Our list of this month’s top gigs has something for everyone
By James Jennings
Cat Power Sings Dylan
City Recital Hall, March 3-4
Youngsters drawn to the recent Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown off the strength of Timothée Chalamet’s cheekbones may have been bewildered at the whole “Dylan goes electric” controversy, even if it was quite the big deal at the time. At these gigs, US singer Chan Marshall, aka Cat Power, recreates Dylan’s notorious, folkie-enraging 1966 Manchester Free Trade Hall show, right down to switching from acoustic to electric instruments half-way through.
Cat Power will present her Bob Dylan tribute.Credit: Mario Sorrenti
Khruangbin
Hordern Pavilion, March 5-7
Houston trio Khruangbin (Thai for “aeroplane”) may only have just got the attention of the Grammys – they received a Best New Artist nomination in November 2024, despite releasing their debut album in 2015 – but those in the know have long been lapping up the band’s funky, world music-influenced jams. Three nights at the Hordern should tip you off to their prowess as a live unit; expect Thai rock, Iranian pop, dub, soul and psychedelia to all be thrown in the Khruangbin blender.
Expect a little bit of everything from Khruangbin.Credit:
Fontaines D.C.
Sydney Opera House Forecourt, March 6
Irish quintet Fontaines D.C. arrived in 2019 with agitated post-punk inspired by their homeland. Since then they’ve made impressive leaps and bounds in broadening the appeal of their music. Last year’s album Romance may be their best yet, taking big swings that work (see: rapping on Starburster; going full Cure on Favourite). Relentless gigging means they’re a formidable live unit; catch them while their star is on the rise.
Relentless gigging has made Fontaines D.C. a formidable live unit.Credit: Rick Clifford
Digable Planets
Metro Theatre, March 6
It’s a testament to their music’s quality that hip-hop trio Digable Planets are still touring the world despite their only albums, 1993’s Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space) and 1994’s Blowout Comb, being released more than three decades ago. The group’s jazz-inspired rap still sounds as fresh as ever, and MCs Ishmael “Butterfly” Butler, Mariana “Ladybug Mecca” Vieira and Craig “Doodlebug” Irving bring classics like Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat) to life with a (slick, cool) live band.
2manydjs
City Recital Hall, March 7
Belgian brothers Stephen and David Dewaele hit the music scene in 1995 with electronic band Soulwax, but their DJing duo 2manydjs has probably eclipsed the pair’s day job thanks to legendary live sets and the revered mash-up album As Heard on Radio Soulwax Pt. 2, which contains 45 remixed tracks from artists ranging from 10CC to Dolly Parton. Anyone who’s heard a Dewaele brothers DJ set knows that it’s about as fun and fist-pumping as dance music gets.
Stephen and David Dewaele’s live sets are legendary.Credit:
Summer Dance with Honey Dijon, Sofia Kourtesis and Deepa
Liberty Hall Courts, March 8
Summer may be over, but Sydney should hopefully have some good weather in the tank for this outdoor dance party. Headlining will be Chicago-born Honey Dijon, the legendary house music DJ and producer who’s collaborated with the likes of Beyoncé. Joining her is Peruvian-born DJ Sofia Kourtesis, whose excellent debut album Madres came out in 2023, and Sydney-based DJ Deepa. This might be the last time to throw your hands in the air like you just don’t care in an outdoors setting before the autumn chill sets in.
Honey Dijon will headline the festival.Credit: Anna Warr
PJ Harvey
Sydney Opera House Forecourt, March 13
It’s been eight years since Polly Jean Harvey last played live in Sydney, and this time she’s bringing Dirty Three guitarist Mick Turner as her support act. Harvey is touring in support of her Grammy-nominated 2023 album I Inside the Old Year Dying (her first independent LP since her 1992 debut Dry), although there are bound to be fan favourites played from across her stellar 34-year song catalogue. An iconic artist performing at an iconic venue makes this a can’t-miss show.
PJ Harvey is bringing Dirty Three guitarist Mick Turner as her support act.Credit: Getty Images
New Order
Sydney Opera House Forecourt, March 14-15
Ten albums and a bunch of singles over a 45-year career as a band may not be particularly prolific, but what legendary Salford, UK synth-pop band New Order lack in quantity, they make up for in quality (see: Blue Monday, Bizarre Love Triangle, Age of Consent, True Faith and countless other songs for definitive proof). Founding member and bassist Peter Hook left the band acrimoniously back in 2007, but New Order are in peak form as a live act.
MJ Lenderman
Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, March 25
Asheville, North Carolina’s Mark Jacob Lenderman has had a banner couple of years: his former band Wednesday’s album Rat Saw God was one of 2023’s best indie rock records, and Lenderman’s 2024 alt-country fourth LP Manning Fireworks was the kind of artistic breakthrough that gets you gigs at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. Lenderman’s music is the perfect intersection of indie rock and skewed Americana.
MJ Lenderman’s music sits at the intersection between indie rock and skewed Americana.Credit: NYT
Dua Lipa
Qudos Bank Arena, March 26, 28-29
Philanthropist, political activist, actress, fashion icon, global dance-pop superstar: little wonder Time magazine included Dua Lipa in its list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2024. Her appearance at the 2024 Glastonbury Festival had the BBC raving that Lipa “hit every mark with the precision of someone who had been preparing for this moment for years”. Check Lipa out live before she moves onward to two sold-out Wembley Arena shows in the UK in June.
Dua Lipa made Time’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world.Credit: Getty Images
March has something for every stripe of gig-goer: hip-hop and R&B (Ice Cube, Kehlani, Nelly, Jpegmafia, Tech N9ne), dance (Fatboy Slim, Groove Armada, Joy Orbison, Róisín Murphy, Ela Minus), dub reggae (Fat Freddy’s Drop, L.A.B.), jazz (Sun Ra Arkestra), indie pop and rock (Courteeners, Peach Pit, Cigarettes After Sex, Alexisonfire, Kasabian, Mumford & Sons, Georgia Lines), country (Cody Johnson), Nigerian rock (Etran De L’Aïr), metal and hard rock (the Knotfest festival), those who dabble in a bit of everything (Nils Frahm and John Grant) and all things Irish (Bob Geldof and the Misneach festival, featuring the Frames, Kneecap, Dermot Kennedy and more). Gig-playing Aussies include Polish Club, Dan Sultan, Budjerah, King Stingray, Deep Sea Arcade and Baby Animals. Who will you be seeing? Let us know in the comments.