The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra close out 2025 with huge line up at Howler - Owelu Dreamhouse (ft Nkechi Anele) and Immy Owusu & Sensible J.
Naarm’s afrobeat powerhouse The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra are wrapping up 2025 at Howler next week.
Australia’s heavyweight afrobeat ensemble are bringing their mammoth lineup back to Howler for one of the year’s most anticipated shows. The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra delivers a pulsing, percussive journey that stands as a powerful 21st-century answer to the world-shaking music of 1970s Nigeria, and this year-end performance promises something extra special.
Expect a set locked into the afrobeat blueprint, driven by fierce vocals and a howling horn section, laced with deep-rooted political commentary and the band’s signature blend of pan-African, local and hip hop influences.
Crucially, this show will feature brand new songs from their upcoming release, including powerful contributions from Uncle Robbie Thorpe. It’s an essential night for the heart, mind and hips as The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra bring their unique blend of culture, conviction and colossal sound back to the stage.
The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra at Howler
- Friday 19 December – Howler, Melbourne
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Supporting the bill is Owelu Dreamhouse, the exciting new collaboration between vocalist Nkechi Anele and arranger Nic Ryan-Glenie, who are rekindling the musical relationship they built in iconic Melbourne soul band Saskwatch.
Their sound blends cinematic soul, psychedelia and afrobeat, weaving through the complexities of cultural ties, gender and identities while exploring Nkechi’s Nigerian heritage. This project gives the duo a safe space to share ideas, culminating in their highly-anticipated debut album dropping on Hopestreet Recordings on Friday 6 February 2026.
Also joining the lineup is the electrifying pairing of Ghanaian Australian singer and multi-instrumentalist Immy Owusu with South African Australian drummer, beatmaker and producer Sensible J, who’s worked with Sampa The Great, Cool Out Sun and Remi.
Drawing inspiration from the 1970s Zamrock movement, their swirling psych/afro/funk EP Spiritual War delivers a rowdy, boisterous collection of songs tackling injustice, insanity and the inanity of modern life. They’ll be delivering their powerful, raw sound cooked up in J’s iconic House Of Beige studio, exploring themes from the worldwide war between the human spirit and apathy to the West’s hand in the exploitation of Africa.
It’s a stacked bill of politically-charged, genre-blurring music that puts African diaspora sounds front and centre. With The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra debuting fresh material featuring Uncle Robbie Thorpe’s contributions, Owelu Dreamhouse gearing up for their album release, and Immy Owusu and Sensible J bringing their Zamrock-inspired fury, this December show at Howler is shaping up as an unmissable year-end celebration.
For more information, head here.
