As proud residents of the Brunswick community, we'll be honest – Brunswick Music Festival may just be one of the most near and dear to our hearts.
Brunswick Music Festival is back, bringing the energy to the city’s most vibrant mix of live music, culture and community. From March 2 -10, the festival will take over venues, parks, pools and even libraries for an unforgettable week of genre-spanning performances.
There’s something for everyone, whether you’re into hip-hop, folk, punk, electronic or something in between. Get ready to explore, dance and celebrate in Naarm’s live music capital.
Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Sydney Road Street Party
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- VARIOUS VENUES ON SYDNEY ROAD
- 2 MAR
The biggest street fest of the year is back for 2025! For one day, Sydney Road will be packed with revellers, music, market stalls, roving performers and food as the roads are closed and the party opens.
Bounce between scattered stages with a mix of musical styles, from punk to dance, folk, Greek and community choirs. Duck inside the venues for bevs and even more beats, running from day late into the night. Dance DJs are taking over the Bergy Seltzer beer garden, with an epic lineup of 10 live acts in the bandroom, including Aardvark, GUSH, Zombeaches and Hot Machine.
The Retreat has The Pro-Teens, Don’t Thank Me, Spank Me! and more on the main stage, with live performances and DJs pumping outside. You’ll find folk music from Ruth Parker and other singer-songwriters out the front of Co-Conspirators, while Stay Gold is going alt and indie, featuring Greek-Australian punk band Frenzee.
ON3 Open House is back with their energetic celebration of dance DJs. Brunswick Ballroom has scored The Vasco Era alongside a mix of folk, country, psych rock and indie pop.
If DJs and sax sessions are on your dance card, head to The Penny Black. Your favourite local wine shop, Staple Liquor, is presenting a “best of” lineup of their past vinyl DJs. It’s a lot to get through, but you’ve got all day. It’s always a highlight of Brunswick Music Festival.
Miss Kaninna, Elsy Wameyo & 6 Seasons of Gariwerd by Amos-Roach
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- GILPIN PARK
- 7 MAR
It’s genre-fusion storytelling from powerful young women, with tickets costing only $30. Multi-award-winning artist Miss Kaninna, a proud Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung, Kalkadoon and Yirendali woman, performs her punk, rap, neo-soul stylings that made her breakout singles Blak Britney and Pinnacle Bitch immediate hits. She’ll be playing alongside Elsy Wameyo, a Nairobi-born artist from Adelaide, who fuses hip-hop, R&B, gospel and traditional African music.
Buy tickets here.
Bahamadia (US) w/ Kaiit + CD
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- GILPIN PARK
- 8 MAR
Prepare for an unmissable night of rap and smooth soul as legendary Philly rapper Bahamadia takes the stage at Gilpin Park. Since her 1996 debut album, Kollage, she’s been a hip-hop pioneer, blending with jazz and electronic music for an iconic sound. ARIA-Award-winning neo-soul artist Kaiit joins her with the delicious vocal grooves that made them a global sensation. With tickets only $40, it’s a steal.
Buy tickets here.
Tangled Mates: 12 Hour Brunswick Music Fest Party
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- QUAD CLUB
- 7 MAR
Get ready for an epic 12-hour dance marathon as Tangle Agency and Crates Mates take over Quad Club. It’s an all-night journey from 5pm to 5am, blending live music, DJ sets and visual displays, powered by the venue’s quadraphonic sound system. The lineup features New Zealand’s Nice Girl and Montréal’s Ramzi (musician and visual artist Phoebé Guillemot), alongside Bayu, Birdsnake, Ex Ponto, Hybrid Man, KALOPSIA and San of the Rambutan.
Buy tickets here.
Saturate
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- BRUNSWICK BATHS
- 9 MAR
Naarm-based artist Sara Retallick will transform the Brunswick Baths by night into a wholly unique audio-aquatic experience. Immerse yourself in SATURATE, a sound installation that can only be heard beneath the water as you explore and swim between different audio zones.
Buy tickets here.
Pachyman (US)
- HOWLER
- 7 MAR
Howler hosts Pachyman as he performs his 2023 album, Switched-On, inspired by old-school dub. Using throwback synth sounds, he evokes waves of sun-soaked nostalgia for an era of feel-good electronic groove. It’s smooth. It’s dreamy.
Buy tickets here.
Gamelan DanAnda X Firetail Album Launch
- QUAD CLUB
- 5 MAR
Balinese gamelan orchestra Gamelan DanAnda and electro-jazz-fusion band Firetail are launching their 12th vinyl album with a night of pulsing rhythms in a fusion of musical traditions. They’re supported by READY NEW GANG, merging the music of Balinese shadow puppetry with double bass by Scott Owen and drums by David Williams.
More info here.
MESS: New Waveforms
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- BRUNSWICK MECHANICS INSTITUTE
- 5 MAR
Five emerging artists present a showcase of electronic music drawing from the vast instrument collection of MESS (Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio). Join MESS alumni D. Tyrone, Mimmie, Reibang Chakma, Zoltan Fecso and INHARMONICITY for an electric evening at Brunswick Mechanics Institute.
Buy tickets here.
Golden Threads Festival
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- FLEMING PARK
- 9 MAR
Fleming Park plays host to this lively free festival of SWANA / Middle Eastern music, culture and food. Performances include Yara, Rezanator, Kaza Band and DJs Luqman and HIP HOP HOE as well as workshops in belly-dancing and dabke, and eats by A1 bakery and Chef Aheda.
More info here.
Bulleke-bek Journey
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- VARIOUS VENUES
- 9 MAR
It’s a Brunswick live music crawl with a full day of free acts sprawling across venues and genres, including a vinyl launch party at the Beast, alt-country at Co-Conspirators, New Orleans jazz at the Moldy Fig, streetside songs at Staple Liquor, a punk conglomerate at the Coburg RSL and much more.
More info here.
Live At The Library
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- BRUNSWICK LIBRARY
- 8 MAR
“Grandma-rock-meets-clit-pop” outfit The Vovos, will be breaking the silence of Brunswick Library for a first-come-first-served free show, joined by the new solo stylings of Grace Robinson.
More info here.
Kutcha Edwards and Friends
- YUBUP PARK
- 10 MAR
Legendary Mutti Mutti, Yorta Yorta, Nari Nari senior Songman Kutcha Edwards is coming to Yubup Park with Kutcha and Friends, a free singing and storytelling journey of his life and experiences. Moving between music and speech, gravitas and humour, Kutcha weaves tales as only he can.
More info here.
Brunswick Music Festival runs from March 2 – 10 in venues across Brunswick. Visit the website here.
This article was made in partnership with Brunswick Music Festival.
