Need a break from the general chaos of St Kilda? Answer: The Memo, this hidden gem is just seconds away from all the craziness.
The lovely lovely folks at the Memo have put together quite the roster for your listening pleasure this July, with a whole range of acts that are sure to tickle the fancy of any self-proclaimed music lover, young and old.
You wouldn’t be able to tell just from looking at it, but this gorgeous concert hall has lived many lives. With humble beginnings as a dancehall in the 20s, the Memo has shape-shifted plenty of times, serving as a cinema, a recording studio and a film studio for various companies and corporations over the years.
Many stars have graced its halls, including Olivia Newton-John and Heath Ledger. The old girl is still brimming with life and with an absolutely killer line-up this July, you’re in for a real treat.
Footnote, the Memo has one of the best sound systems in the city in my opinion, the clarity blew me away the first time I ever heard it.
Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Kemer Yusuf
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- Saturday, July 6th
- Buy tickets here.
If you haven’t stumbled upon this maestro of funk, groove, and soul yet, you are truly missing out. Hailing all the way from Ethiopia, Yusuf brings a show like no other, with a smile-per-bar factor of a magnitude rarely seen, Kemer Yusuf’s infectious East-African flavoured soul will be sure to have you jumping and jiving with the rest of them. Transcending cultures, languages, and borders (and many miles of ocean), Yusuf’s stage shows are an electrifying experience like no other.
Greg Gould: Strings Attached
- Friday, July 12th
- With Anya Alchemy
- Buy tickets here
With a voice so powerful, so strong, so… soulful, Greg Gould is soul crazy! After wowing audiences on Australia’s Got Talent with his once-in-a-generation gravitas and presence, Gould has decided to make his own way, unveiling his long-awaited debut album Strings Attached! Strap yourselves in (get it, strings) for a bit of a tear-jerker, and your heart may just grow a few sizes. Gould is above all else, a storyteller, and with lyrics that will take you from dramatic heights to the lowest of lows, prepare to be swept right off your feet (and hopefully into the comforting resolve of a chair, or a lover). Supported by local starlet Anya Alchemy, a powerhouse in her own right, prepare to be spellbound. Bravo! Bravo! Encore! Encore!
Blues Guitar Roadshow
- Saturday, July 13th
- With Geoff Achison, Jimi Hocking, Shannon Bourne, George Kamikara, The McNamarr Project (Andrea Marr/John McNamara) , Kathleen Halloran, Nat Allison, Gilbert & Kealey Trio + more
- Buy tickets here. Selling fast!
The Blues Guitar Roadshow is once again back on the road (it wouldn’t be a show if not for the road)! Featuring some of the finest to ever pick up an electric twanger in the country, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d stepped right into any old dive just down the road from your nearest cattle station. Let these brazen pickers pick you up off your feet like a runaway freight train over two-and-a-half face-melting hours, with licks so red hot you’ll want to leave that jacket at home (don’t actually, it’s very cold).
If you haven’t already thought about selling your soul to the devil like the bluesmen of legend, chances are you’ll be making arrangements before the night is through. Come for the jams, stay for the comedy. It’ll be a hootenanny to remember and any bonafide blues aficionados will be sure to find themselves in the best of company. Tickets are selling quickly!
Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Bacharach and Beyond
- Sunday, July 21st
- Presented by Jack Howard and the Ambassadors of Love
- Buy tickets here.
Feeling a little sentimental? When was the last time you felt all gooey in the middle? It’s good stuff isn’t it? Can’t live without it, can you? All is well my friend, for your salvation will come on the 21st, when Jack Howard and his Ambassadors of Love take over the Memo for one night only. A tried and true outfit, Jack Howard and Co. have been bringing their show Bacharach and Beyond to pubs and clubs around Melbourne for the last ten years, and they show no signs of losing steam any time soon. Truly a display of beauty like no other, and a set list that’s sure to have you mumbling “that jukebox keeps making me cry, and I don’t want it to stop”.
Guaranteed not a dry eye in the house. Especially by the bar.
Raising the Roof for Organ Donation
- Sunday, July 28th
- A benefit concert supported by Donatelife
- Featuring Elijah Augustine, Ajak Kwai, KANANI, Fiona Lee Maynard, James Lomas, Paulie Stewart, Jo Fraser and Little G
- Free Entry
Truly one of the most important ventures in the country right now, this benefit concert comes from a real place of love. Dubbed ‘The Oz Transplants’, the Memo will play host to this eclectic musical ensemble, where all members are organ donors and recipients, placing the spotlight on the lifesaving practice. Organiser Fiona Lee Maynard, who is performing on the night had this to say on the subject:
“I want to promote organ donation because the more people who register and understand the process the better it will be for those whose life hangs in the balance waiting for the transplant they need… It’s not only the recipients who benefit from organ donations, but their family, loved ones and support teams. This is an incalculable benefit. I’m compelled to promote organ donation and what better way to communicate with all people than through the universal language of music.’’
The acts themselves are no slouches either, featuring pub rock royalty Paulie Stewart of Painters and Dockers, Ajak Kwai’s irresistible Afro-pop and KANANI’s hard-hitting drill-influenced beats among many more! If you’re still on the fence (why would you be?), the event is entirely free of charge? You won’t even have to give up a kidney (someone may need it more than you).
Keep up to date with what’s on at the Memo. Find their Facebook here.
