A nine-day celebration of the city’s thriving, world-renowned music scene, Melbourne Music Week (MMW) features over 250 artists in 105 events in 40 locations from 17 November 2017.
Driven by its vision as a uniquely Melbourne event, it’s the only event of its type in Australia, MMW teams up with a range of independent promoters, venues, labels and businesses to create a dynamic program that illuminates the connections between music, people and places.
MMW has built a reputation for reimaging spaces venue, such as the Argus Building in 2012, the Former Royal Women’s Hospital in 2015, and this year – St Paul’s Cathedral. From intimate, interactive experiences in non-traditional venues to headline performances at Melbourne Town Hall, the program is a direct result of the depth and diversity of Melbourne’s creative music industry. Highlights include:
Improvisational mavens Uncomfortable Science conduct a night of jazz-infused groove interpreting the catalogue of Amy Winehouse at The Toff In Town. The soul bands of Melbourne come together for I’m Still Here: A Celebration of Sharon Jones – celebrating the life of Daptone Records’ Miss Sharon Jones.
Join film score enthusiasts Adrian Maiolla (The Score, PBS) and composers Bruce Rowland (The Man from Snowy River) and Golden Globe winner Burkhard Dallwitz (The Truman Show) as they discuss the composition process and the narrative of film scores at the State Library Victoria for Music From The Movies.
WHY PUNK? will unpack the experiences around the birth of Melbourne punk, with thought-provoking discussions, first-hand stories, teenage diary excerpts, poetry, prose and behind-the-scenes tales of the people, music, politics and ethos of Melbourne’s DIY punk community.
In a one-off performance for Melbourne Music Week, Acapella in the Cathedral will showcase the work of seven emerging Melbourne songwriters. This unique acapella show will harness the natural acoustics of the grand architecture of St Paul’s Cathedral. Helen Plazza, alongside a choir of six vocalists, will perform vocal arrangements from works composed by local female and gender non-conforming songwriters.
Created by James Hullick and The BOLT Ensemble, CITY-TOPIAS is a collection of surround-sound chamber orchestra works that include incursions from kinetic sound machines and video art so as to explore the notion of the -topia affix, while Disruptive Critters explores technology and music, with computer generated virtual avatars (or critters) and performance at the Meat Market.
Co-presented with Vision Hound, the producers of CHI WOW WAH TOWN, Ranch-o-Relaxo and too many décor projects to mention, Right Hear, Now presents three live electronica artists – featuring MONOLINK (Berlin, Sol Selectas) + Uone & Western (Beat & Path Records) + MOONTIDE + (Beat & Path Records) performing in real time collaboration with video artist Rose Staff to create a unique audio reactive visual experience.
The Melbourne Women in Film Festival and MMW present Visionary Sounds – a program of visually spectacular music videos made by Australian women, which will be screened under the stars at Rooftop Cinema, and the Melbourne Music Market will take over the Cathedral Carpark on Saturday 18 November with music stalls selling vintage vinyl, second-hand instruments, and tech gear, plus live entertainment throughout the day.
Experience an exhilarating virtual reality odyssey with Starless at The Cube, ACMI or witness The Melbourne Drone Orchestra return for a unique collaboration with one of the world’s earliest instruments yidaki (didgeridoo) at the recently opened MPavilion.
Participants can celebrate Melbourne musicians who contribute to the thriving Zine Scene at Howey Place, and observe some of Melbourne’s best sound artists perform on selected rare synthesizers from the amazing hardware collection at Synth Salon, located at Mess Electronic Sound Studio.
Melbourne Music Week (MMW) runs 17 – 25 November 2017. For more information, visit: mmw.melbourne.vic.gov.au for details.
Image: Harvey Sutherland (supplied)