The wait is over.
Very soon, from corner to corner, the city will transform into a quirky wonderland of art, sound and wonder thanks to Now or Never 2024. The second iteration of the mammoth event will soon begin, bringing free art installations, internationally acclaimed creatives, massive raves and so much more to Melbourne.
Running from August 22 to 31, Now or Never packs a ton into its 10 day run. If you’ve left your plans to the last minute (tsk tsk), here’s what the expansive festival has to offer.
Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Music
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The shining star of Now or Never’s music program is the Royal Exhibition Building. Last year, the festival brought raves back to the stunning heritage venue for the first time in two decades. Now, they’re doing it all over again, with parties from Thursday to Sunday featuring awe-inspiring visuals and lineups packed with experimental gems, underground heroes and local legends.
Thursday 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.
The following night will feature Birmingham-based techno legends Sandwell District, British artist Clark, New Yorker Veronica Vasicka and Naarm local Naretha Williams.
On Saturday, Untitled Group will be presenting a roster of some of the best players in the current techno game. With DJ AYA, DJ PGZ, Donato Dozzy, Estella Boersma and François X all billed to fire up the live music cathedral this Saturday night, it’s going to be a bit one.
Finally, on Sunday, 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.
Elsewhere on the music program, find MOUNTAIN, a collaboration between electronic producer Clark and choreographer Melanie Lane, Wuigada – Gagada, a performance of epic proportions celebrating the discography of First Nations musician Kutcha Edwards, Brothaboy Dardy Vibez, a huge free day party at Section 8 showcasing Indigenous talent and creativity, and a poetry/music mix-up featuring Actress and HTRK.
Art
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The artistic offerings this year are no joke, with incredible digital creations, larger-than-life installations and so much more. Whether you’re an experimental art fanatic or you’re just a little curious, there’s certain to be something to satisfy you.
There’s plenty of free stuff to check out, including Studio Lemercier’s Constellations which is set to transform the Yarra into a cosmic wonderland of water and light, kajoo yannaga showcasing a virtual walk on Country led by the Companion Sky Spirit, Present Shock II displaying a wall of live, ever-changing statistics by the Town Hall, the augmented reality offering of Slow Walker and the hypnotic moving light sculptures of Silent Symphony.
Ticketed events include Marco Fusinato’s visceral six-hour guitar and visual performance DESASTRES, Alisdair Macindoe’s algorithmically generated dance Plagiarism and Eora art collective’s Soft Centre’s multi-media spectacle of storytelling, workshops and performance Supermodel.
And that’s just a taste. There’s so much more on the program, as well as workshops, talks and literary events. The dazzling festival begins on Thursday and it’ll be done in a blink, so don’t wait. There’s a reason it’s called Now or Never.
Browse the full program here.
