Summer 2020: Your ultimate Melbourne music festival guide
Music lovers are spoiled for choice in January, with a bunch of awesome festivals in and around Melbourne. Kiel Egging finds five of the best.
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Melbourne not only attracts the world’s best tennis players during summer, but some of the top musicians as well.
Here’s our five top festivals in Melbourne for January — and the best of the regional festivals to boot.
AUSTRALIAN OPEN LIVE STAGE
January 19 – February 2, Birrarung Marr, Melbourne
As the (Ash) Barty party plays out on court, another stellar collection of local and international acts will bring the noise off it. Grinspoon, Matt Corby and The Veronicas are the homegrown drawcards while UK stares Billy Idol and Bastille are locked in for the tail end of the tournament. Entry is free to all Australian Open ticketholders.
SUNSET SOUNDS
January 5, 12 and 19, various venues.
Stonnington’s free Sunday sessions series returns for some good vibes and great tunes in gardens and parks in Prahran, Malvern and Malvern East. Grab a picnic rug and kick back with jazz, soul, funk, pop and blues and roots and grab some tasty snacks from the food trucks too.
MELBOURNE ZOO TWILIGHTS
January 24-March 7, Melbourne Zoo, Parkville. Various prices.
A longstanding favourite for music and animal lovers alike – the Zoos Twilights series has another solid collection of acts this summer for all demographics. It kicks off with shows from Confidence Man and Icehouse at the end of the month.
BY THE BAY FESTIVAL
January 11, Sandringham Beach, $64-$95
A new addition to Melbourne’s summer festival scene, this aptly named one-dayer is coming to Sandringham Beach with a bunch of DJ’s and dance artists. Bringing the beats are Boo Seeka, Young Franco and Benson.
FOMO
January 12, Melbourne Showgrounds, Ascot Vale. $149.90-$199.90
You’ll be feeling Good As Hell when you bounce along to Lizzo, Jax Jones, Brockhampton and Rico Nasty at the Melbourne leg of the national hip-hop fest. There’ll also be a beauty bar to get as much glitter on your face as you want.
THE BEST OF THE REGIONAL FESTIVALS
UNIFY
January 9-12, Tarwin Lower, $279-349
Metalheads, this is your kind of party. The boutique festival at Tarwin Lower is in its fifth year and includes BYO and camping. UK heavy hitters Architects, who played a memorable set in the pouring rain two years ago, will return for a hopefully drier headline set.
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OCEAN SOUNDS
January 18, Churchill Island National Park, $35-$70
Bliss out at this new family-friendly one-day event at Churchill Island with a sunset concert, local wines and cheeses and gourmet food trucks. Remi, The Bamboos and Ash Grunwald are at the top of the bill.