Our Guide to Navigating Melbourne Music Week 2019

Melbourne Music Week is just around the corner for its 10th year of showcasing what’s hot on the local and global music scene in some of the city’s most hidden venues. From November 14th, get ready for 10 days packed with over 300 acts across 70 events curated to satisfy all your musical needs. We sat down and dissected the line-up so you and your friends leave with no regrets.

Opening Night
To kick off the week, the opening night on the 14th will be structured in the form of a Live Music Safari where acts will be spread out across the city’s venues between 4pm and 5am. Wander between your favourite venues as street performers and buskers get in on the party too. The best part? It’s all free.

The Return of the Light-Up-Cube Venue aka Hub Kubik
Each year, MMW designates an unconventional space or location as their base for the week. Previous Hub venue highlights have included ACMI, St Paul's Cathedral, the State Library of Victoria as well as the former Royal Women’s Hospital. The original hub, however, was Kubik—a German-designed structure made from industrial containers and LEDs that interact with the beats and frequencies of live performances. This year, the Kubik Hub will make its grand return, this time in the Alexandra Gardens from Friday 15 – Saturday 23.

CC:DISCO! + Raphaël Top-Secret
Starting off at Hub: Kubik on Friday the 15th at 8pm is the iconic Melbourne-born and Europe-based DJ CC:DISCO! Joyously combining house, disco and funk, she will transform the outdoor space into her very own Club Coco, alongside France’s Raphaël Top-Secret, to play her first set back in her hometown after a successful summer tour in Europe.

Kittin + Jennifer Loveless + Sunshine & Disco Faith Choir
The following night at the Hub will see French goddess Caroline Hervé, aka Kittin, take over Kubik from 8pm with her charming, French techno-electronic blends. Whilst her last visit to Australia was way back in 2012, Kittin will make a return to perform a plethora of new tracks with support from local talent Jennifer Loveless – a total Melbourne dancefloor fiend. To turn this night into an unmissable triple threat experience, Sunshine & Disco Faith Choir will bring the church to Kubik as they grace the Hub with an all-encompassing live club session.

DAF + Total Control + Dark Water
As we step away from the Hub, prepare yourselves for legendary German duo DAF who'll take up residence at the Melbourne Town Hall on the 17th at 6PM for their first Australian show ever. The pair, Gabriel "Gabi" Delgado-López and Robert Görl, have been dubbed the “Godfather’s of Techno” pioneering in modern techno, EBM and electropunk productions. This is an exclusive show that you don’t want to miss. DAF’s sound involves music sequencers, real drums and harsh German vocals harnessed by a strong punk influence. To make things even more exciting, they will be supported by Australian punk group Total Control who will take their performance to new heights by making use of the Town Hall’s 147-year-old Grand Organ. And that’s not it. Swedish band Dark Water will join the others by putting forth their haunting and peculiar sound which embraces a blend of melodic and progressive metal.

Sarah Mary Chadwick: The Queen Who Stole the Sky
If you missed out on experiencing her live music at St Paul’s Cathedral in previous years, now is your chance to enter through its gothic doors on the 19th at 7:30PM to see New Zealand-born musician Sarah Mary Chadwick’s very special performance. Known as the artist who goes “all-in” emotionally, her trademark involves vocals that narrate a deeper level of self-reflection accompanied by the powerful sounds of an organ. Her most recent album The Queen Who Stole the Sky was recorded live on Melbourne Town Hall’s grand organ and you can rest assured that she will bring some of her magic to the cathedral’s very own T C Lewis organ.

Melbourne Star’s Music Menagerie
If you’re looking for something novel, the Melbourne Star Observation Wheel will be transformed into a “rotating musical menagerie” as each cabin is occupied by a different MMW artist where guests will have the opportunity to attend a private show with a drink in hand and a view. What more could one want? With a focus on acoustic singers, soul, jazz and rap, featuring artists include Michaela Jayde, Future Roots Afro Acoustic, Iva Lamkum, Lucca Franco, Tatafu, Hudson James Jr, Keanu Finau, Rara Zulu, Emmpress and ZIMMUSIC.

Underground Systems
As a part of MMW’s Self Made category, Underground Systems will takeover 524 Flinders on the 16th from 7pm and create a multi-sensory environment that experiments with concepts from history and society’s modern technological obsession. Featuring Australian-based electronic artists: Purient, Morgan Wright, Kettokai, Rainbow Chan, Jannah Quill and Tszuj, enjoy a vibrant composition of sound, dance and 3D visual projections that will be nothing short of mesmerising.

Immersive Sound Journeys in the Norla Dome
Located next to Mission to Seafarers in Melbourne’s Docklands, the Norla Dome will become a temporary home to Todd Anderson – Kunert and The Convoy for their Immersive Sound Journeys performance on the 22nd at 8pm. The concrete dome will be transformed into a sound-to-light world which will showcase The Oracle - “a purpose-built sound system capable of transmitting vast, deep and immense spectrums of vibratory volume.” Prepare yourselves to get lost in a legitimate sensory experience.

On Influence: DAF and Kittin in Conversation with Darren Sylvester
Haven’t had enough of DAF and Kittin? Amongst this year’s Talks & Workshops category, the two will make you all the more knowledgeable as they come together to bring you their talk with Australian artist Darren Sylvester. Join them on the 16th at 3:30pm at the National Gallery of Victoria as they discuss Mark Twain’s proposition that “there is no such thing as a new idea.”

Computer Creators: Music, Art and AI
In the new age of technology, have you ever wondered how artificial intelligence is incorporated into the artistic industry? Tim Devine from digital agency AKQA will be joined by a group including the likes of artificial intelligence researcher Dr Lisa Dethridge and head of research at Science Gallery Melbourne Dr Niels Wouters to discuss the use of AI in artistic practice.

MMW Closing Party
Last but not least, say goodbye to MMW 2019 in style with their official closing party in the Hamer Hall Foyer. Melbourne-based DJ Roza Terenzi will make a long-anticipated return to her roots after captivating party goers across the world with her electro and breakbeat blends on her international tour. She will be joined by techno superstars of Klasse Wrecks: Mr Ho and Luca Lozano. To top the night off, perth-born Rok Riley will showcase her best electronica gold as we close the curtains on what was an epic 10th anniversary MMW celebration.

Melbourne Music Week runs for 10 days from Nov 14th-23rd. You can find full details and tickets to everything here.