Syncopate In The Park returns to Melbourne next month as a full-scale open-air festival, bringing UK garage and bass music to the grounds of Heide Museum of Modern Art in Bulleen.
The second edition of the event, presented by local promoters Guerrilla and The Operatives, expands significantly from its inaugural indoor format. This time around, Syncopate moves outdoors into Heide’s sculpture park for a nine-hour session across two stages, running from 2pm through to 11pm on 4 April.
Six international acts lead the bill. Leeds selector Skeptic tops things alongside fellow UK names IDEMI and n4tee, French garage mainstay RONI, Ireland’s Prozak and Japanese artist Ryota. They’re joined by a stacked local contingent including The Operatives’ own JPS, plus c000kie, Charlie Shell, dameeeela, DJ Optimism, FUKHED, Jupita, Savage The Girl and Scrappa.
Syncopate In The Park in Melbourne
- Heide Museum of Modern Art Sculpture Park, 7 Templestowe Road, Bulleen
- 4 April, 2pm–11pm
- Tickets $70–$95 via RA and Moshtix
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Heide Museum’s sculpture park as a festival venue
The Bulleen site has quietly become one of the more exciting outdoor festival locations on the city’s fringe. Sitting just 20 minutes from the CBD along the Yarra River, Heide’s parklands have hosted Gateway Festival and Interval Festival in recent years, but Syncopate marks the first time the grounds have been given over to a dedicated UK garage and bass event.
Guerrilla and The Operatives have been steadily building the local appetite for UKG and bass-driven sounds through their regular Interval nights at Glamorama and one-off warehouse events. Their collaborative approach — combining Guerrilla’s event production with The Operatives’ deep roots in Melbourne’s electronic community — has carved out a distinct lane in a city more traditionally associated with house and techno.
More than just music
Beyond the two stages, Syncopate promises independent stalls covering fashion, art and food throughout the day. The organisers describe the event as a celebration of community and creativity, with local artists showcased alongside the musical programming. It’s a format that fits naturally within Heide’s cultural identity — a site that has served as a creative gathering place since the 1930s.
With Melbourne’s festival calendar continuing to diversify, Syncopate In The Park offers something genuinely different: a purpose-built UKG day out in one of the city’s most distinctive settings.
For more information, head here.
