Feel that cold air? It means we're getting ever closer to the brightest event of the calendar year, Vivid Sydney. The citywide celebration an all-in-one festival of art, food, culture and creativity, but there's one aspect of the festival program that's worth getting particularly excited for. Ever the sonic heart of Sydney's annual luminous winter festival, Vivid LIVE is turning up the noise once again at the Sydney Opera House — and while the whole program is worth perusing, there are seven Aussie acts, and one pop-up bar we're particularly excited to see. King Stingray Described by Rolling Stone AU/NZ as "one of the most exciting rock bands to emerge from this country in a generation", King Stingray is at the top of our list of gigs worth catching. After coming on to the scene in 2022 to huge acclaim, the Arnhem Land band has a distinctly surf rock sound and ancient songline core, with lyrics sung in both English and Yolŋu Matha, cementing their place in Australia's modern music DNA. Making their electric Opera House debut, the band will be bringing their best tracks with them, including from their latest album For the Dreams (2024), on Friday, May 22. [caption id="attachment_1094289" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] PA777IENCE[/caption] PA777IENCE and Miles Nautu Hailing from Western Sydney, R&B neo-soul singer and multi-instrumentalist PA777IENCE is joined by Aboriginal rapper and producer Miles Nautu. PA777IENCE has already performed as a part of major festivals like Sydney Festival, Sydney WorldPride and SXSW Sydney. Meanwhile, Aboriginal and Fijian artist Miles Nautu takes inspiration from artists like Kendrick Lamar and Joey Bada$$ and turns it into his own signature jazzy hip-hop sound. Consider tickets to this double-bill performance to sample the sounds of the next generation of Aussie hip-hop and R&B in the Utzon Room on Friday, May 22. [caption id="attachment_1094288" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Mi-kaisha[/caption] ZIPPORAH and Mi-kaisha Two young First Nations R&B stars, Torres Strait Islander artist ZIPPORAH joins Darumbal and Tongan singer-songwriter Mi-Kaisha in this soul-soothing double bill. Fresh off the back of her recently released EP NAUNGU URUI, ZIPPORAH hones a reputation for soulful vocals, captivating presence and deep musicality. Mi-kaisha, the first Aboriginal student at the prestigious Clive Barker Institute of Recorded Music at NYU, brings a sweet-sounding yet hard-hitting reflection of her experiences as a young Blak woman to life through her music. They'll perform in the Utzon Room on Saturday, May 30. Party Dozen Sydney psych-noise punks Party Dozen are set to unleash their wild energy on the Vivid LIVE stage. The duo, made up of saxophonist Kirsty Tickle and percussionist Jonathan Boulet, is renowned for intense, largely instrumental, and often improvised performances combining punk, jazz, and industrial sounds. Since their early days in the city's underground scene, Party Dozen have since released four equally experimental punk albums, a slew of singles and collaborations with Aussie music heavyweights like Nick Cave, Amyl and the Sniffers and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. The shape-shifting duo take over the Studio on Monday, May 25. Jem Cassar-Daley Captivating indie-pop singer-songwriter and proud Gumbaynggirr/Bundjalung woman Jem Cassar-Daley will make her solo headline debut for Vivid LIVE. By her name alone, she needs no introduction, but she's so much more than the daughter of Aussie country rock legend Troy Cassar-Daley, having scored wins at the National Indigenous Music Awards, the AIR Awards and the APRA Awards and sharing the stage with Thelma Plum, Peter Garrett, Tim Finn, King Stingray and Dan Sultan. She'll be performing an intimate, stripped back set on Friday, May 29 in the Utzon room. Oren Ambarchi Known for his genre-defying sound, experimental composer and multi-instrumentalist Oren Ambarchi will be returning for his first show at Sydney Opera House since 2002. Combining abstract guitar chords with minimalist electronic details, his expansive discography, dating back to 1990, is internationally lauded. He'll be performing in the Utzon Room on Sunday, May 24. Drifting Clouds Self-described as "the most chill band in Arnhem Land," Drifting Clouds is the project of Yolŋu artist and multi-instrumentalist Terry Guyula. Blending synth pop, 80s rock and ethereal songlines, the group's sound is an eclectic mix of Dreamtime and retro music, sung in Guyula's first language (Liyawulma'mirr-Djambarrpuyngu), and quite unlike anything else you've heard before. Your chance to hear it is in the Utzon room on Thursday, May 28. [caption id="attachment_1095280" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Anna Kucera[/caption] The Midnight Special Vivid LIVE is a Vivid spin on the art of the gig, and the experience of going to a gig always needs a pre-show destination — so it's only fair that Vivid LIVE resurrects its crowd favourite The Midnight Special for this year's run. A public bar space inside the Concert Hall's Northern Foyer, The Midnight Special is an ode to the late great Enmore Road venue of the same name, organised by its owners — pairing themed decor, lounges and a DJ spinning retro and classic tunes with a menu worthy of the Midnight's name. Ideal for a pre- or post-gig beverage and chat, or to just take in the harbour views between Friday, May 22 and Tuesday, June 2. For more information on Vivid LIVE and to browse the full program, visit the website.