Live at The Bowl’s March and April gigs end the season with a bang

Following the fast-paced first half of the open-air series, Art Centre Melbourne’s Live at the Bowl is not slowing down anytime soon. With events for every member of the family, share house or group chat, here’s a rundown of what’s coming up over the coming months.

Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.

SorBaes: Double Dip

Life is too short to not start with dessert. More specifically, life is too short to not start with dessert, and then not go back for seconds. Luckily, Soju Gang and Footscray Community Arts are offering up the goods in the form of SorBaes: Double Dip! This all-ages mini festival has every flavour on offer. There are food trucks, curated art spaces and market stalls alongside music, music and more music.

Live acts include Barkaa, Baro Sura, Jerome Farah, Kira Puru, Lay, Mulalo and Young Rorty while DJs Mirasia Smilex, Soju Gang and Swerv will also feature.

This event also supports The Dhadjowa Foundation – an organisation which specialises in culturally specific and appropriate support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families whose loved ones have died in custody. $2 from each ticket sold will be donated by Arts Centre Melbourne to The Dhadjowa Foundation.

The event is happening from 4pm March 13. Tickets cost $15.

Flight Facilities

Ladies, gentlemen and other gentlepersons, we will shortly begin our descent to Live at the Bowl. Please unfasten your seatbelts and prepare to party, because Flight Facilities are here to get you grooving.

As part of their first Australian tour since 2018, Jimmy Lyell and Hugo Gruzman, otherwise known as Flight Facilities, are touching down at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl to showcase their sophomore album Forever.

The album is vibey, it offers strong beat after strong beat and most importantly, it belongs on the dance floor. Joined by Cosmo’s Midnight, Jayda G, CC:DISCO!, Sycco and other special guests, this will be a night you don’t want to miss.

The event is happening from 4pm March 26. Tickets cost $89.90-$129.90.

Piknic Électronik: Peggy Gou

Now this one is for all of you electro-heads. For eight hours straight, the Bowl will feature 10+ artists who do what they do best – electronic music.

Hardware Group presents Season 6 of Piknic Électronik, highlighting the brilliance of Peggy Gou and featuring the likes of Andy Garvey, Dena Amy, Ingrid, and DJ JNETT alongside other incredible acts.

Savouring the last of the warm weather, Piknic Électronik is the perfect place to kick back with a drink in one hand, a snack in the other, and surround yourself with a group of friends.

The event is happening from 2pm April 3. Tickets cost $70-$90.

Crowded House

For their first national tour of Australia in 12 years and fresh off their win at the 2021 ARIA Awards for Best Adult Contemporary Album, Crowded House is taking their latest album Dreamers Are Waiting on the road.

The lauded band is right around the corner from gracing the Bowl in April, so the dreamers won’t have to wait too much longer – we’re sorry, but the pun was right there.

With a new lineup, the band will feature Neil Finn’s sons for the first time: Liam Finn on guitar and vocals and Elroy Finn on drums. Founding members Neil Finn and Nick Seymour will also return, alongside producer and keyboardist Mitchell Froom.

The audience are in for a real treat, as fellow 2021 ARIA Award winners Middle Kids will also open for the band – a collaboration that is only fitting after Middle Kids’ hauntingly beautiful cover of Crowded House’s ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’ for Triple J’s Like a Version.

The event is happening from 6pm April 8-9. Tickets cost from $122.

Dune Rats

Okay, Dune Rats – let’s go! This midday set is presented by The Push, an Australian youth music organisation and is primarily focused on allowing young people to experience the buzz of live music in a drug and alcohol-free space.

The lineup has been curated by the all-ages Live at the Bowl events team and highlights the devilish Dune Rats, with support acts Beddy Rays and Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers.

Notably, this is a youth-focused event and so naturally, young people should be at the epicentre of the day. I can assure you; this will be the case. The Push has put out an open call for Victoria’s new artists aged 15-17 to apply for a chance to join the lineup, with the competition closing on March 14.

The event is happening from 12pm April 10th. Tickets cost $20.

Lime Cordiale

Almost two years since the album’s release, Lime Cordiale’s 14 Steps To A Better You is about to get the open-air time it deserves.

After casually topping the ARIA Album Chart in 2020, receiving eight nominations at the ARIA Awards 2020 and recently releasing an album with British actor and musician Idris Elba – among other very low key and casual accomplishments – Lime Cordiale is primed and ready to hit the stage.

While some live performances pale in comparison to the studio album, this is certainly not the case for Lime Cordiale. The way they mix a surf-rock sound with high energy sets and very tight musicianship exemplify the live experience, which makes the Bowl the ideal stage for the Leimbach brothers and their touring band.

All we really have to say is that Lime Cordiale is throwing a party and you, along with some other special guests, are invited.

The event is happening from 6:30pm April 12. Tickets cost $89-$109.

More awesome Live at the Bowl gigs in March and April

• Ultra Australia 2022 Festival: Afrojack, Steve Aoki and more on 5 March 2022
• Reminisce 10 Years: Armand Van Helden & John Course on 19 March 2022
• Piknic Électronik: E-Dancer, Mr.G & Dantiez on 20 March 2022
• Hoodoo Gurus: 6 April

Double vaccination will be required to attend all Live at the Bowl events. Face masks are strongly recommended at all time. This event features hand sanitiser stations, card-only payments, contact tracing and venue cleaning.

 For tickets and more information, head to the Live at the Bowl website.