August means soul-stirring melodies, heartwarming storytelling and a few blasts from the past at Memo.
Memo Music Hall is not messing around this month. They’ve got a stacked calendar filled with everything from top-notch tribute shows to rising talents, with a 60th birthday bash, a brand new Aussie supergroup and a live recording concert experience to round it all off.
And guess what? A little surprise for you: the beloved Ember Lounge has reopened its doors, hosting lovely, intimate shows around the back of the venue. If you can’t find it, don’t fret, one of the fabulous Memo staff will be happy to guide you.
Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
8 Ball Aitken & Taya Chani w/ Eils & The Drip
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- 1 August
- Tickets here
Get yourself ready for a double‑dose of Australian blues rock to kick off the month, as regional chart toppers 8 Ball Aitken and Taya Chani launch their new album Nightbird, backed up by Eils & The Drip. There will be soulful vocals, echoing guitar and oodles of twangy Nashville charm.
The Neil Diamond Story
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- 2 August
- Tickets here
Join Jason Taylor and his 10‑piece band (plus the soulful Diamond Sisters) as they deliver hit after hit from Neil Diamond’s legendary catalogue on the Hot August Night tour. Celebrating 50 years of the icon’s career, it’ll be a nostalgic tribute tour that’ll have you singing Sweet Caroline.
The Deserters – Delsinki & Brooke Taylor
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- 7 August
- Tickets here
Alt‑country mavericks Delsinki and Brooke Taylor team up as The Deserters to re-launch the beloved Ember Lounge with new songs and a few covers to boot. Raw, soulful, rock‑tinged tunes make this one a gem for roots fans craving grit and guitars. Dan Brodie will be supporting.
Hamoris Lian Timor – Reviving the Sound of Timor
- 9 August
- Tickets here
Timor‑Leste’s cultural storytellers bring music, dance and spoken word rituals to the MEMO stage with the Reviving the Sound of Timor tour. This powerful, immersive showcase revives tradition with contemporary energy, marking 50 years of the diaspora in Australia.
John Waters – Radio Luxembourg
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- 10 August
- Tickets here
In his newest show, John Waters traverses the golden age of British pop via Radio Luxembourg hits alongside Stewart D’Arrietta and the Chartbursters. It’ll be a nostalgic musical experience with a wink, a lyrical walk down memory lane filled with sixties pop, stories and swagger.
MONSTR – The Best of MTV Unplugged
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- 15 August
- Tickets here
Australia’s newest supergroup MONSTR, made up of Taxiride’s Jason Singh, The Superjesus’ Stu Rudd, Dragon’s Pete Drummond, and The Screaming Jets’ Jimi Hocking, are turning a spotlight onto the iconic MTV Unplugged era of pop and rock. This one will be stripped back, but not dialled down.
Deborah Conway & Willy Zygier
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- 16 August
- Tickets here
Deborah Conway and Willy Zygier serve up raw songwriting and intimate performance in this heartfelt offering with special guest Anita Lester. Presenting Songs You Can Trust, it’s sure to be a blend of candid lyricism and guitar magic, guaranteed to feel sincere in a world full of noise.
Eat, Pray, Walk by Marcus Ryan
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- 17 August
- Tickets here
Back in the Ember Lounge, Aussie vagabond Marcus Ryan takes us along across his deeply personal journey through the Camino de Santiago. This funny, inspiring solo show will be full of tales of mishaps, milestones and revelations.
A Night of Fleetwood Mac for Mirabel
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- 22 August
- Tickets here
Rebecca Barnard and The Rumours Band lead a tribute to Fleetwood Mac in aid of the Mirabel Foundation, which helps children impacted by parental drug abuse. The show will feature all of the band’s classics in a night of stirring vocals, lush harmonies, and California hippie rock, all for a good cause.
The Redgum Years starring John Schumann & The Vagabond Crew
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- 23 and 24 August
- Tickets here
Following multiple sold-out shows, John Schumann & The Vagabond Crew will kick off two nights of live concert recording for their upcoming Corrugated Highway album. It’ll be a blend of politically charged folk, sharp lyrics and that unmistakably Australian storytelling voice.
Geoff Achison’s 60th Birthday Bash!
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- 29 August
- Tickets here
Blues legend Geoff Achison is turning 60, and to celebrate, he’s throwing a big soul‑rock celebration with Kathleen Halloran and Shannon Bourne. He’ll be accompanied by his impeccable band The Souldiggers and is set to deliver timeless hits, party vibes and a birthday bash atmosphere.
Soul Sacrifice – The Music of Santana
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- 30 August
- Tickets here
A fiery tribute to Santana’s Latin‑rock legacy, Soul Sacrifice brings the passion, percussion and psychedelic guitars straight to St Kilda. Featuring a seven-piece band, it’ll be a sonic fiesta that’ll get the hips moving and the rhythm flowing.
Baklava and Blintz
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- 31 August
- Tickets here
Klezmer meets Balkan folk in this joyous, culturally rich performance. Folk groups SARAY Iluminado and The Klez Dispensers Down Under serve up energetic tunes full of mashed‑up rhythms, Balkan and Jewish sounds and festive flair. What’s more, the first 100 guests will be treated to a free baklava or cheese blintz at the door to get you in the spirit.
Check out everything Memo’s got on offer here.
This article was made in partnership with Memo Music Hall.
