Eight unmissable gigs to see at Live at the Bowl this January
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07.01.2021

Eight unmissable gigs to see at Live at the Bowl this January

Live At The Bowl
Words by Eva Marchingo

The outdoor summer concert series is reinvigorating Melbourne’s live entertainment scene.

From January, Melbourne’s beloved Sidney Myer Music Bowl will be transformed into a hotspot (the good kind) of the best live acts in Australia.

A joint initiative by Arts Centre Melbourne and the Victorian government, Live at the Bowl will play host to a series of Australian events and performances held over several weeks.

This season of celebration will help us rediscover the joy of live music and shared experiences, this time in a COVID-Safe environment. Expect to see social distancing, an abundance of hand sanitiser, QR codes for mobile phone registration, and regular cleaning, all to keep punters safe.

With a program of diverse entertainment – from family-friendly fun to performances by Australian icons – Live at the Bowl is breathing life into Melbourne’s once-thriving entertainment scene.

Our Bowl is back.

Soju Gang Presents SorBaes

From club DJ and designer, Soju Gang, comes an exciting community event set to catapult you back into the joys of live music.

In association with Arts Centre Melbourne, this summer party includes performances from Malyangapa, BARKAA, POOKIE, C Frim, MAI, Kobi Spice, The House Special Band ft. Pataphysics, and Soju Gang herself.

More special guests are set to be announced, but going on Soju Gang’s previous work, this event is set to be exhilarating and energetic.

$5 from every ticket sold will go to the Dhadjowa Foundation, an organisation that supports and amplifies the voices of families whose loved ones have died in custody.

It’s happening from 7pm on Friday January 15. Tickets are $25 – $150.

Vault Sessions feat. Mo’Ju with Orchestra Victoria

The Australian Music Vault presents a performance by the iconic Mo’Ju, co-presented as part of Melbourne Music Week Extended.

Mojo Ruiz de Luzuriaga, known as Mo’Ju – and formerly as Mojo Juju – will be joined by Orchestra Victoria for a one-off performance spanning her catalogue of music.

After making waves in the Australian Music scene with her 2018 album, Native Tongue – an exploration of her Indigenous and Filipino identity – Mo’Ju is collaborating with a frequent flyer of the Arts Centre Melbourne stages, Orchestra Victoria.

It’s happening from 8pm on Saturday January 16. Tickets are $63 – $318.

Teeny Tiny Stevies

Sisters Byll and Beth Stephen have been dubbed, ‘every parent’s favourite kids band,’ and it’s no wonder why.

Last year, they took home the 2020 ARIA Award for Best Children’s Album, for their third album, Thoughtful Songs for Little People.

Perhaps better known on the Australian festival circuit as The Little Stevies, Byll and Beth are no strangers to performing.

Make the most of your summer holidays with young ones by seeing Teeny Tiny Stevies in this special outdoor concert.

It’s happening at 10am, 12pm, and 3pm on Sunday January 17. Tickets are $29.

Ocean Alley

Over the past decade, Ocean Alley has made a name for themselves as a captivating, unique, and proudly independent band.

With an ARIA nominated album in 2020 and a double platinum-selling single – ‘Confidence’ – in 2018, it’s no wonder Ocean Alley has received rave reviews from Australian music critics.

The band hasn’t strayed too far from their days playing in a garage on the Northern Beaches, continuing to exude an air of cool confidence in whatever they do.

Ocean Alley will share the stage with Slowly Slowly, Maddy Jane, and The Grogans.

It’s happening from 6pm on Thursday January 21. Tickets are $105.25 – $539.20.

 

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Birds of Tokyo with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

One of Australia’s most successful modern rock bands, Birds of Tokyo, is teaming up with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra for two nights of performances as part of Live at the Bowl.

Conducted by Vanessa Scammell, the five-piece and the MSO will be playing new music as well as reinterpretations of their most well-known hits.

It comes alongside a bunch of other orchestra shows Birds of Tokyo will perform around the country, where they’ll team up with the likes of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Queensland Symphony Orchestra, among others.

This show goes down from 8.30pm on January 22 and 23. Tickets are $89 – $469

 

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Missy Higgins

Missy Higgins has sown herself into the nation’s heart with classics like ‘Scar’ and ‘The Special Two’. She’s an authentic household name and loved by many across Australia.

Having performed with the likes of Ed Sheeran and singing a memorable duet with iconic Australian, Tim Minchin, during the Music From The Homefront telecast on ANZAC Day, Missy Higgins sure knows how to put on a show.

Recently, she’s released a self-produced song – ‘When the Machine Starts’ – about the positive things to come out of this year’s lockdown experience.

Presented by Frontier Touring, Missy Higgins will share this performance with special guest, Busby Marou.

It’s happening from 6.16pm on Wednesday January 27. Tickets are $89 – $599.

 

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Share the Spirit

Presented by Songlines Aboriginal Music Cooperation and supported by Arts Centre Melbourne, this day of family-friendly fun will celebrate the survival of Australia’s First Nations people.

If you’re interested in spending a day enjoying live music, art, and culture in a wholesome environment – this event is drug and alcohol-free – then this is the place for you.

Share the Spirit will be a free event with no bookings required, although there is a limited capacity available.

Artist announcements are yet to come, so keep an ear out for what will be an exciting lineup.

It’s happening from 12pm on Tuesday January 26. Share the Spirit is a free event.

 

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Sun Cycle

If there’s one event on this list that encapsulates the vision of Live at the Bowl, it’s Sun Cycle. It’s an event designed to remind us all of the beauty of live music and shared experience.

Sun Cycle is all about curating a space to cherish our domestic talent, freely be yourself, and find confidence in a community of likeminded people.

Featuring Midlife, CC:DISCO! and more, Sun Cycle will showcase Melbourne’s inclusive music community and the high standards of performance that come out of this city.

It’s happening from 6pm on Saturday January 30. Tickets are $251.20 – $570.35.

 

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For tickets and more information, head to the Live at the Bowl website

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