A lineup of some of the best music from this country and beyond is set to take over Naarm’s most iconic venues this August 22 to 31 for Now or Never.
The Royal Exhibition Building is turning into a rave cave and Melbourne Recital Centre into an ethereal dreamscape for this year’s music program for Now or Never.
With massive international acts secured and home-grown heroes set to grace the stages of Naarm’s venues, read on to find out about the unmissable music events that are coming this August for Now or Never.
Now or Never 2024
- Boundary-pushing digital arts festival Now or Never will take over Melbourne’s CBD
- Incredible events will be held at Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne Museum and State Library Victoria, among others
- It will run from Thursday 22 to Saturday 31 August
- Tickets are on sale now. To explore the full program, head here
Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Ben Frost / CORIN / Eartheater / Gabber Modus Operandi
- Thursday 22 August, 6pm to 11pm
- Royal Exhibition Building
- Tickets here
Kicking off the opening night of Now or Never is a takeover of the Royal Exhibition Building, like it’s never seen before. A program of experimental pop, scorched electronics and unhinged techno, this Thursday night will see the likes of Ben Frost, CORIN and Gabber Modus Operandi fill the halls, with a very special performance from acclaimed American multi-instrumentalist Eartheater.
Clark / Naretha Williams / Sandwell District (Hybrid AV) / Veronica Vasicka
- Friday 23 August, 6pm to 11pm
- Royal Exhibition Building
- Tickets here
Friday night at the Royal Exhibition Building will see musical performances from all over the world, elevating you to the stratosphere. Birmingham-based Sandwell District will be doing nothing short of reinventing techno, while British artist Clark will be putting on a sonic and cinematic experience of massive proportions. New Yorker Veronica Vasicka is sure to bring the heat to the dance floors, just in time for Naarm local Naretha Williams to blow the whole thing up.
MOUNTAIN
- Saturday 24 August, 7.30pm to 8.30pm
- Melbourne Recital Centre, Elisabeth Murdoch Hall
- Tickets here
UK electronic music producer Clark will be collaborating with the artistic force that is choreographer Melanie Lane in this contemporary dance performance at Melbourne Recital Centre. Exploring the tensions between mythic and man-made worlds, this performance will be all about reaching further into spaces beyond our comprehension.
DJ AYA / DJ PGZ / Donato Dozzy / Estella Boersma / François X
- Saturday 24 August, 4pm to 11pm
- Royal Exhibition Building
- Tickets here
Returning to the Royal Exhibition Building for another stint at Now or Never, Untitled Group will be presenting a roster of some of the best players in the current techno game (anyone who saw Donato Dozzy’s closing set at Inner Varnika will know we’re in for a treat). With DJ AYA, DJ PGZ, Donato Dozzy, Estella Boersma and François X all billed to fire up the live music cathedral this Saturday night, you never will have partied so hard.
Anthony Naples / COUCOU CHLOE / Erika De Casier / Sleep D (Live)
- Sunday 25 August, 5pm to 10pm
- Royal Exhibition Building
- Tickets here
Now or Never’s reign of the Royal Exhibition Building will come to a close with a bang on Sunday 25 August with a lineup that is all killer, no filler. Experimental digital art and transcendental party music will collide when Anthony Naples, COUCOU CHLOE, Erika De Casier and much-loved Naarm duo Sleep D take the stage.
Actress x HTRK
- Thursday 29 August, 8pm to 9pm
- Melbourne Recital Centre, Elisabeth Murdoch Hall
- Tickets here
The best of London and Naarm share the stage in this unmissable collaboration of Actress and HTRK at Melbourne Recital Centre. This world-exclusive special event commissioned by Now or Never is one to go down in the history books, with the ethereal HTRK bringing the poetry to electronic composer Actress’s experimental sonic universe.
Wuigada – Gagada
- Friday 30 August, 7pm to 8pm
- The Capitol Theatre
- Tickets here
At this very special event at the Capitol Theatre, Now or Never will be celebrating First Nations songman and proud Mutti Mutti, Yorta Yorta and Nari Nari man Kutcha Edwards, in collaboration with the Australian Art Orchestra. His celebrated discography will be brought to life through Edward’s prolific vocals and the improvisation of the AAO, in a treasured night of celebration, music and storytelling.
Brothaboy Dardy Vibez
- Saturday 31 August, 5pm to 10pm
- Section 8
- More info here
Naarm’s favourite container bar Section 8 is throwing a free party for the final night of Now or Never in collaboration with renowned streetwear label Brothaboy. This hotly anticipated explosion of an event – you wouldn’t expect anything less at Section 8 – will be showcasing a roster of First Nations artists, highlighted by the extraordinary Kaylah Truth.
Check out the full Now or Never program here.
Beat is an official media partner of Now or Never.
