Leaps and Bounds Music Festival returns for its 12th year across more than 20 venues this July.
The winter music festival transforms pubs, clubs, bars and band rooms across Fitzroy, Collingwood and Richmond into a celebration of live music and community connection. Leaps and Bounds Music Festival 2025 features a community-curated program assembled from the ideas and expertise of local venue bookers, promoters and record labels.
Mayor Stephen Jolly highlighted the festival’s role in supporting the live music industry during challenging times.
“At a time when the industry is doing it tough, we’re proud to back our live music venues, artists and workers through a community-curated festival that champions Yarra’s live music scene,” Jolly said. “There are more than 20 venues participating this year, boosting our local economy and reinvigorating our city over the winter months”
Leaps and Bounds 2025
- Venues across Fitzroy, Collingwood and Richmond
- 24 July to 27 July
- More than 20 participating venues
- Community-curated programming
Check out our gig guide, our festival guide, our live music venue guide and our nightclub guide. Follow us on Instagram here.
Lineup
Thursday 24 July:
- DRÉ – Glamorama Courtyard
- Canisha, Liv And The Dreams – Bodriggy Brewing
- Lothario, Public Figures, The Antics – The Old Bar
Friday 25 July:
- Kennel District – The Punters Club and Evelyn Hotel (I Oh You and Calibre)
- Work Wife – Glamorama Courtyard
- Poli-Pearl, WVCHWY – Bodriggy Brewing
- Erica Avenue, Kevin Silvester, Terra Rogue, Emma Yue – Bar Open
Saturday 26 July:
- LittlePalooza: Babyshakes Dillon, Grim Rhythm, Hogwash, Good Sniff, R.U.B, Fairtrade Narcotics – Lulie Tavern
- Fosters, Yarra, Art, Tjum Tjumba Collective – Bodriggy Brewing
- Femme Agender Weekender: Olza, Filthy McNasties, BB Sabina – Creatures of Habit
- Eclipse: DJ Julz, DJ Chunez, DJ Slaytanix – Bendigo Hotel
- Mya, Lilliana – Baxter’s Lot
Sunday 27 July:
- Anti-Fade Records Lazy Sunday: Constant Mongrel, J. McFarlane’s Reality Guest, The Shifters, The Judges, Blue Communications – The Tote
- Candice Lorrae, Pirritu, Kaytlyn Johnson – Bodriggy Brewing
- Sorbo Amplio, Algusto DJ – Bar Open
- Femme Agender Weekender: Romanie, Isobel Caldwell, Ebi Nori – Creatures of Habit
- Queer Shift: Bae Marie, Disco Rodeo Boot Scooting, June Jones, Lupa J, Naycab, Tom Foolery – The Workers Club
Additional events:
- Roger Knox – Standard Hotel
- Scorched Axis – The Grace Darling Hotel
- Rocket Science, Hot Blood – The Gem Bar & Dining
- The Black Jesus Experience, Standing Circle, 3,2,1 – The Horn African Cafe Music Lounge
- Alice Bisschops Quartet, Astral Flex Quartet – Uptown Jazz Cafe
- Chestivus – Runner Up Rooftop Bar
- Kook Joey – Laundry Bar
- Tracey Miller Band – The Corner Hotel
Festival highlights
Leaps and Bounds festival highlights include the return of legendary Punters Club hosting Kennel District, presented by I Oh You and Calibre, spilling across to The Evelyn Hotel. Roger Knox, known as Blak Elvis and respected as a First Nations trailblazer in Australian country music, performs an intimate show at Standard Hotel in Fitzroy.
The Grace Darling presents a multi-floor experience featuring post-club sounds, dub-drenched noise, outsider electronics and ambient soundscapes through Scorched Axis. Unique programming includes Chestivus, a chess tournament soundtracked by local DJs at Runner Up Rooftop Bar, and Queer Shift, a day rave led by trans and gender diverse DJs at The Workers Club.
Bodriggy Brew Pub hosts four days of First Nations programming for Leaps and Bounds featuring Candice Lorrae, Poli-Pearl, WVCHWY, Kanisha, Liv And The Dreams Art, Fosters and Tjum Tjumba Collective. The Corner Hotel presents an afternoon specifically designed for Yarra’s aged care and disability home residents with Tracey Miller Band performing jazz classics and gospel music.
Alternative and electronic acts
Other notable Leaps and Bounds events include LittlePalooza at Lulie Tavern featuring Babyshakes Dillon, Grim Rhythm and Good Sniff, while The Tote hosts Anti-Fade Records’ Lazy Sunday with Constant Mongrel returning for their first local show since 2021. The Old Bar presents Throwdown Thursday with Lothario, Public Figures and The Antics, and Rocket Science performs at The Gem Bar with special guests Hot Blood.
Bar Open hosts two separate events, including Erica Avenue and friends showcasing diverse local talent, and a cumbia celebration with 10-piece New Chilean Cumbia band Sorbo Amplio. The Horn African Cafe Music Lounge features The Black Jesus Experience, a nine-piece band blending traditional Ethiopian song with contemporary groove.
Glamorama Courtyard presents live recording sessions with DRÉ and Work Wife across two nights, while Uptown Jazz Cafe showcases Alice Bisschops Quartet performing the music of Paul Desmond and Jim Hall alongside Astral Flex Quartet. Creatures of Habit Bar & Bandroom hosts the Femme Agender Weekender, a two-day celebration of queer and LGBTIQA+ artists featuring performances across thrash punk, trip-hop, alternative folk and electronic genres.
Jazz and intimate performances
Additional programming includes Baxter’s Lot presenting an intimate night with rising jazz voice Mya Rodgers and R&B artist Lilliana, culminating in a collaborative set between both acts. Bendigo Hotel hosts Eclipse, a metal club night featuring DJs Julz, Chunez and Slaytanix, while Laundry Bar showcases emerging indie-folk artist Kook Joey blending 1960s folk charm with dreamy exotica influences.
Leaps and Bounds Music Festival is presented by Yarra City Council with presenting partner PBS FM.
For more information, head here.
This article was made in partnership with Leaps and Bounds Music Festival.
