A mammoth collective of non-stop DJs will bring the beats and pre-summer vibes to Melbourne Museum Plaza across 11 packed days this November 20-30.
Over 200 hours of music and 180+ DJs, will keep the party going round the clock with special one-off sets from Melbourne icons of the music, entertainment and hospitality scenes, surprise international guests and curated slots from some of the city’s most beloved institutions.
Housed in a transparent Spacecube, ALWAYS LIVE’s Nonstop DJs will deliver a revolving door of the best of the Melbourne music scene and beyond, including:
Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Nonstop DJs at Melbourne Museum Plaza
Toro Y Moi (USA); Tony MF (USA); 106.7 PBS FM DJS; 1800 Lasagne DJs; Broadsheet DJs; CADA DJs including DJ Klasik, Carolina Gasolina & Mistah Cee; Chapter Music DJs including Ben O’Connor and Guy Blackman, CLAMM DJs, Esther Edquist (Sweet Whirl); Our Golden Friend DJsincluding RVG and Good Morning; Andee Frost; DJ JNETT; Tanzer & The Huxleys; DJ Cooper Smith & Dylan Alcott; Fee-B Squared; Woody McDonald; Annaliese Replica; College of Knowledge DJs; Crown Ruler DJs; DJ101 DJs; Dutty DJs; Everyday Coffee DJs; Finding Figaro & Friends DJs; Foreign Brothers DJs; Here For Good DJs; Hope Street DJs; House of Cheese DJs; IT Records DJs; Jamaican Music and Food Festival DJs; JOY DJs; Katie Pearson & Millú DJs; MARY! DJs; Melbourne Food & Wine Festival DJs including Gerald Diffey (Gerald’s Bar), Raph Rashid (Beatbox Kitchen) and Shannon Martinez (Smith & Daughters); Mistletone DJs; Music in Exile DJs; MzRizk DJs including Chiara Kickdrum and Sensible J; Neurotiq Erotiq DJs; The Operatives DJs; Paul Gorrie DJs including Soju Gang; Spotify DJs; SYN DJs; Thickwave DJs; Triple R DJs; Waving at Trains and so, so, so many more.
Taking place from 7am-11pm daily, this free event will also play host to an on-site food and beverage precinct. Check out some music with a free filter coffee and baked breakfast goods from Everyday Coffee, daily until 9am. Then from midday on weekends and 4pm on weekdays sip and snack the afternoon and night away with a rotating local food truck offering and pop-up bar brought to you by much-loved gin masters Four Pillars and craft beer purveyors, Stomping Ground.
SoundBox at Arts Centre Melbourne
Then, across 12 days from November 30 – December 11, SoundBox, a fully functioning pop-up audio studio takes you behind the scenes of the music industry on the Arts Centre Melbourne forecourt with live performances and interviews, recording sessions, songwriting and production workshops and interviews with a host of Australia’s finest musical minds.
A dream of the late, great, Michael Gudinski AM, ALWAYS LIVE celebrates two of his great loves: live contemporary music and Victoria. His vision was for a major event to showcase our incredible music industry. It is now being delivered with the entire sector in his legacy and SoundBox is the beating heart of this homage to Michael’s lifelong contribution to the music industry.
The program includes: outside broadcasts and other programming from radio stations 3KND, 106.7 PBS FM, CADA, JOY FM, NOVA FM and SYN; live performances and interviews with a range of artists from the ALWAYS LIVE program; producing sessions with Alice Ivy, Audrey Powne, Allysha Joy and Candice Lorrae from The Merindas; songwriting and recording sessions with Tim Shiel and Mindy Meng Wang, Kira Piru, June Jones and Kiwat Kennell; Deep Dive sessions exploring artifacts from the Australian Music Vault with key figures from the music industry; live podcast sessions with special guest interviews from the ALWAYS LIVE Podcast and Her Sound, Her Story; 321 Sessions from APRA AMCOS curated by Anna Laverty; Behind the Label sessions with Chapter Records and HopeStreet Records; a silent disco hosted by Client Liaison; and more major moments to be announced.
ALWAYS LIVE CEO, Steve Smith said, “SoundBox, proudly presented by ALWAYS LIVE, is yet another example of our celebration of live contemporary music in the live music capital, that being Melbourne and Victoria. Visitors to Melbourne will certainly know that there is something very special happening in our city. SoundBox will take audiences behind the scenes to experience the excellence of our world-leading music industry.”
All remaining ALWAYS LIVE tour dates
Sat 19 Nov
Riva
UNTITLED. & Thick as Thieves present
Claptone (GER): The Masquerade
Late Nite Tuff Guy, Torren Foote, Casey Leaver & Sasha Fern
St Kilda / Bunurong
Sat 19 Nov
524 Flinders Street
Coalesce Records presents
Coalesce 004: Ninajirachi and Friends
Babie Club DJs, Caucasian Opportunities, Club Angel, Fresh Hex, Mulalo & yergurl
Melbourne / Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung
Sat 19 Nov
The Night Cat
Our Golden Friend presents
Jess Cornelius (NZ)
CRONELIUS (debut) & Sunbeam Sound Machine
Fitzroy / Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung
Sat 19 Nov
Graham Street
Novel presents
Smalltown Street Rave
Marcel Dettmann (GER), Dusky (UK), SPFDJ (GER), X-Coast, Emma Renée & Yarra
Port Melbourne / Bunurong
Sat 19 & Sun 20 Nov
Thorpdale
Melbourne Food and Wine Festival present
The Village Feast
Dorsal Fins, Grace Cummings, Jazz Party, Little Quirks, Mia Wray, Pirrutu, Tim Shiel and Mindy Meng Wang & Wilson Blackley
Thorpdale / Gunaikurnai
Sun 20 → Wed 30 Nov
Melbourne Museum Plaza
ALWAYS LIVE presents
Nonstop DJs
Catch DJs coming together from all corners of the music scene to bring the best beats and bangers
Carlton / Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung
Mon 21 Nov
Ballarat Regent Cinema
Mushroom Pictures & MIFF present
LongPlay Music Film Festival: Launch Event
The Angels: Kickin’ Down The Doors
Performance by Rick & John Brewster (The Angels)
Ballarat / Wadawurrung
Wed 23 Nov
Northcote Theatre
Mistletone presents
Toro Y Moi (USA)
Northcote / Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung
Thu 24 Nov
Brunswick Ballroom
Harbour Agency presents
Frente: 30 Years of ‘Marvin The Album’
DJ People (Chapter Music)
Brunswick / Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung
Thu 24 → Sun 27 Nov
Mushroom Pictures & MIFF present
LongPlay Music Film Festival: Meet Me In The Bathroom, The Last Waltz & We Are The Thousand
Ballarat Regent, Geelong Pivotonian & Sun Bairnsdale
Check cinema website for schedules
Fri 25 Nov
Melbourne Recital Centre
Love Police & Melbourne Recital Centre present
Big Thief (USA)
Mess Esque
Melbourne / Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung
Fri 25 → Sun 27 Nov
Queenscliff
Queenscliff Music Festival presents
QMF x First Plays
Baker Boy, Isabella Manfredi, Middle Kids & RVG
Queenscliff / Wada Warrung
SOLD OUT
Sun 27 Nov
The Gathering Place, Hanging Rock
First and Forever
Baker Boy, Budjerah, Jessica Mauboy, King Stingray, Sycco, Thelma Plum, Alice Skye, Busby Marou, Christina Anu, Dan Sultan, Electric Fields, Emma Donovan, Tasma Keith, Ziggy Ramo, BARKAA, Birds, Dameeeela, Jess Hitchcock, JK-47, Kardajala Kiridarra & Kobie Dee + more
Co-curated by Briggs with thanks to Paul Kelly
Macedon Ranges / Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung, Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung
Mon 28 Nov → Thu 1 Dec
Fall Back Studios
APRA AMCOS presents
SongHubs
Short intensive songwriting camps that bring together selected APRA AMCOS members and renowned international songwriters and producers to create new hits.
Curator: Courtney Barnett
Melbourne / Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung
Wed 30 Nov
Melbourne Recital Centre
Melbourne Recital Centre presents
Kardajala Kirridarra
DRMNGNOW
Melbourne / Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung
Thu 1Dec
Chapel Off Chapel
Chapel Off Chapel presents
Totally Folked: Bobby Alu
Declan Kelly
Prahran / Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung
Fri 2 → Sun 4 Dec
Carisbrook Chopped Festival presents
Amyl and the Sniffers
Chopped Festival headline
Andy Golledge, C.O.F.F.I.N, Smoke Witch & many more
Carisbrook / Dja Dja Wurrung
Fri 2 Dec
Chapel Off Chapel
Chapel Off Chapel presents
Totally Folked: Charm of Finches
Pirritu
Prahran / Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung
Fri 2 Dec
Melbourne Recital Centre
Melbourne Recital Centre presents
Vika & Linda – Gee Whiz, It’s Christmas!
Melbourne / Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung
Sat 3 Dec
Sandringham Village
End of the Line
Jen Cloher, The Merindas, Maple Glider (solo) & Chitra
Sandringham / Bunurong
Sat 3 Dec
The Old Bar
The Old Bar & Mountain Goat present
The Old Bar 21st Celebration
Cash Savage & The Last Drinks, SPOD, Skyscraper Stan and The Commission Flats & Streetsweeper
Fitzroy / Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung
Sat 3 Dec
Chapel Off Chapel
Chapel Off Chapel presents
Totally Folked: Lior & Domini
Jess Hitchcock
Prahran / Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung
Sun 4 Dec
Palace Foreshore
The Teskey Brothers, Applejack Music & Select Music present
Lovely Day
The Teskey Brothers, Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles (USA), Emma Volard & Elsy Wameyo
St Kilda / Bunurong
Tue 6 Dec
Melbourne Recital Centre
The Wheeler Centre presents
Mixtape Memories: A Gala of Story and Song
Amy Remeikis, Ben Skewry, Carly Findlay, Claire G. Coleman, Em Rusciano, Mawaunyo Gbogbo, Rhys Nicholson
Hosted by Myf Warhurst
With performance from Cash Savage, Georgia Mooney, Jess Hitchcock, June Jones, Paul Grabowsky, Thndo & more to be announced
Auslan interpreted event
Melbourne / Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung
Thu 8 Dec
Hamer Hall
Arts Centre Melbourne & Gaba Musik presents
Blaktivism: Yothu Yindi
Bart Willoughby, Deline Briscoe, Emma Donovan, Lou Bennett, Romaine Morton, Selwyn Burns, Sprigga Mek, Sorong Samarai & Tasman Keith
Southbank / Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung
Fri 9 Dec
Hamer Hall
Niche Productions presents
Sampa the Great
As Above, So Below – front to back
Cool Out Sun and Temgazi
Southbank / Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung
Sat 10 Dec
Sawyer Park Sound Shell
Live Nation, Songlines Aboriginal Music & Australian Music Vault present
Alice Skye
Welcome to Country, Smoking Ceremony, Carissa Nyalu & dance performances
Horsham / Wotjobaluk, Wergaia, Jupagalk, Jaadwa & Jadawadjali
FREE EVENT
Sat 10 Dec
Sidney Myer Music Bowl
Hardware, Piknik Elektronik & Eat The Beat present
Hardware 30 : GOOD FAITH
Andrea Guadalupi, Anyo, April Kerry, Chris & Caba, CJ Bolland LIVE (BEL), Dave Jackson, DJ HMC, DJ JNETT, Eric Powell, Etwas, Jason Digby, Jeff Tyler, Jen Tutty, Joseph Capriati (IT), Khalil, Kiti, Laura King, Mario Loria, Matt Radovich, Matteo Freyrie, Mike Callander, Ophelie Mercury, Richie Hawtin (CAN), Sama’ Abdulhadi (PAL), Sean Quinn, Sunshine, Takse, Tim Byrne, Victor Ruiz LIVE (BR) & Viridian (LIVE)
Melbourne / Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung
Sat 10 Dec
Seaworks
Stick Mareebo Productions presents
Jamaican Music and Food Festival
Bart Willoughby, 1LawdGad (UK), Turbulence (JAM), The Ska Vendors, Rubi Du (NZ) & Heartical Hi Powa
Williamstown / Bunurong
Sat 10 Dec
Music Market
Arts Access Victoria presents
Snug Rock
June Jones, Rudely Interrupted, Huntly, Half n Half & Racerage
Collingwood / Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung
Sat 10 Dec
Churchill Island
The Hills Are Alive & Ocean Sounds Festival present
Tash Sultana
Ocean Sounds
Pierce Brothers, Kim Churchill, Kee’ahn, Little Green & Mark Howard
Phillip Island / Bunurong
Sat 10 Dec
The Industrique
We Are 18
Guests of The Operatives: Alix Perez (BEL, Anna Morgan (USA), Jael (NDL), Moktar (SYD), Unglued (UK), Gold Fang (SYD) & Xnywlf (SYD) The Operatives: C000kie, DJ Smilez, Georgia Dust, Fly Boy Jack, Foura, Hans DC, Idle Minds Workshop, Jade Zoe, Kaira Cuvee, Nam, Sistym, Teymori & Yung Shogun
Coburg / Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung
Sun 11 Dec
Paramount Theatre
Live Nation, Songlines Aboriginal Music & Australian Music Vault present
Hometown: Isaiah Firebrace
Darcy Ramage, Madi Colville-Walker & DJ Luke Macpherson
Echuca / Yorta Yorta
Sun 11 & Mon 12 Dec
Forum Theatre
Novel presents
Caribou (CAN)
Marli
Melbourne / Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung
FIRST SHOW SOLD OUT
Sat 21 Jan
Pioneer Park
Live Nation & Alpine Shire Council present
Alpine Valley Vibes ft. Jessica Mauboy
Illy, Gretta Ray, The Buoys & more
Bright / Taungurung
Head to www.alwayslive.com.au for the full Nonstop DJs program, SoundBox highlight information and to check out the remaining shows.
