Vivid Music aims to get Sydney dancing

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This was published 7 years ago

Vivid Music aims to get Sydney dancing

By By Elissa Blake

Some cities are synonymous with genres, says Stephen Ferris, music curator of Vivid Sydney. Auckland is known for its reggae, for example. Bristol for trip-hop. Nashville for country music.

But what about Sydney?

Urthboy will perform at the Oxford Art Factory as part of this year's Vivid Music.

Urthboy will perform at the Oxford Art Factory as part of this year's Vivid Music.

"I see my job as representing what Sydney really is, the true musical nature of the city," Ferris says. "But Sydney has always been hard to pin down. It has always produced a lot of great electronic and pop artists, and a lot of music influenced by gay culture. It also has a long rock 'n' roll pedigree.

"We want to showcase everything we have and encompass everything the city has to offer. Whatever your point of interest, we have something for you. If you want to broaden your interests, we have something for you, too."

In 2015, more 90,000 people attended Vivid Music events, at which more than 70 bands and 230 DJs played more than 1500 hours of music combined.

This year Vivid Music is even bigger.

Highlights include electronic dance spectacular Curve Ball and Bjork's already sold-out Digital Parties at Carriageworks, Urthboy at the Oxford Art Factory, the Come Together all-dayer at Luna Park, intimate rock shows and cabarets staged in Sydney's best music rooms.

"We've got mid-size venues like Oxford Art Factory with acts like Bag Raiders selling very fast, and [Marrickville's] Camelot Lounge have the heritage rock angle covered for us with Don Walker, Leonardo's Bride, Archie Roach and Tex Perkins," Ferris says. "We want to prove that Sydney's music scene can be alive every night, even in the middle of winter."

Dance and club highlights include the Women in Electronic Music Showcase at the Museum of Contemporary Art's Vivid Lounge (June 18), a 10th birthday party for the Purple Sneakers crew at the Lord Gladstone in Chippendale (June 18), and I Remember House, a party devoted to uplifting club beats, hosted at the Ivy on George Street (May 29).

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Veteran sax great Wayne Shorter will be in town (Opera House, June 13), vocalist and bass player Esperanza Spalding brings her art-pop performance work Emily's D+Evolution to the Opera House (June 4), and the Basement host luminaries including Ethiopian jazz master Mulatu Astatke (June 5) and jazz pianist /vocalist Steve Clisby (June 18).

Newtown Social Club is ground zero for rock fans, with gigs by The Hard-Ons (May 28) and guitar-pop outfit Last Dinosaurs (June 10-11). German speed metal legends Primal Fear make their Australian debut in the venue on June 12.

The Kings Cross Hotel showcases Vivid Au Go Go, presented by bAKEHOUSE Theatre Company, as well as cabaret and Saturday night Dive Bar parties presided over by Jay Katz and Miss Death, aka Sounds of Seduction.

Marrickville's Factory will turn 'Heaps Gay' with a carnival of music, art and performance across three stages featuring Collarbones, Rainbow Chan, Bhenji Ra and The Blow Waves (June 12).

Ferris' personal highlight? Not one you might expect from someone so steeped in dance music culture.

"I would highly recommend the two events the Sydney Conservatorium is involved in, Sound Gardens and Symphonies of Gaia," Ferris says. "I've sat through two rehearsals and can tell you it's going to be great. The room is quite majestic and the sound is on a par with the Opera House."

Vivid Sydney runs from May 27-June 18. See vividsydney.com

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