Open Space at Bunjil Place brings live music, film screenings and more to Melbourne's south-east this summer.
Your Saturday nights just got sorted. Open Space at Bunjil Place is a brand new free event series taking over the venue’s outdoor plaza for seven consecutive weeks, kicking off 7 February and running through to 21 March 2026. The lineup spans everything from 80s synth-pop icons to Golden Guitar winners, lion dancing to cult horror films, and soul-funk trios to veena virtuosos.
Open Space at Bunjil Place runs from 6pm each Saturday evening, with food trucks on site and plenty of space to spread out a picnic rug. The programming reflects the cultural diversity of Melbourne’s outer south-east, with dedicated nights celebrating Lunar New Year and South Asian culture alongside homegrown country, electronic and soul acts. Every event is free, family-friendly and requires no tickets or bookings.
Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Kutcha, Cash and The Last Drinks
- 7 February
- Bunjil Place Plaza, Narre Warren
- Free entry, no tickets required
The series launches with a collaboration between two distinct forces in Australian music. Kutcha Edwards, a Mutti Mutti, Yorta Yorta and Nari Nari singer-songwriter who has been combining music with activism since the 90s, teams up with Melbourne outfit Cash Savage and the Last Drinks. The band is known for their intense, emotionally-driven live performances, and together with Kutcha they’ll be reworking his catalogue with added grit and power. Opening the evening is Canisha, a vocalist who first gained attention performing alongside Briggs at Bad Apples House Party, blending pop and soul with personal storytelling. Paulo Almeida and his band round out proceedings with island rhythms and reggae influenced by his Timorese and Portuguese heritage.
Tarantula
- 14 February
- Bunjil Place Plaza, Narre Warren
- Free entry, no tickets required
Valentine’s Day gets weird with a double bill of theatrical live music and vintage creature feature cinema. The Ukulele Death Squad kick things off with their eight-piece ensemble that defies genre boundaries, combining gypsy jazz, R&B and folk with a brass section and theatrical showmanship. Once they’ve warmed up the crowd, the main attraction arrives via projector: Jack Arnold’s 1955 sci-fi horror Tarantula, a classic creature feature involving a giant mutant spider terrorising a desert town. The gallery will also have extended hours so attendees can check out Maria Fernanda Cardoso: Spiders of Paradise, and there’s a spider-themed photo wall for those wanting to lean into the evening’s eight-legged aesthetic.
Elysian Blues + Yeo
- 21 February
- Bunjil Place Plaza, Narre Warren
- Free entry, no tickets required
Week three celebrates Lunar New Year with the Year of the Horse. Local national champions Hung Hing Lion Dance bring their skills to Bunjil Place for the first time, performing their spectacular lion dance on poles routine that earned them recognition as one of Australia’s best troupes. Elysian Blues blend traditional Chinese instrumentation with contemporary jazz fusion, featuring QiQi on guzheng alongside keys and percussion for a cross-cultural sonic experiment. Yeo, an artist who has worked across country, electronica and R&B throughout his career, provides DJ duties for the evening. Families can also get hands-on with making activities led by Asian Australian designer and illustrator Vanessa Bong, creating Lunar New Year-themed decorations and contributing to a large-scale collaborative artwork.
Pseudo Echo
- 28 February
- Bunjil Place Plaza, Narre Warren
- Free entry, no tickets required
The 80s arrive in force when Australian synth-pop pioneers Pseudo Echo headline week four. The band behind Funky Town, Listening and Love An Adventure brings their full six-piece lineup with visuals to match, promising a setlist packed with the songs that defined a decade. Support comes from Lupa J, an electro-pop artist who combines violin, dance beats and atmospheric vocals into something that sits outside easy categorisation. Their recent output includes tracks Alien, Wake and Some Kinda Glory. Opening the night is the Alkira Secondary Synth Collective, a student-led group whose sound draws from 90s trance and Eurythmics-style synth-pop, exploring synthesiser textures and hypnotic rhythms.
Andrew Swift
- 7 March
- Bunjil Place Plaza, Narre Warren
- Free entry, no tickets required
Country music takes centre stage for week five, headlined by Golden Guitar award winner Andrew Swift. The artist has notched up four ARIA number one albums, accumulated over 8.4 million streams, and picked up multiple CMAA Golden Guitar Awards including 2023 Male Artist of the Year. His fourth studio record Lucky Stars mixes guitar-driven sounds with synth textures and emotionally direct songwriting. Supporting acts include Ethan Calway, a young performer whose guitar work and stage presence have drawn comparisons to a young Keith Urban, and Tegan Blackstock, whose original material including Forever Kinda Love and Highway showcases warm vocals and straightforward lyricism.
Cookin’ on 3 Burners with Stella Angelico
- 14 March
- Bunjil Place Plaza, Narre Warren
- Free entry, no tickets required
Week six brings Melbourne soul-funk institution Cookin’ on 3 Burners to the plaza alongside vocalist Stella Angelico, with guests including N’fa Jones and Joelistics joining them onstage. The evening also serves as the GRID Series Release Party, spotlighting the 2025 South East cohort of emerging artists: Martha, Kiid KODA, Jordz and ACP. It’s a night that bridges generations of Melbourne music, from established acts to the newest voices coming through local development programs.
Wild Gloriosa and Hari Sivanesan
- 21 March
- Bunjil Place Plaza, Narre Warren
- Free entry, no tickets required
The final night of Open Space at Bunjil Place celebrates South Asian sounds and culture, timed to coincide with the Australian debut of blockbuster touring exhibition The Offbeat Sari in the venue’s gallery. Award-winning Tamil-Australian artist Wild Gloriosa headlines, bringing her blend of neo-soul, R&B and jazz that draws on her South Indian heritage and Singaporean upbringing. Veena virtuoso Hari Sivanesan, who has built an international career fusing South Indian classical music with contemporary styles, leads a set inspired by Bharat and Bollywood. Studio J presents dance performances showcasing regional Indian styles and the elegance of the sari, featuring their teachers, students and the Sapphire Dance team. Throughout the evening, Kerfew Collective provides DJ sets. The South Asian creative collective focuses on music, art and community connection through events, workshops and mutual aid.
The gallery remains open with extended hours so attendees can experience The Offbeat Sari exhibition as part of their evening.
For more information, head here.
This article was made in partnership with Bunjil Place.
