. Aussie rock acts Wolfmother, Cosmic Psychos and Gyroscope will also perform, as will Thai solo act Petch.
Groovin’ The Moo headed back to Bendigo in April
The Groovin the Moo music festival is returning to Bendigo on 27 April. The lineup is yet to be announced.
1990s pop act Aqua headed down under in March
The pop act famous for Barbie Girl is headed to John Cain Arena on Friday 22 March and are bringing a few nostalgia tinged special guests like Urban Cookie Collective, East 17 and 2 Unlimited. Tickets go on sale on 25 January.
Screams on Screen
The Capitol will become the spookiest place in Melbourne for “Screams on Screen” on 16-17 February. This curated program at the interface of art/horror features live music, art, feature films, rarely seen experimental shorts, artist and director talks to celebrate the transgressive, rebellious forces that fuel the horror genre.
FoMo Cinemas has opened in East Brunswick
FoMo Cinemas opened in East Brunswick last week and is doing movies a bit differently to other cinemas. FoMo will bring you freshly prepared food and drinks to your seat while you watch the show. You can use an app to keep ordering food and drinks that will be sent to your allocated seat. And they don’t run pre-movie commercials!
Save the date for these
Also just announced:
- Ed Kuepper will play at the Thornbury Theatre on 5 April.
- Catch Sam Pang at Mornington Comedy on 1 February.
- Comedian Leslie Liao is bringing her act to Australia for the first time. You can catch her at the Comic’s Lounge in North Melbourne on Saturday 8 June.
- Tickets now on sale for the Melbourne Art Fair that’s taking place 22-25 February.
- That’s Amore Cheese is having a ricotta festival in Thomastown on 17 March.
- Lehmo Live at the Skinny Dog Hotel in Kew 7 February.
- Richard Stubbs is doing a live gig at the Altona Sports Club 7 February.
- Adam Kay, former doctor turned BAFTA-winning comedian and author of This is Going to Hurt, will be onstage at the Athaeneum on 16-21 April.
- The 2024 Open House Melbourne Weekend has been announced for 27-28 July.
- Crime Time TV is a fascinating and nostalgic journey through the history of Australian crime television, opening on 9 February until 14 April at Pentridge Prison. Runs until 14 April.
- Iconic Aussie rockers Magic Dirt headline the Brunswick Ballroom’s 3rd birthday celebrations on 24th of February!
What to do?
Never mind the naysayers, Melbourne is not dead! Here’s a round-up of things happening in and around Melbourne this weekend and over the next few weeks:
- The Australian Open Finals Festival is on 25 to 28 January with a huge line up of entertainment.
- Head to the Geelong Waterfront for the Festival of Sails on the Australia Day long weekend, 26-28 January.
- The Castlemaine Art Museum has an exhibition of the finalists in the 2023 Experimental Print Prize, running until 28 January 2024.
- The Australian Open is on until 28 January
- Relics: A New World Rises at the Melbourne Museum runs until 28 January.
- The iconic Rye Summer Carnival is back on the Mornington Peninsula for the 2023/2024 season until 28 January.
- Catch the Princess Diana: Accredited Access Exhibition at Southbank until 28 January.
- Triennial EXTRA – a fantastic, free after-hours festival at the National Gallery of Victoria until 28 January.
- Play Pixar Putt at Federation Square until 30 January.
- The Melbourne International Film Festival returns to Bunjil Place from Thursday 1 February – Sunday 4 February 2024 to present some of the best in the recent film program.
- The Melbourne Pool and Spa Show is on at Jeff’s Shed from 2-4 February.
- The Peninsula Film Festival is on 2-4 February.
- Fed Square’s Summer at the Square program kicks off on 3 February featuring a curated program of film and music – with something new each night of the week until 29 February.
- The annual Dome Under Film Festival returns to the Melbourne Planetarium at Scienceworks for its fourth year, offering a weekend filled with back-to-back fulldome films on 3-4 February
- Opera Australia’s Opera for All free concert is on in Federation Square on 3 February.
- Kyabram Tastes and Tunes is on 3 February. Kyabram Tastes + Tunes Campaspe Shire Council
- The Summer Sunset series is on at the Royal Botanic Gardens with a free concert every Sunday from 4 February until 3 March.
- The Aussie Classic Car Show is being held at the Mornington Racecourse on Sunday 4 February.
- The Victoria Street Lunar Festival returns in 2024 by welcoming in the Year of the Dragon in Richmond and Abbotsford on 4 February.
- Australia’s premier queer arts and cultural festival Midsumma is running until 11 February.
- The Koorie Heritage Trust’s 11th Koorie Art Show is on until 25 February.
- Catch the immersive digital experience Marshmallow Laser Feast: Works of Nature at ACMI until 14 April.
- Spanning more than 50,000 square metres, the Blue Lotus Water Garden is a seasonal garden at Yarra Junction containing over 40 different ponds, lakes and water features. You can see it this year until 14 April.
- Take a majestic 360-degree audio visual journey and explore iconic landscapes and connect with mesmerising animals from around the world at the BBC Earth Experience, on until 28 April.
- See more than 200 artefacts from the Titanic at the Melbourne Museum’s Titanic: The Artefacts Exhibition, running until 30 April.
