Victoria's massive music celebration ALWAYS LIVE has revealed its second and final lineup, taking the massive concert series to 160+ shows with over 340 artists.
Victoria comes alive to the sound of live music over October, November and December under the banner of ALWAYS LIVE. Today, the state-wide program has announced another mammoth series of concerts, headlined by R&B legends TLC, British LGBT+ icon Years & Years, bounce pioneer Big Freedia, the Old Bar’s 21st birthday celebrations and much, much more.
The state-wide live music program launched with a bang back in March, with the Foo Fighters playing a very special Geelong performance. That set the precedent for the sheer scale of the program with Billy Joel at the MCG, and Nick Cave and Warren Ellis at Hanging Rock, following soon after.
Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
ALWAYS LIVE then announced its first series lineup on August 12, which saw the likes of Dua Lipa, Crowded House and Sampa the Great announce headline shows. Today’s announcement further adds to the huge variety on offer; there’ll be performances on rooftops across Melbourne, tributes to Australian music legends, an inaugural music film festival, a celebration of record stores across the state, a gala celebration of storytelling, Christmas specials, and the epic Garage Band – an event giving 30 young garage bands from across Victoria the opportunity to perform live in the centre of Melbourne.
“We are tremendously proud of these latest offering to round out the 2022 program,” ALWAYS LIVE CEO Steve Smith said. “While the mix of events is broad, of all scales and taking place across the state, what they have in common is each brings special, one-off and exclusive events to Melbourne and Victoria, only for ALWAYS LIVE. They also build on the enormous momentum of our line-up to date.”
So without any further ado, let’s dive into all the additional events announced today, split across metro Melbourne and regional Victoria.
ALWAYS LIVE: Melbourne highlights
TLC
- An Exclusive Evening with TLC (USA) – Palais Theatre, St Kilda
- With special guest KYE
- Wednesday November 2
One of history’s most influential female hip-hop and R&B acts TLC will set it off in a rare, intimate and exclusive, one-off theatre show at the Palais Theatre for a lucky 2500 fans. With four career Grammy Awards, five MTV Video Music Awards and five Soul Train Music Awards, Tionne T-Boz Watkins, Rozonda Chilli Thomas and the late, great Lisa Left Eye Lopes are legends in their field.
The crazy, sexy, cool outfit who captured the world’s attention with their sassy and sophisticated R&B, against a socially conscious lyrical style, will celebrate their hits in a crowd-pleasing performance. In Australia, the album hit number five on the ARIA charts and was twice certified platinum, going on to sell 14 million copies worldwide. CrazySexyCool became the best-selling album by an American female group, and remains the only album by a female group to receive a diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association of America – which they’ve certified as going platinum 11 times in the USA.
Years & Years
- Islands in the Sky Series
- Years and Years – Rooftop – Pride Centre, St Kilda
- Thursday November 10
Years & Years (Olly Alexander) is a multi-platinum singer and fearless voice on important discussions around mental health and issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community. With five Brit Award nominations, numerous global tours, and triumphant homecoming shows at London’s O2 and Wembley Arena, he’s also an established actor after starring in Channel 4/HBO’s record-breaking drama It’s A Sin, which brought the fight against HIV/Aids back into the public conversation.
Big Freedia
- Islands in the Sky Series
- Big Freedia – Rooftop Bar – Curtin House, Melbourne
- Friday November 11
Bounce began 20 years ago in New Orleans, where in popular terms Freedia is the undisputed genre Queen. Freedia is a uniquely New Orleanian hip hop legend, who pioneered the highly energetic beats, chanted vocal refrains and especially physical style of back-heavy dance synonymous with the bounce genre, which hit new heights in the previous decade through collaborations with the likes of Beyonce and Drake.
The Old Bar’s 21st Birthday
- The Old Bar 21st Celebration – The Old Bar, Fitzroy
- Cash Savage & The Last Drinks, SPOD, Skyscraper Stan & The Commission Flats and Streetsweeper
- Saturday December 3
The Old Bar has long been a shrine to local music and has live music seven nights a week. Tucked away on Johnston Street, the beloved Fitzroy venue will celebrate 21 years of blood, sweat and beers with an epic birthday party. Renowned for showcasing the biggest talent on the smallest stage, the shindig highlights include Cash Savage & The Last Drinks, SPOD, Skyscraper Stan & The Commission Flats and Streetsweeper.
The Veronicas
- The Veronicas – Transit Bar, Melbourne
- Wednesday November 2
Australia’s pop-punk queens proved at Good Things in 2019 why their live show is larger than life – their ‘Untouched’ antics sending the crowd into a spin. This is your chance to see the pair in an extraordinarily intimate environment, overlooking the stunning views from Yarra-side Transit Rooftop. ‘Untouched’ was a top 10 hit across the globe on its release, with The Veronicas’ The Secret Life Of… going four-times platinum in Australia. The hugely versatile duo are renowned for their ability to traverse between heartfelt balladry and communal pop shout-alongs, and have been headlining festivals across Australia since their latest reunion.
Thelma Plum
- Islands in the Sky Series
- Thelma Plum – Top Yard, Melbourne
- Friday October 28
Thelma Plum has been a leading light of Australian music since her brilliant 2019 debut album, Better in Blak, featuring bold lyrics channelled through her sublime voice, resplendently gliding across infectious melodies that saw her switch from synth-pop to indie-folk with charming ease. Her debut album included a critique of racism, sexism and shallowness, and explored identity, grief, relationship turmoil and self-worth. On top of that, there was the stunning album closer, ‘Made For You’, that she wrote with Paul Kelly and on which Paul McCartney contributed guitar parts after overhearing the track in producer David Kahne’s studio.
Vika & Linda
- Vika and Linda – Melbourne Recital Centre
- Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre
- Sunday December 4
Over the years, the Bull sisters have had the opportunity to support and work with the likes of Billy Joel, Joe Cocker, Sting, Bob Dylan and Paul Kelly in addition to their solo careers; yet it all started in the mid-eighties upon being asked to join The Black Sorrows. Over their 30-year career, Vika and Linda have also performed for the King of Tonga for his 70th birthday celebrations, performed in the bullring in Pamplona, and for the Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela and Ruben Carter.
At the Melbourne Recital Centre audiences are invited to celebrate the festive season with the inimitable Vika and Linda Bull, as they take audiences on a toe-tapping journey with songs from their debut Christmas album, Gee Whiz, it’s Christmas! Performed live for the very first time.
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis
- New show: Palais Theatre, St Kilda.
- Presented by Frontier Touring & Supersonic
- Wednesday November 30
The Victorian music icons will be performing at St Kilda’s Palais Theatre on December 2; the location of The Bad Seeds’ first ever live show. While Ellis is a long-term member of The Bad Seeds, and he and Cave have composed and recorded scores and worked on many other projects together, this is the first time the pair have toured Australia as a duo. With The Bad Seeds’ playing their first ever live show in St Kilda in 1983, the December 2 Palais show is a fitting recognition of the bands’ history.
The new show takes place on November 30, with the pair also playing the Palais on December 2.
Khruangbin
- With special guest Mildlife
- New show: 170 Russell, Melbourne
- Presented by Frontier Touring & Penny Drop
- Sunday December 4
Khruangbin have enveloped the world with a cosmic haze listeners have seldom experienced since the likes of Fela Kuti, Gil Scott-Heron, Shuggie Otis, Cymande or Roy Ayers took us to funk and jazz school during the ’60s and ’70s. This band is different. They’re limitlessly contemporary, à la mode, varnished and progressive. Their sound drips with gold as they attract millions upon millions of adoring fans chasing the next seductive bassline.
In addition to playing the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on December 3, they’ll also play 170 Russell on December 4.
Caribou
- New show: Forum Theatre, Melbourne
- Presented by Novel
- with Marli
- Monday December 12
The acclaimed Canadian electronic icons will make their long-awaited return to Australian shores this December. Hot off the announcement that Caribou are set perform the Saturday night headlining slot at Meredith Music Festival, the Canadian electronic band are heading on an east coast tour of Australia in December. It’s the world-renowned dance act’s first Australian visit since 2015 – the group will be performing at The Forum in Melbourne on December 11 and 12 as part of ALWAYS LIVE. The tour is in support of their acclaimed 2020 album, Suddenly.
Mixtape Memories
- Mixtape Memories: A Gala of Story and Song, Melbourne Recital Centre
- Presented by The Wheeler Centre
- Writers: Amy Remeikis, Ben Skewry, Carly Findlay, Claire G. Coleman, Em Rusciano, Mawaunyo Gbogbo, Rhys Nicholson and hosted by Myf Warhurst
- Performers: Cash Savage, Georgia Mooney, Jess Hitchcock, June Jones, Paul Grabowsky and Thando
- Tuesday December 6
The Wheeler Centre in collaboration with ALWAYS LIVE will host a special one-off gala celebration of tales and tunes, Mixtape Memories: A Gala of Story and Song. The all-star line-up includes author Claire G. Coleman, writer and appearance activist Carly Findlay, Double J and ABC music reporter Mawunyo Gbogbo, comedian and RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under judge Rhys Nicholson, political journalist Amy Remeikis, radio star Em Rusciano, and Attica owner and head chef Ben Shewry.
Hosted by Spicks and Specks’ Myf Warhurst, this end-of-year spectacular will feature all-star musical performances by the Mixtape Memories house band and guest singers including June Jones, as well as a very special musical tribute to the late, great Uncle Archie Roach by his long-time friends and collaborators Paul Grabowsky and Jess Hitchcock.
Garage Bands
Opportunity opens for young Melbourne bands to play major Fed Square gig
- Presented by JOF and Fed Square
- Saturday October 22 from 5.30pm
Garage Band is the name of a new program launched as part of Victoria’s ALWAYS LIVE initiative, which will offer up to 30 Melbourne bands the chance to play a major gig at Fed Square on October 22. The Garage Band program is run with musician, curator and lecturer Joseph O’Farrell (JOF) – founding member of theatre company The Suitcase Royale – who has performed internationally and delivered workshop programs at The Tate Modern in London.
Garage Band will be part-block party in the centre of Melbourne, part-live music TV show, and will offer up to 100 young Melbourne musicians the chance to perform in front of a wide and captive audience. The free and family-friendly event celebrates budding artists from across the state, with a program that includes emerging Indian-Australian artist Meghna whose genre-defying style of singing is complemented by her introspective lyrics, and singer/rapper Sami with his extremely versatile catalogue, often solely produced, written and engineered by him.
Melbourne Music Bus Tours
- Presented by Arts Centre Melbourne and Australian Music Vault
- Saturday November 19, 1pm: Deborah Conway
- Saturday November 19, 4pm: Dogs in Space with Sam Sejavka and Chuck Meo (The Ears)
- Saturday December 3, 1pm: Rebecca Barnard
- Saturday December 3, 4pm: Billy Miller (The Ferrets)
- Saturday December 10, 1pm: Kylie Auldist
- Saturday December 10, 4pm: Phill Calvert (The Birthday Party)
The Melbourne Music Bus Tour, running from October 15 until December 10, sees Melbourne musicologist Bruce Milne and music journalist Mary Mihelakos lead Melburnians on a tour of their own rich musical history; the dimly lit band rooms, recording studio revelations, side-of-stage secrets and revolutionary musicians who called Melbourne home.
Guests confirmed to join the tours so far include Angie Hart, Clare Bowditch, Jane Clifton, Paul Stewart, Uncle Jack Charles, Wilbur Wilde as well as a special 70s Melbourne punk scene tout with The Birthday Party and Boys Next Door drummer, Phill Calvert.
ALWAYS LIVE: Regional Victorian highlights
Hoodoo Gurus, Magic Dirt, Scott Darlow
- Rockin’ the ‘Burbs – Hoodoo Gurus – Pier Hotel, Frankston
- With Magic Dirt and Scott Darlow
- Saturday October 29
Among Australia’s greatest, most beloved and enduring rock bands of all time Hoodoo Gurus will join the ALWAYS LIVE Rockin’ the ‘Burbs series in a headline show at The Pier Hotel in Frankston alongside fellow legends of Australian Music Magic Dirt and Scott Darlow.
LongPlay Music Film Festival
- Presented by Melbourne International Film Festival and Mushroom Pictures
- Opening Night: Monday 21 November
- Screening The Angels: Kicking Down The Door with acoustic performance by Rick & John Brewster (The Angels) + Q&A at the Regent Cinemas in Ballarat
- Festival Dates: Thursday November 24 – Sunday November 27
- Screening at: Regent Cinemas Ballarat | Pivotonian Geelong | Sun Bairnsdale
- The Angels: Kickin’ Down The Door (The Angels)
- Nothing Compares (Sinead O’Connor)
- The Last Waltz – 4K Restoration (The Band)
- We Are The Thousand (Foo Fighters)
In an Australian first, ALWAYS LIVE will partner with Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) and Mushroom Pictures to launch the inaugural LONGPLAY Music Film Festival across three major regional centres – including Ballarat, Geelong and Bairnsdale.
Featuring a curated selection of world-class music films as a 4-day regional festival, the exciting line-up of music documentaries will be headlined by the new feature documentary about legendary Australian rock band, The Angels: Kickin’ Down The Door.
In a major coup, The Angels brothers Rick & John Brewster will perform an acoustic set of some of their iconic hits at the Ballarat Regent Cinema following the film’s premiere screening and will take questions from fans in the audience. Other music films in the program include Meet Me In The Bathroom, the euphoric ode to New York’s aughts rock renaissance, and Nothing Compares which traces the career and rise to international stardom of angelic-voiced firebrand Sinead O’Connor.
First & Forever
- First & Forever at Gathering Place, Hanging Rock
- Baker Boy, Budjerah, Jessica Mauboy, King Stingray, Sycco, Thelma Plum and more
- Sunday November 27
First & Forever is a bold and inspiring new event featuring First Nations talent at the foot of one of Victoria’s most majestic and significant backdrops – the Gathering Place, Hanging Rock. Curated by Briggs (with a special thank you to Paul Kelly), the First & Forever line-up features 20+ supreme talents – from acts at the top of their game to iconic, progressive trailblazers, songwriting giants and jaw-dropping, effervescent party starters.
The Village Feast
- Station Street, Thorpdale
- Presented by Melbourne Food and Wine Festival
- Dorsal Fins, Grace Cummings, Jazz Party, Little Quirks, Mia Wray, Pirritu, Tim Shiel and Mindy Meng Wang & Wilson Blackley
- Saturday November 19 and Sunday November 20 Nov
ALWAYS LIVE has teamed up with Melbourne Food and Wine Festival to curate the music program for Village Feast – a weekend of food, fun, wonder and one-off experiences in Gippsland. While enjoying exceptional one-off food collabs and a delicious array of Gippsland wines, ciders and spirits, you can kick back and be entertained with performances from Jazz Party, Grace Cummings, Tim Shiel and Mindy Meng Wang, Wilson Blackley, Mia Wray, Dorsal Fins, Little Quirks and Pirritu.
ALWAYS LIVE: All announcements
Melbourne shows:
- An Exclusive Evening with TLC (USA) – Palais Theatre, St Kilda
With special guest KYE
Wednesday November 2 - Rockin’ the ‘Burbs – Hoodoo Gurus – Pier Hotel, Frankston
With Magic Dirt and Scott Darlow
Saturday October 29 - Vika and Linda – Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank
Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre
Sunday December 4 - The Old Bar 21st Celebration – The Old Bar, Fitzroy
Cash Savage & The Last Drinks, SPOD, Skyscraper Stan & The Commission Flats and Streetsweeper
Saturday December 3 - OK Sides – The Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine
With Nice Biscuit, Enola and Baby Cool
Thursday October 27 - Islands in the Sky Series
Thelma Plum – Top Yard, Melbourne
Friday October 28
The Veronicas – Transit Bar, Melbourne
Wednesday November 2
Years and Years – Rooftop – Pride Centre, St Kilda
Thursday November 10
Big Freedia – Rooftop Bar – Curtin House, Melbourne
Friday November 11 - Mixtape Memories: A Gala of Story and Song, Melbourne Recital Centre
Presented by The Wheeler Centre
Writers: Amy Remeikis, Ben Skewry, Carly Findlay, Claire G. Coleman, Em Rusciano, Mawaunyo Gbogbo, Rhys Nicholson and hosted by Myf Warhurst
Performers: Cash Savage, Georgia Mooney, Jess Hitchcock, June Jones, Paul Grabowsky and Thando
Tuesday December 6 - LongPlay Music Film Festival
Presented by Melbourne International Film Festival and Mushroom Pictures
Opening Night: Monday 21 November
Screening The Angels: Kicking Down The Door with acoustic performance by Rick & John Brewster (The Angels) + Q&A at the Regent Cinemas in Ballarat
Festival Dates: Thursday November 24 – Sunday November 27
Screening at: Regent Cinemas Ballarat | Pivotonian Geelong | Sun Bairnsdale
The Angels: Kickin’ Down The Door (The Angels)
Nothing Compares (Sinead O’Connor)
The Last Waltz – 4K Restoration (The Band)
We Are The Thousand (Foo Fighters) - Garage Bands – Fed Square, Melbourne
Presented by JOF and Fed Square
Saturday October 22 from 5.30pm - Melbourne Music Bus Tours
Presented by Arts Centre Melbourne and Australian Music Vault
Saturday November 19, 1pm: Deborah Conway
Saturday November 19, 4pm: Dogs in Space with Sam Sejavka and Chuck Meo (The Ears)
Saturday December 3, 1pm: Rebecca Barnard
Saturday December 3, 4pm: Billy Miller (The Ferrets)
Saturday December 10, 1pm: Kylie Auldist
Saturday December 10, 4pm: Phill Calvert (The Birthday Party) - The Village Feast – Station Street, Thorpdale
Presented by Melbourne Food and Wine Festival
Dorsal Fins, Grace Cummings, Jazz Party, Little Quirks, Mia Wray, Pirritu, Tim Shiel and Mindy Meng Wang & Wilson Blackley
Saturday November 19 and Sunday November 20 Nov - First & Forever
Baker Boy, Budjerah, Jessica Mauboy, King Stingray, Sycco, Thelma Plum and more
Sunday November 27 - Nick Cave and Warren Ellis – Palais Theatre, St Kilda – NEW SHOW ADDED
Presented by Frontier Touring & Supersonic
Wednesday November 30 - Khruangbin (USA) – 170 Russell, Melbourne – NEW SHOW ADDED
Presented by Frontier Touring & Penny Drop
Sunday December 4 - Caribou (CAN) – Forum Theatre, Melbourne – NEW SHOW ADDED
Presented by Novel
with Marli
Monday December 12 - An Exclusive evening with Dua Lipa (UK), Palais Theatre
Sunday 3 October - An Intimate Audience with Sophie Ellis-Bextor (UK), NGV International Garden Restaurant
Thursday 11 November - Big Thief (USA), Melbourne Recital Centre Friday
30 November - Bad Apples House Party: Briggs, Mo’Ju Chasing Ghosts and more, The Curtin Hotel
Saturday 5 November - Blaktivisim: Yothu Yindi, Arts Centre Melbourne
Saturday 5 November - Chapterfest 30, Northcote Theatre
Saturday 5 November - Claptone (GER): The Masquerade, Riva
Sat 19 November - Frente 30 Years of ‘Marvin The Album’, Brunswick Ballroom
Thursday 24 November - Flow Festival, Footscray Community Arts Centre
Saturday 5 November - Jess Cornelius (NZ), The Night Cat
Saturday 19 November - Lovely Day, Palais Foreshore
Sunday 4 December - Rockin’ the Burbs, Various
Saturday 22 – Monday 31 October Sunday 4 December, Palace Foreshore - Sampa the Great, Hamer Hall
Friday 9 December, Palace Foreshore - Toro Y Moi (USA), Northcote Theatre
Wednesday 23 November
Regional Victorian shows
- Almost Summer Festival – Capital Theatre, Bendigo
Presented by The Greater City of Bendigo & Hear Them Holler
Kardajala Kirridarra, Gabriella Cohen, Phoebe Go, Pookie and many more
Friday November 25 to Sunday November 27 - Chopped Festival – Carisbrook
Amyl and the Sniffers plus Andy Golledge, C.O.F.F.I.N, Smoke Witch and many more
Friday December 2, Saturday December 3 & Sunday December 4 - Hometown: Alice Skye – Sawyer Park Sound Shell, Horsham
Presented by Live Nation, Songlines Aboriginal Music, Australian Music Vault
with Chris Nyalu, special smoking ceremony, welcome to country and dance performances
Saturday December 10 - Hometown: Isaiah Firebrace – Paramount Theatre, Echuca
Presented by Live Nation, Songlines Aboriginal Music, Australian Music Vault
with Darcy Ramage, Madi Colville-Walker and DJ Luke Macpherson
Sunday December 11 - Jessica Mauboy – Pioneer Park, Bright
Presented by Live Nation Special Events & Alpine Shire Council
With Illy, Gretta Ray and The Bouys and many more
Saturday November 12 - Nick Cave & Warren Ellis – Hanging Rock – SOLD OUT
Presented by Frontier & Supersonic
Supported by Courtney Barnett
Friday November 25 & Saturday November 26 - OK Motels – Charlton
Presented by OK Motels
Cash Savage and The Last Drinks, Nice Biscuit, Elizabeth, Vintage Crop, Bad Bangs, Skyscraper Stan, Kino Motel, Smarts, Baby Cool, Enola and more
Friday October 28 – Sunday October 30 - OK Sides – The Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine
Presented by OK Motels
Nice Biscuit with Enola and Baby Cool
Saturday October 27 - QMF x First Plays – Queenscliff Music Festival
Presented by Queenscliff Music Festival
Baker Boy, Isabella Manfredi, Middle Kids & RVG
Friday November 25 – Sunday November 27 - Tash Sultana (Ocean Sounds) – Churchill Island
Presented by The Hills Have Eyes & Ocean Sounds
Tash Sultana with Pierce Brothers, Kim Churchill, Kee’ahn, Little Green and Mark Howard
Saturday December 10
Keep up to date with Always Live and peruse the full program in more detail by heading to their website here.
