Now in its seventh year, Melbourne Music Week (MMW) has announced its full program for 2016 – and it’s absolutely amazing.
The collection of shows being put on will transform Melbourne into a musical hub from the 11th to the 19th of November, gifting the city a nine-day program which serves to highlight the incredible, forward thinking music scene that we have here with a stellar line up on Australian and international talent, centred on stalwarts of the Melbourne scene.
MMW isn’t just using any old venues for their seventh incarnation. They’re opening long abandoned buildings, turning laneways into stages, and even using the State Library as their festival hub, with the historic reading room Queen’s Hall hosting a plethora performances. For every day the festival is running, the State Library’s renowned forecourt will play host to free all-ages performances, DJ sets, and fresh culinary wonders. MMW‘s incredible program for 2016 boasts so many amazing shows, and you can check out all of them here.
But with so much fantastic music to witness over just nine days, it can all get a bit overwhelming. So we’ve decided to put together a list of the most unmissable events taking place as part of the 9-day, medium blending, genre-crossing festival.
Hush: An Evening of Quiet Music at The Parliament
Co-presented by JBL Audio and Hush, this is a concert with a rather unique twist. The audience has to remain completely pin drop silent for the length of the performance. That’s no laughing, no talking, no cheering and no shouting. Hush is an award-winning concert series that was started by WA songwriter Davey Craddock, who got sick of his favourite artists sets being ruined by “noisy idiots up the back.” The first Victorian incarnation of the project will feature the many talents of Dan Kelly, Teeth & Tongue, Melody Pool, Sui Zhen, Jess Rebeiro, Grand Salvo, Man Made Mountain, Davey Craddock and The Grand Magoozi. It is set to take place in Parliament House’s Queens Hall, Federation and Library rooms.
Tickets: HERE
When?: 15th of November, 7PM
Where?: Parliament of Victoria
Her Sound, Her Story: A Celebration of Women in Music
For the opening night of the 2016 program, MMW will be getting together some of the best female artists in Australian music for a celebration of women in music. Julia Stone, Montaigne, Ecca Vandal, Elizabeth Rose and Airling are among the awesome artists taking part in the event. Through both musical and spoken word performances, this event will see the opening of the MMW Festival Hub at the State Library. Bookending the showcase will be extended sets from Elizabeth Rose and Mojo Juju. Inspired by a photography exhibition of the same name by music photographer Michelle Grace Hunder, Her Sound Her Story is a collaborative reflection on the importance of women in music, and the sheer breadth of talent they represent in Australian music specifically.
Tickets: HERE
When?: 11th of November, 7:30 PM
Where?: MMW Hub, State Library of Victoria
Severed Heads + Harvey Sutherland & Bermuda + Young Magic
A joint venture between Aarght Records Paradise, Smooch Records and Waving At Trains, an outstanding line up will set the State Library alive on a Saturday night, with three stages running from 6pm until 4am. It’s hard to imagine what dance music inside the State Library in the early hours of the morning would be like, but doesn’t that make it all the more tantalising? Featuring a set from seminal Australian Industrial/EBM act Severed Heads, the lush and immersive Young Magic (New York) and phenomenal live disco trio Harvey Sutherland & Bermuda, as well as support from Youandewan (Scotland), Nun, Drug Sweat, Fantastic Man, friendships (DJ set), Deer, Krakatau, Lucy Cliché, Albrecht La’Brooy, Terry, Null (DJ set), Shouse, Ela Stiles, Sweet Whirl, OCDANTAR, Nite Fleit, Kris Baha, and Noise In My Head + Chris Ackroyd, this mind blowing line up is sure to raise a few eye brows. An absolutely unmissable collection of Australian and international dance acts that is primed to set the State Library dance floor on fire.
Tickets: HERE
When?: 12th of November, 6PM
Where?: MMW Hub, State Library of Victoria
Androgynous Music for Androgynous People
Co-presented with MPavilion, Melbourne Music Week invites you to get androgynous at the Queen Victoria Gardens, to a hear a DJ set of androgynous music for androgynous people. Whether you’re bringing out your feminine or masculine side, Melbourne DJ Lisa Lerenfenldt will have you more than covered. One-half of the noise duo Perfume as well as a solo artist, Lerenfenldt is an iconic musician who has been heavily involved in Australia’s underground scene for quite some time. This is a free event from 6-9pm at the Queen Victoria Gardens on Friday November 11th.
Tickets: FREE
When?: November 11th, 6PM
Where?: MMW Hub, State Libary of Victoria
Composure: Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio
A joint venture between MMW and the Arts Centre Melbourne, this event invites the public to explore the amazing hardware synthesiser collection owned by Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio (MESS). MESS will host a sound production workshop which will represent one of the foremost eclectic and historically significant collection of electronic instruments in the world. Founders Byron Scullin and Robert Fox will host a discussion and presentation of their amazing collection, sharing stories of their history, and the implementation of their collection across the country. The workshop will also feature demonstrations of some of the equipment belonging to the collective.
Tickets: FREE, but bokings essential.
When?: November 11th, 7PM
Where?: The Chanel, Arts Centre
