Set in the stunning surrounds of regional Victoria, Beyond the Valley is back for another year. Leading the charge is Chance The Rapper, who essentially takes home the trophy for best 2016 artist. Alex Lahey, Ali Barter, Ecca Vandal, Harts, Ladyhawke, Safia, The Delta Riggs, Vera Blue and a heap more will also be spread across three stages, including a 60 metre long main stage. With a variety of camping options from pleb to glamper and a tasty selection of handpicked food and beverages, this one’s a no-brainer.
Wednesday December 28 – Sunday January 1 in Lardner Park, Victoria. Tickets available through their website.
As one of the best rock’n’roll venues in the land, you can rest assured that Cherry Bar are throwing an absolute shredder of a party this NYE. Three top female DJs – DJ Mary M, DJ FeeFee Starr and DJ Billie-Jean – will be obliterating the decks with your favourite rock and metal tunes, and everything in between. Party legends Keggin’ will play a 1am set in the Jenni Bar to pop a goon-drenched cherry on top. It’s all kicking off nice an early at 5pm, with entry a cool $10 for the whole night.
AC/DC Lane on Saturday December 31 from 5pm.
Leading the charge is Childish Gambino playing his only Australian show. Elsewhere on this juggernaut of a lineup comes The Avalanches, Violent Soho, Matt Corby, London Grammar, Alison Wonderland, Catfish And The Bottlemen, and a whole heap more. There’s a lot more to Falls than just killer acts. Check out Rancho Relaxo for some chill vibes and holistic workshops, as well as a late night silent disco, and a selection of markets and stalls. Elsewhere, there’s interpretive dance, karaoke, and a wedding factory.
Lorne (sold out), Marion Bay, Byron Bay (sold out) and Fremantle. Head to their website for full details and tickets.
After last year’s edition, Freedom Time will return with three stages and a stunning curation of local and international DJs, live acts and more including sets from 30/70, Andras Fox, Cazeaux O.S.L.O, DJ Jnett, DJ Precious, Harvey Sutherland & Bermuda, Izabel, Krakatau and more – all making for a perfect day to kick off 2017. Freedom Time will also be family-friendly this year. Bring your younger sibling along for a musical education while stopping by the Ferris Wheel and market place. Food trucks will be on site to keep you dancing the day away without any problems. set in an intimate setting when he takes over the Wax’o Paradiso stage. Let the good times roll.
Sunday January 1 at the Coburg Velodrome. Tickets available on their website.
With a ticket to NYE at Khokolat Bar you’ll be treated to free beer, champagne and wine from 8.30pm until 10pm and complementary finger food until 11pm. There’s even going to be a BBQ in the Hardware Lane outdoor area from 8.30pm until 9.30pm. The finest purveyors of R&B and soul will be blasting the floor fillers well into the early hours of the New Year. No less than six DJs will be hitting the decks, with sets from Damion De Silva, Durmy, 53X, Nathanial, Johnny M and Boris.
Saturday December 31, 43 Hardware Lane, Melbourne
In its eighth year at the venue, Lucky Coq’s No Frills NYE is dishing out reasonable drink prices, $4 pizzas, $5 pots and $7.50 schooners of Young Henrys beer, and free pool to entertain you beyond midnight.
Upstairs, house DJs will be pumping some loud bangers, with grayskull, 99 Prblmz, and Matt chief-Checken all lined up. Downstairs, it’ll be an R&B and hip hop party, with the likes of MC D’fro, Matt Radovich, and DJ B.TWO leading partiers into the wee hours of 2017. Best of all, it’s free entry.
Saturday December 31 from 12pm. 179 Chapel St, Windsor.
Maxine’s Gentlemen’s Club welcomes you to celebrate New Year’s Eve with a platinum six-hour bar package that’ll keep you going from 9pm through to 3am. They’ll be hosting a special guest live DJ that’s so top-secret we don’t even know about it, dancers, door prizes, pool tables, special entertainment, canapés and pizza all night long. We know what you’re thinking. This is a gentlemen’s club right? Well, yeah. It is. But we’ve got it on good authority from Maxine herself that women are invited to ring in the New Year at the ‘rippers with the rest of the fellas. Tell ’em Big Money sent you.
676 Sydney Road, Brunswick. $125 a ticket, group booking discounts available.
The early evening program will see Yarra Park brimming with free onstage entertainment, films and a fireworks display that kicks off at 9.30pm. To ease the congestion, all entertainment will be duplicated across two zones to help assist with large crowds. Early eve at Footscray Park will be perfect for a picnic too. Make sure to catch Horns of Leroy while you’re down there. Other acts include Mental as Anything, King Bell & Soukous Ba Congo, The Mudcakes, and heaps more. The midnight rooftop fireworks display can be viewed from anywhere in the greater Melbourne area where the city’s skyline is visible. Bring a portable radio and listen to the official synchronised soundtrack live on FM99.7 for extra points before DJs keep things loose up until 1am at Treasury Gardens, Docklands, Flagstaff Gardens, and Kings Domain.
Head to the City of Melbourne website for more details.
British-via-Ibiza techno legends Audiojack will be shuddering through the headline slot while Revolver stalwart Spacey Space will be bringing in the second-to-last slot. Other highlights include the face of Cutting Shapes, Jesse Young as well as German juggernauts Session Victim Live, Francis Inferno Orchestra and Damian Laird. With 11 other Sunday sessions set for the Royal Botanic Garden’s epic amphitheatre, the party doesn’t stop there. The likes of Post Percy, Tornado Wallace, Harvey Sutherland & Bermuda and Misstress Barbara will be bringing the summer vibes across three months.
Sidney Myer Music Bowl on January 1 from midday.
Ring in the New Year with Bob Log III and special guests. As an extra bonus, why not pop down to the Mallard earlier for a bite to eat before the show starts. Some of their menu items include a Red Angus beef and bacon burger, a seafood hotpot with mussels, calamari and house made chermoula along with a side of fresh bread, and slow cooked pork scotch served with fennel, orange and mint salad. That’s one tasty start to 2017 you’ve got there. Of course, an extensive beer and wine list is available, with craft brews ranging from Thunder Road to Prickly Moses all ready to keep things nice and loose.
Saturday December 31. 314 Sydney Rd, Brunswick.
If you’re keen for some live music this New Year’s Eve — raw, dirty rock live music —The Bendigo Hotel is the place to be. First off, punk rockers Clowns and The Nation Blue will lead the night. They’ll be followed up by great local talents like Flour, who just finished up their national tour, as well as punk newbies Würst Nürse, a five-piece band ready to blow the roof off of their first show ever.
Saturday December 31. 125 Johnston St, Collingwood.
For The Love Of Gold will featuring the ‘80s-infused synth funk of duo GL, the eclectic masters of tropical funk Broadway Sounds and party people DJs Manchild (PBS – The Breakdown), Pjenne, Sam Hunt + MaS, Arks and friends — this’ll be one to put the old buildings foundations to the test. So don the gold hot pants, cover yourself in gold glitter, do whatever it takes — just get really, really gold (GL are promising a love song dedication to the best dressed if you need an incentive) and get down to The Curtin for some golden good times.
Saturday December 31 at 8pm. 29 Lygon St, Carlton.
For this year’s NYE celebrations The Great Britain Hotel will open their doors for punters to join a Hawaiian extravaganza that’ll go down till the early hours of 2017. Don your best colourful floral shirt, plastic lei, or grass skirt and hula the night away. Party animals will also get to enjoy five hours of free drinks and roving finger food that you can pluck straight off the plate, and the package will include most tap beers, ciders, basics, and house wine for all your needs. Partiers will be able to view the popping city fireworks just in time to clink glasses and welcome the New Year.
447 Church St, Richmond on Saturday December 31 from 4pm.
The great Crap Sabbath will play hits from Black Sabbath’s first six albums, and are bound to entertain punters with their ‘crap’ covers. The band features members from local talents like Tankerville, Shepparton Airplane, Spacejunk, and Ohms, with the NYE show also being a reunion of former members of Craptallica. Supporting will be Hownowner, a three-piece rock outfit influenced by “Jamesons Irish Whisky and Shane Warne”, as well as Fleetwood Crap, another glorious ‘crap’ band addition to the list.
Saturday December 31. 74-76 Johnston St, Fitzroy.
The Retreat is known to have one of the biggest, greenest and most spacious beer gardens in Melbourne. Flinging open their doors at midday, they’re treating punters to a head start on the festivities. DJ Crispi will start spinning the wax in the garden from 4pm. Dave Holmes Gang will be providing some smooth as country rock from 5pm in the front bar. Following that, pop your dancing shoes back on for DJ Jeff Leppard, kicking off in the main room from 10pm. For those watching their wallets, entry is a glorious free and there will be drink specials to celebrate the coming of 2017.
Saturday December 31. 280 Sydney Rd, Brunswick.
In the bandroom, there’ll be a score of local musicians ready to take you into 2017 with Kate Alexander and Ali E along with her band kicking things off, and Georgia Ifyouwannarocknroll and Grant von Garske firing up the DJ decks. The dulcet tones of the East Brunswick All Girls Choir will make their first ever Rev appearance and much adored Melbourne ensemble Lincoln Le Fevre & The Insiders will rouse at least a couple of spirited singalongs. Capping off the lineup is Adalita, who is sure to tear the house down as the clock ticks to midnight.
Saturday December 31 from 7pm. 28 Napier St, Fitzroy.
Unfold are throwing a monster warehouse party for New Year’s Eve at 1000 £ Bend, who are opening up the full warehouse venue for the occasion. Featuring two stages and an outside/inside chill area, they’re blending Australia’s finest techno producers, DJs and motion graphic artists. You’ll see Trinity (Nightimedrama/SYD), Eddie Hale (Chameleon Recordings), Dave Stuart (Something Else/SYD), Dylan Griffin, and more on the Warehouse stage. On the Chapel stage, catch the likes of Retza (Rework), Walter Juan, and TheCamiloS (Stable Music). The visuals are set to be of the highest calibre, being produced and mixed by the incredible Kit Webster and Hexananigans. This is a day and night affair – kicking off at 2pm, so load up on carbs, keep hydrated and wear comfy shoes.
1000 £ Bend, 361 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne, Saturday December 31.
For most, New Year’s brings to mind raves, fireworks and strobe lights. The gang at Yah Yah’s have decided to give that the flick, and treat you to some rad live music instead. ORB will be teaming up with Melbourne garage trio Dumb Punts. In between bands you can even start your New Year’s resolution to exercise more frequently, by cutting some serious shapes on the dance floor. Yah Yah’s DJs will be spinning indie bangers all night long to get you suitably sweaty, and there will be some ace drink specials to keep you hydrated.
Saturday December 31 from 8pm. 99 Smith St, Fitzroy.
