One of the worst things about being a music fan is the horrible sinking feeling you get when you realise that awesome gig that you heard was coming actually turned out to be last night. Thankfully, we’ve compiled a gig guide so that you can make sure you won’t be missing any more unforgettable nights of music.
With plenty for everyone coming up this month, there’s bound to be something here that will turn your plans of a quiet night in into a memory you’ll never forget.
Groovin The Moo Sideshows
Groovin The Moo is about to kick off its 14th year as a festival, and with it comes their usual round of stunning sideshows which allows lucky punters to see some exceptional international acts strutting the local stages and performing a headline set. With acts such as Portugal. The Man, Royal Blood, and Claptone playing shows this month, these are definitely some performances you won’t want to miss.
Portugal. The Man
Thursday, May 3rd
Forum Theatre, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Ticketmaster
Aminé
Friday, May (Sold out)4th
Max Watts, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Live Nation
Monday, May 14th
Max Watts, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Live Nation
Lady Leshurr
Friday, May 4th
Corner Hotel, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Handsome Touring
Claptone
Saturday, May 5th
Coburg Velodrome, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Claptone
Public Service Broadcasting
Tuesday, May 8th
Howler, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Handsome Touring
Royal Blood
with special guests Polish Club and Psychedelic Porn Crumpets
Wednesday, May 9th
Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne, VIC (all ages)
Tickets: Frontier Touring
Ocean Alley
Saturday, May 19th
The Forum, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Ocean Alley
The Whitlams
It’s hard to fathom it, but The Whitlams have been around for 25 years, and what an amazing quarter-century its been. Proving their worth as one of the most celebrated Aussie groups of all-time, The Whitlams are heading around the country, delivering their immersive and affable live show to the dedicated fans who have stuck by them all this time.
Don’t think this is just a nostalgic look back at their career, this is going to be a huge celebration of everything that The Whitlams have put their name to.
Wednesday, May 9th – Saturday, May 12th
Corner Hotel, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Eventbrite
Tonight Alive
Back in January, Tonight Alive dropped the incredible Underworld – a powerful and blistering statement on self-empowerment, harnessing every element of your being and fighting against society’s constraints.
This month, the band will be taking the album on the road, performing tracks off Underworld and their spanning back catalogue, performing to adoring Aussie crowds who’ve seen the band travel on an upwards trajectory to take over the stages of Warped Tour and headline sets over the world. Supported by Between You & Me and AViVA, these are set to be some huge shows for the awesome group.
Thursday, May 10th
Arrow On Swanston, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Live Nation
Tropical Fuck Storm
Tropical Fuck Storm have to be one of the most confronting bands on this list, just based on their name alone. Featuring a brutal mix of the irreverent and accomplished indie rock created by The Drones’ Gareth Liddiard, the band are getting set to release their debut album, A Laughing Death In Meatspace, very soon. Don’t miss this stunning Aussie collective when they come to your neck of the woods this month.
Thursday, May 10th – Saturday, May 12th
Howler, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Tropical Fuck Storm
The Mavis’s
Back in the ‘90s, it was pretty hard to escape the popularity of The Mavis’s. Now, 15 years after the release of their third album, the group are reforming for the 20th anniversary of their second (and best) album, Pink Pills. This show is undoubtedly set to be a huge celebration of the brilliant rock music Australia created back in the ‘90s, so start digging out your old issues of Smash Hits, because this is going to be a huge blast from the past.
Friday, May 11th
Prince Bandroom, St. Kilda, VIC
Tickets: Prince Bandroom
Augie March
Arguably one of the most underrated Australian groups of all time (yes, despite topping the Hottest 100 countdown in 2006), Augie March recently released their sixth album, Bootikins, earlier this year. Equal parts fierce, emotional, and tender, an Augie March performance has the power to bring you to tears and leave you exhilarated all at the same time. Be sure to catch them when they come your way this month.
Friday, May 11th – Saturday, May 12th
The Night Cat, Fitzroy, VIC
Tickets: Oztix
Dan Sultan
Dan Sultan is arguably one of the most consistently brilliant Aussie muses out there. Following the release of his ARIA Award-nominated album, Killer, Dan is about to drop his Killer Under A Blood Moon EP in just a few weeks.
Featuring some of Australia’s biggest names, including A.B. Original, Camp Cope, and Dave Le’aupepe, this one is set to be a… killer release. To celebrate, Dan’s heading just about bloody everywhere around the country on the Killer tour, which will see him on the road until July.
Friday, May 18th
Cardinia Cultural Centre, Cardinia, VIC
Tickets: Cardinia Cultural Centre
Stonefield
Stonefield recently released their much-anticipated third album, Far From Earth, a matter of days ago, and fans are loving it. Full of the brilliant songwriting and bluesy rock riffs we’ve come to expect from the Findlay sisters, Stonefield are heading out on the road to deliver their exhilarating live show to eager fans this month. Be sure to not miss this one, because it’s going to be huge.
Friday, May 18th
Sooki Lounge, Belgrave, VIC
Tickets: Stonefield
Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening
Having a father who served as the drummer of a legendary rock band must be a hard act to follow, but it must be even more daunting when you decide to go out on the live circuit and recreate the brilliant music your old man made.
Well, that’s exactly what Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening aims to do, and with years of brilliant shows behind him, it appears he does it pretty well. Be sure to catch this performance of rock royalty when it comes your way this month!
Thursday, May 24th
Palais Theatre, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Ticketmaster
Middle Kids
Middle Kids have continued their domination of the Aussie indie scene by recently releasing the stunning ‘On My Knees’, a fresh taste off their upcoming album, Lost Friends. With a penchant for writing amazing songs and delivering them with the unmatched quality that only this beloved three-piece can, 2018 is definitely shaping up to be the year of Middle Kids.
Saturday, May 26th
Corner Hotel, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Middle Kids
Jonathan Pie
A bit of change of pace with this one, but Jonathan Pie uses the absurdity of on-the-spot reporting and the live, haphazard nature of this type of television to deliver brutal takes on the U.K. political and social situation.
Although most of his material is resolutely U.K.-aimed, the themes and Pie’s off-kilter/off-the-rail approach makes his particular brand of comedy quite universal. Having said that, his spot-on acting often means that — like Stephen Colbert — many can’t tell these aren’t actual reports.
Saturday, May 26th
Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Frontier Comedy
Cosmic Psychos
One of the world’s most respected and most beloved punk acts, Cosmic Psychos are well truly blokes you can trust to deliver a fine show. With the band recently releasing their tenth album, Loudmouth Soup, they’re set to head out on tour, delivering eager fans one of the most informative lessons in Aussie punk rock that they could ever ask for.
Saturday, May 26th
The Croxton Bandroom, Thonrbury, VIC
Tickets: Cosmic Psychos
ab [intra]
ab [intra] is the newest collaborative creation from choreographer Rafael Bonachela and composer Nick Wales. This stunning new performance gives a rare chance for audiences to witness the sheer athleticism and virtuosity of some of Australia’s finest Helpmann Award winning contemporary dancers, as they deliver a vivid journey into the extremes of human nature. Taking over Melbourne’s Playhouse Theatre this month, ab [intra] is undoubtedly set to be an amazing experience you won’t soon forget.
Wednesday, May 30th – Saturday, June 2nd
Playhouse Theatre, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Arts Centre Melbourne
Dead Letter Circus
Dead Letter Circus recently dropped their newest single, ‘The Armour You Own’, and to celebrate, they’re about to head out on the road again, delivering their much-loved live show to their eager fans all over the country. Kicking off on May 31st at the Corner Hotel, you know this is going to be a big one, so don’t miss Dead Letter Circus doing what they do best and absolutely slaying it on the live stage.
Tuesday, May 31st
Corner Hotel, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Dead Letter Circus
