The John Curtin Hotel
Twin Beasts (formerly the Toot Toot Toots) host Australia Day at one of their favourite venue’s, The John Curtin Hotel with two of their favourite bands, Pony Face and Ohms. Twin Beasts will play a bunch of tracks off their forthcoming album Badlove, due out early 2014, and a bunch of more familiar stuff. Followed by Twin Beasts DJ set until the wee hours.
Bands: Twin Beasts, Pony Face, OHMS and more.
Doors: 8.30pm.
Tickets: $15+bf.
Ding Dong
After selling out many shows on their current national Summer tour, Bonjah are thrilled to be headlining Ding Dong’s Australia Day festivities this Sunday. After a couple of shows back in their native New Zealand this week, Bonjah head straight to Ding Dong to celebrate Australia Day in style. Melbourne’s favourite son’s are gearing up to release their anticipated third album in April. Support from acclaimed local band Sweets and Tanya Batt. Tickets selling fast from Oztix.com.au – get down.
Bands: Bonjah, Sweets, Tanya Batt.
Doors: 8pm.
Tickets: $25 on the door.
More: Check out our Australia Day chat with Bonjah.
The Retreat
The Retreat Hotel welcomes all on Australia Day, especially those arriving by boat, with a daylong lineup that starts at 2.30pm and runs all the way through to 3am. Featuring Ben Salter, Abbie Cardwell & Her Leading Men (back from a year long hiatus) and the Matty Green Band. They’re also providing a good recovery option on Monday, a handpicked selection of ten of the best new and emerging artists in Melbourne town for the Dear Monday: Deluxe Edition kicking off at 3pm on Monday January 27. Of course, it’s always free entry.
Bands: Ben Salter, Abbie Cardwell, Matty Green Band.
Doors: 2.30pm.
Tickets: Free entry.
Howler
This Australia Day take a trip to the tropics with The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra. The 17-piece afro beat powerhouse takes the stage for the first time in 2014 for a huge summertime jam at Howler. The band will be your guide taking you at breakneck speed through the backstreets of West African funk, detouring via the hip hop and beat driven sounds from the blocks of Brunswick. Instrumental soul behemoth The Cactus Channel will be along for support as well as the sweet neo-soul and lush vocal harmonies of The Do Yo Thangs. The Public Opinion’s own DJ Manchild will also be inviting his favourite funk, afro and tropical DJs to join him in the beer garden all day alongside live percussion and MCs. This will be one serious percussion-driven, dancefloor-burning party you do not want to miss.
Bands: The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra, The Cactus Channel, The Do Yo Thangs and DJs.
Tickets: $16+bf.
Whole Lotta Love
The Bits are very excited to be launching their debut album 3057 at Whole Lotta Love this Australia Day eve. After extensive touring of Brunswick they look forward to your company at East Brunswick’s best little bar for a night of rock goodness. Free albums to be given away – don’t miss out.
Bands: The Bits, Bounty Hunter.
Doors: 9pm.
More: Check out our Australia Day chat with The Bits.
The Penny Black
With Australia Day falling on a Sunday this year, in true Australian fashion the public won’t stand for getting short-changed one of our most beloved public holidays. The government has heard the cries of the people, and is giving everyone the day off on Monday, which is just as well as the 100% Phat crew is taking over the decks at the Penny Black from 6pm all the way through til 3am. Over two areas including the world renowned Penny Black beer garden, catch a collection of Melbourne’s best DJs playing some of the dopest beats around. Witness the fitness from Agent 86, Tom Showtime, DJ Ayna, Kuya, Condensed Milk, Nam, DJ Hijack and No Name Nath as they throw down only the best in hip hop, dub, future beat, reggae and bass.
Bands: Agent 86, Tom Showtime, DJ Ayna and more.
Doors: 6pm.
The Espy
The triple j Hottest 100 has always been synonymous with Australia Day and The Espy is throwing one hell of a party on Sunday to celebrate both events. Said to be the biggest annual music poll in the world, the Hottest 100 continues to grow in popularity each year. The Espy will be pumping the countdown through the PA system all afternoon, followed by a killer lineup of live bands across three stages playing late into the night. Led by indie/dance-pop band World’s End Press, Asta, Willow Beats, Papa vs Pretty, Drunk Mums, Bad//Dreems capping off the night is Gold Fields Dj’s taking over the Espy decks spinning the hottest party tunes.
Bands: World’s End Press, Asta, Willow Beats and more.
Tickets: Free entry.
More: Check out our Australia Day chat with Asta.
The Evelyn
Flyying Colours and The Evelyn Hotel are hosting a huge Australia Day party on Sunday January 26 featuring Melbourne’s best and brightest psyche and shoegaze bands: Flyying Colours, Atolls and ESC delivering all the fuzz, reverb and good-times that one needs to celebrate this great country of ours.
Bands: Flyying Colours, Atolls, ESC.
Doors: 8pm.
Tickets: $10.
The Evelyn Rooftop
Sex on Toast are back this Australia Day for a scorcher on the Evelyn Hotel rooftop. The dress code is summertime party, think a pool party at Snoop Dogg’s K-Mart Mansion Cameo. Joining the mayhem will be The Do Yo Thangs who’s sunny neo-soul, gorgeous girls and positive message will warm you up to another onslaught of electric funk, new jack swing, speed doo-wop and god knows what else.
Bands: Sex On Toast, The Do Yo Thangs.
Doors: 3pm.
Tickets: $20 on the door.
Cherry Bar
Get along to Cherry Bar this Australia Day to see two piece rock behemoth King of The North headline Straya Day at Cherry Bar. Also along for the ride will be My Left Boot and Dead City Ruins. Its $13 on the door from 7pm til 11pm then a measly $5 till 3am with DJ Max Crawdaddy closing out the night. Free can of VB/MB on entry too.
Bands: King of The North, My Left Boot, Dead City Ruins.
Doors: 8pm.
Tickets: $13.
More: Check out our Australia Day chat with King of the North.
The Grace Darling
This Australia Day Eve, make your way down to the Grace Darling to celebrate in style and sway to the riffage of local rock’n’roll royalty Midnight Woolf. It’s sure to be a wild night of dancing, yelping, sweating and raving, playing a set of tight hip-swaying tunes, crazy covers and rumbling originals. Joining them will be beat maestros Brat Farrar, rockabilly weirdos the Yard Apes and garage surfers Rayon Moon. It all goes down Saturday January 25. Doors from 8pm, bands start at 8.30pm, entry is free.
Bands: Midnight Woolf.
Doors: 8pm.
Tickets: Free entry.
The Tote
Captain Cleanoff are playing a one off Melbourne show at The Tote this Australia Day Eve. Support comes in the form of The Day Every Thing Became Nothing, Rort, Black Jesus, Debacle and Split Teeth. Get along for an evening of non-stop grind, death metal, crust and power violence.
Bands: Captain Cleanoff, The Day Every Thing Became Nothing and more.
Doors: 7pm.
Tickets: Door charge applies.
Yah Yah’s
One of Yah Yah’s favourite party bands returns this Australia Day to their spiritual home to get the dance floor grooving and the crowd going off on a public holiday eve with their feel good melodies and hijinks. Plague Doctor’s bronze nose is filled with medicinal and aromatic herbs that cleanse the air and cover up the stench of death. He uses his smoking wand to keep the beat and direct the burial of the dead. His magic undergarments are soaked in liquor and wax. Plague Doctor knows the true meaning of the Blues, he once sent 85 million people dancing to their graves. He’s seen scorpions crawling on broken glass. He’s woken in the gutter with the planets whirling above him.
Bands: Plague Doctor, AppleJack DJ.
Doors: 9pm.
Tickets: Free entry.
Yah Yah’s Upstairs
This Australia Day Yah Yah’s Upstairs will be hosting Glitterdome Dance Party: ’90s mixtape; a night of fun where all shapes, sizes, genders and peccadilloes are welcome. Influenced by New York’s Rebel Cupcake, with your favourite Boombahs DJing everyone’s favourite ’90s tracks and secret shames.
Bands: Boombahs DJs.
Doors: 9pm.
Tickets: $20 waged/$15 unwaged.
Bar Open
To mark the 226th anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British Ships at Sydney Cove, Shanty Town and Ska Vendors will join forces to reflect the diverse society and landscape of New Holland. First up, the raw, honest and immensely danceable Ska Vendors who have been peddling their unique brand of Jamaican/Melbourne grooves around Australia for almost a decade. Their live show is high on energy, very danceable and will transport you back to the Kingston dance halls of the ’60s. Hot on their heels come Shanty Town, a team of assorted experienced musicians who fuse their common melodious passions to produce some quality ska. Created among the ruins of a condemned backdrop, the band combine elements of calypso and R&B to deliver jubilant feelings and energetic performances. The dance floor will be full by the end of this show and El Presidente will be on hand to welcome new immigrants to the community.
Bands: Shanty Town, Ska Vendors.
Doors: 7.30pm.
Tickets: Free entry.
The Bendigo Hotel
Be’Lakor and Claim The Throne will be joining forces for the first time for the Under The Southern Cross 6 festival, in what will undoubtedly be one of the the most impressive and world class Australian made tours this year. Melbourne’s Be’Lakor are fast becoming one of Australia’s most important metal acts and Perth’s Claim The Throne are returning with their third full-length album, Forged In Flame. This Australia Day Eve at The Bendigo.
Bands: Be’Lakor, Claim The Throne and more.
The Reverence
The annual Australia Day weekend punk rock refugee fundraiser is happening again at The Reverence Hotel. Over two huge days; Saturday January 25 and Sunday January 26, this year’s event features the like of Luca Braasi, Damn Terran, Batpiss, Lincoln Le Fevre plus a stack more. All proceeds will be donated to Oxfam and The Refugee Council and given the current government’s refugee policies, there has never been a more important time to get behind the cause.
Bands: Luca Brasi, Damn Terran, Batpiss, Lincoln Le Fevre and more.
Doors: $20 one day/$30 weekend pass (limited to 100).
Tickets: 3.30pm.
The Hi-Fi
Andy Montañez first gained fame as a member of the internationally successful El Gran Combo group, with songs like Hojas blancas (White Leaves), Un verano en N.Y (A Summer at NY) and El barbero loco. Responsible for over 70 albums, with a career that spans over 50 years and after winning the Latin Grammy Awards, Andy has little left to prove, except that his sounds transcends time and is ready to be released live in Australia for the very first time. Do not miss this chance to see this maestro in action.
Bands: Andy Montañez.
Doors: 8pm.
Tickets: $79.
