Live Music
Summer nights, original artists, ambient soundscapes – all in the open air.
This summer, Open Air at the Square brings you candlelit intimacy and expansive, genre-spanning performances – an eclectic feast of diverse sounds and live music experiences.
Saturday 7 February, 5pm–7.30pm | Main Square
A talent quest and massive, free one-day showcase of emerging music talent, Garage Band is back for the fourth year, to turn up the volume on Victoria’s next generation of musicians.
Tuesday 10, 11 + 12 February, 8.30pm–9.30pm | Main Square
Experience intimate outdoor candlelit concerts with original artists across three summer evenings – featuring icon of Australian music Tina Arena, Melbourne-based indie group Folk Bitch Trio and rising R&B star Dean Brady.
Saturday 14 February, 3pm–10pm | Main Square
Nongkrong Festival returns to the Square this Valentine’s Day, for a twilight celebration of contemporary Indonesian culture. Fall in love with Indonesian food, music, dance and community.
Monday 16, 17, 18, 19 + 20 February, 8pm | Main Square
A weeklong showcase of some of silent cinema’s most celebrated films from directors Charlie Chaplin to Buster Keaton, Wu Yonggong to Jean Epstein, all brought to life with live scores performed by renowned DJs and some of Australia’s leading musician-composers. Featuring original scores performed by gypsy bluegrass ensemble Blue Grassy Knoll, Sally Ford and the Idiomatics with Patrick Cronin, Mindy Meng Wang and Burkhard Dallwitz and DJ sets by Emelyne and Lori.
Saturday 21 February, 6pm–11pm | Main Square
Booming bass thrumming through supercharged sound systems – dive into sound system subculture in this free, massive, day-to-night dance party, featuring local sound system legends and international headliners Sister Nancy and General Levy.
Saturday 21 + Sunday 22 February | The Edge + Main Square
The battle is back. The beats are bigger. City Sessions brings together local street dancers, and crews from across Australia and Southeast Asia for an epic showcase of contemporary street dance culture.
Thursday 26 February, 7pm–8pm | Main Square
Beatles fans, you’re gonna love, love, love this one – from packing out stages at Glastonbury and beyond, DJ Chris Arnold is coming to the Square to take you on a magical mystery tour of his collection of covers, remixes and tracks that sampled arguably the greatest band of all time – The Beatles.
Friday 27 February, 7.30pmpm–10pm | Main Square
Get ready for some Big Freedia energy. Direct from New Orleans to Fed Square, the Queen of Bounce herself will headline a massive, high-octane celebration of LGBTQIA+ hip-hop and queer culture.
Saturday 28 February, 6pm–9.30pm | Main Square
A transcendent free concert performance, featuring music visionaries from across the globe: house-music pioneer François K, genre-bending Greek pop artist Σtella and hypnotic classical Indian and jazz trained vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Ganavya.
Official Media Partners
