Melbourne’s moonlit playground of music, art, and performance—RISING—returns in 2025 with 65 events, 327 artists, and a jaw-dropping lineup of exclusives, premieres, and genre-defying spectacles. Across two epic weekends (June 4–15), the city transforms into a nocturnal wonderland of sound and vision.
Suki Waterhouse’s First-Ever Australian Shows
Model, actress, and alt-pop darling Suki Waterhouse is finally bringing her ethereal bangers Down Under. Performing two nights only, she’ll kick off at the intimate Athenaeum before blowing the roof off PICA, RISING’s brand-new music hub. Expect shimmering heartbreak anthems from her new album Memoirs of a Sparklemuffin.
Beth Gibbons: A Rare and Spellbinding Return
Portishead’s queen of yearning, Beth Gibbons, is set to haunt Hamer Hall with her first solo album in over two decades, LIVES OUTGROWN. A voice like smoke, a record meticulously crafted over ten years—this is a once-in-a-lifetime moment.
Black Star Finally Lands in Naarm
Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli, the conscious rap pioneers who shaped a generation, are making their long-overdue Melbourne debut. After Bey’s mind-blowing set last year, he’s back with Kweli to deliver razor-sharp bars and soulful beats at PICA.
Japanese Breakfast: Cinematic Soundscapes & New Music
Michelle Zauner’s indie-pop powerhouse Japanese Breakfast returns for the first time in eight years, fresh off adapting Crying in H Mart for the screen. Her new album For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) drops in March—expect dreamy melodies and an emotional gut punch.
Marlon Williams’ Māori Masterpiece
Golden-voiced troubadour Marlon Williams unveils his first Māori-language album live at Melbourne Town Hall. Backed by The Yarra Benders and a Kapa Haka group, his fusion of country, bluegrass, and traditional rhythms promises to be pure magic.
Mount Kimbie: Post-Punk Electronica at its Finest
The UK duo that redefined electronic music is back after an 11-year absence. The Sunset Violent sees Mount Kimbie dive headfirst into jagged post-punk textures—raw, restless, and impossible to ignore.
Little Bands Scene Reignited
RISING revives the raw, experimental spirit of Melbourne’s ‘70s/’80s Little Bands scene, where synth-punk pioneers blurred the line between artist and audience. With Chapter Music, Liquid Architecture, and Cease + Desist curating, expect a chaotic, multi-venue collision of punk, noise, jazz, and electronic wildness.
Jessica Pratt’s Hypnotic Folk Reverie
California’s folk enchantress Jessica Pratt will mesmerize Melbourne Recital Centre with her spectral vocals and lush new album Here in the Pitch. Prepare for a spellbinding, up-close encounter with her intricate, dreamlike sound.
Pete & Bas: Grime’s Oldest (and Hardest) Duo Hit Australia
London’s viral rap grandads, Pete & Bas, are hitting Max Watt’s for their first-ever Aussie show. Co-signed by UK grime royalty, their razor-sharp flows and undeniable swagger prove that hip-hop has no age limit.
Day Tripper: The Ultimate RISING Party Returns
RISING’s festival-within-a-festival, Day Tripper, takes over Melbourne for an eight-hour marathon of music and art. From Brooklyn shoegazers DIIV and disco-gospel fusion Annie and the Caldwells to Arnhem Land rockers Ripple Effect, the lineup is stacked. Dancefloor alchemists RONA and DJ PGZ lead a late-night takeover, while Chapter Music’s farewell bash closes an era in style.
Head HERE for details around ticketing and performances.
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