Overview
Melbourne's live music scene is often described as the best in the world. But don't think that's just a little local bravado: our home features the most music venues per capita of any city around the globe. Since 2022, Always Live has become a small but important part of the equation, showcasing hundreds of local and international musos in stadiums, pubs, clubs, and ad hoc venues.
With the state-wide festival now a major contender on the cultural calendar, Always Live is mixing things up with the addition of Melbourne Vibes — a series of free summer pop-up live music performances presented across the CBD. Energising streets and laneways with creative goodness across weekends in January, these spontaneous performances encourage locals and visitors to stumble upon live music where they least expect it.
Keen to catch one of these secret shows? You need to keep your ear to the ground, or at least your eyes on social media. That's because each performance's artists and locations are shared on the Always Live website and social channels on the day of the pop-up, helping set an impromptu, memorable tone for the gig. So far, we've seen Jimmy Barnes at City Square, Cut Copy on the Evan Walker Bridge, Mallrat at 500 Bourke Street and loads more.
"Live music is part of the cultural heartbeat of this city and it belongs on the streets as much as it does on our greatest stages," says Always Live CEO Psyche Payne. "ALWAYS LIVE Melbourne Vibes is all about creating those unexpected, joyful moments where music meets the everyday — supporting artists, bringing people together with the positive buzz of live music experience and amplifying the vibrancy, spontaneity and energy that defines our city."
