The first of three live summer events bring some of Australia’s finest artists back to the square.
A new year means warm days and plenty of outdoor live music in Melbourne!
So to really make sure we all start the year on the right foot, Fed Square is ensuring our bank accounts remain untouched thanks to the return of its popular free music festival, Fed Live. Simply jump off the train or a tram near Flinders Street Station and wander over to the massive outdoor stage in the square to enjoy some great tunes in the warm evening sun from 6:30pm to 10:30pm.
Fed Live 2023
- Fed Live with King Stingray: Saturday 21 January, 6.30pm-10.30pm
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Fed Live with Vera Blue: Saturday 18 February, 6.30pm-10.30pm
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Fed Live with Masked Wolf: Friday 24 March, 6pm–10.30pm
Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
The first of three awesome free live events takes place on Saturday, Jan 21st, in Fed Square. To make sure things begin with a bang, ARIA award-winners King Stingray will headline, bringing their unique style of indigenous melodies paired with surf, indie, and funk to the open-air centre of Melbourne.
King Stingray had a pretty good time last year, taking out the 2022 ARIA Breakthrough Artist Award and then finishing things up, playing to over 18,000 people at Falls Festival.
Their debut, self-titled album was released on August 5 to critical acclaim, and they shared stages with Ball Park Music and Midnight Oil throughout the year while also performing during the AFL’s Dreamtime at The G match and Splendour in the Grass. They also turned many heads thanks to their powerful cover of Coldplay’s Yellow for triple j’s Like A Version. This should be another massive year for the five-piece, so be sure not to miss them playing for free on a barmy summer’s night in the city.
Plenty of amazing acts support King Stingray on this free evening of great music to sweeten the deal even more. The main support will be the Andrew Gurruwiwi Band, a high-energy, 7-piece funk and reggae band that hails from Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. With funk jams sung in their native tongue, their Yolngu Funk is led by Andrew Gurruwiwi, a blind Yolngu elder who will make you dance with his unique keytar skills. The band’s unique style is the closest you will get to hearing the extremely rare 7-inch and much sought-after 7-inch records by George Rrurrambu & Birdwave.
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The bill will also feature surf-pop band The Moving Stills, whose debut album Sunshine Corner was released in January 2022. Based on the central coast of New South Wales, the band’s ’80s-tinged sound brings synths to the world of beach-laden surf sounds to suit a warm summer’s eve perfectly. Originally seeing viral fame on TikTok thanks to their cover of Tears for Fears’ Everybody Wants to Rule the World, the group solidified their popularity thanks to their single Volcano, which has received heavy Triple J rotation. The Moving Stills are currently working on their second record, so you’ll likely be some of the first to hear new music during their set in the square.
Perfectly completing this amazing night of music is alt-country singer-songwriter Babitha, the alter-ego of Sydney-based singer-songwriter Imogen Grist who offers guitar-laden songs with stunning harmonies and melodies. Also from NSW, Babitha received a ‘Next Big Thing’ nomination in the 2021 FBi SMAC Awards and has appeared on festivals such as Vivid, BIGSOUND, and Yours and Owls. Babitha’s guitar-laden sounds deliver fables of heartbreak and escapism, perfectly toggling the time between nostalgic and modern music. Reminiscent of Julia Jacklin, Big Thief, and boygenius, Babitha’s vulnerable and evocative set is not to be missed. Catch her opening this wonderful evening of music at 6:30pm.
Fed Live has been running for a few years now and is a great way to mark the return of warm weather and outdoor gigs in Melbourne. The various gigs are totally free and appropriate for all ages, set on a large stage in the middle of Fed Square.
This year, the events will cross genres, covering surf rock, electro-pop and hip-hop with ARIA Award-winning artists who have seen billions of streams alongside up-and-coming new acts that could very well become some of your new favourites.
So, get down to Fed Square on January 21 and enjoy the 2023 summer festival of free music! Visit the website here for more info.
This article was made in partnership with Fed Square.
