Darebin FUSE Festival is handing its live music scene a full weekend, with free and ticketed gigs across local venues.
Running 5 – 6 September, the Darebin FUSE Festival Live Music Weekend pulls together sound art, indie rock, queer jazz, First Nations storytelling and intercultural collaborations at spots around Thornbury, Northcote and Preston.
The weekend opens with Ganbu Gulin: Burndap, neto!, a First Nations celebration of music and art featuring Mo’Ju, Liv & The Dream and the Djirri Djirri Dancers, hosted by MC Kimmie Lovegrove following a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony.
Darebin FUSE Festival Live Music Weekend
- Ganbu Gulin: Burndap, neto! – Darebin Arts Centre and Ray Bramham Gardens – 5 September, 1pm – 4pm
- DIY on High – Café Gummo and Cactus Room, Thornbury – 5 September, from 1pm
- Surround Sound – Tallboy & Moose, Preston – 5 September, from 2pm
- The Mechanical Heard – JOLTED Art Space, Northcote – 5 September, 3.30pm
- Mähallä & Capers present Kazdoura / Ταξίδι – Capers, Thornbury – 5 September, from 4pm
- O.R.B @ Shotkickers – Shotkickers, Thornbury – 5 September, from 7pm
- Live Music Weekend at the Tav – Merri Creek Tavern, Northcote – 5 September, from 8pm
- A Queer Jazz Session – North Star Barbershop, Northcote – 6 September, from 4pm
- Darebin and Dragons – Shop Front 740, Thornbury – 6 September, from 5pm
- ngalnya dhadjowa by Allara – Aunty Alma Thorpe’s Gathering Place, Preston – 6 September, 6.30pm
- Zaman Festival – Wesley Anne, Northcote – 6 September, from 7pm
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The opening day leans hard into the neighbourhood’s DIY roots. DIY on High spreads across Café Gummo and Cactus Room with a stacked bill including Loose Tooth, Techno 666, Bizarrgo, Kosmetika, Banksy and more, while Surround Sound brings Tallboy & Moose, Shotkickers, Cafe Gummo and Bar303 together to launch a collaborative beer, each venue backing a local act.
There’s plenty more across 5 September too. Capers splits into two spaces for Mähallä & Capers present Kazdoura / Ταξίδι, shifting from Anatolian folk and hyperpop into DJ sets from Aysu, Smoochie, STEV ZAR and others. O.R.B bring psychedelic riffs and cosmic groove to Shotkickers, and Hobbies Galore takes over Merri Creek Tavern with Possible Humans, Fin Healy and Green Child DJs.
The second day changes pace with A Queer Jazz Session curated by MzRizk at North Star Barbershop, darker experimental sounds at Darebin and Dragons, and Yorta Yorta artist Allara’s ngalnya dhadjowa at Aunty Alma Thorpe’s Gathering Place. Zaman Festival wraps the weekend at Wesley Anne with the music of the Levant and Asia Minor.
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