Step Inside the Sydney Opera House for Two Weeks of Unforgettable Performances at Vivid LIVE 2025
From blistering hip-hop to subterranean late-night raves in the Studio — with plenty of top-notch food and drink to enjoy along the way — here are the best performances to catch at the Sydney Opera House during Vivid LIVE 2025.
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Chances are, you know and love the Sydney Opera House. You've probably been inside, sat in those red velvet seats, politely clapped, and gone home by 11pm. But once a year, that all goes out the window. When Vivid LIVE rolls in, the much-loved venue transforms. Every room, from the majestic Concert Hall to the underground Studio, becomes a stage for some of the world's most exciting artists.
In 2025, the lineup is a two-week invitation to broaden your musical horizons, discover your next obsession, and see the Opera House completely lit up. So, whether you're in it for the big names, the sweaty dance floors, or the rare gems you'll still be talking about next year, here's your guide to the best of Vivid LIVE 2025 – and why you won't want to miss a minute of it.
For the Emotionally Epic
Starting big and in an Australian exclusive, ANOHNI will deliver her haunting, multi-octave vocals alongside band The Johnsons for two exclusive nights, marking the final Johnsons band concerts in Australia. A few days later, you can settle in for Beth Gibbons (yes, the searing voice behind legendary UK trip-hop band Portishead), performing her debut solo album Lives Outgrown to Australian audiences for the first time. Both performances will be in the Sydney Opera House's Concert Hall, so you know it'll be a goosebumps-on-the-neck kind of night.
For the Party
Into late-night raving? Head underground. The Sydney Opera House's Studio is the go-to spot for sweaty, dance floor euphoria. Sydney collective House of Mince returns with a very special guest, the legendary Berghain resident Boris to keep the BPM high and the party going all night long. Trackwork will celebrate its fifth birthday with a genre-jumping party featuring Brodinski, Vv Pete and Utility. To top it all off, DUNJ, Barney Kato, Mad Racket and dstreet will deliver psychedelic, percussive and hypnotic underground electronic parties featuring guest appearances from global talent.
Jordan Munns
For Something Intimate
In the Utzon Room (the most intimate space in the Opera House) you'll find a lineup of rising and trailblazing local talent that's dialled-in, stripped-back and emotionally charged. ARIA Award-winning First Nations collective 3% bring uncompromising, powerful hip-hop. Then there's SAHXL, a 21-year-old Indo-Fijian Australian singer blurring the lines between trap, hip-hop and R&B. And rounding it out are commanders of Sydney's DIY punk scene G2g, whose loud, infectiously ragged energy will jolt your system. It's a rare chance to see some of Australia's most exciting new voices up close and personal before they blow up.
For Something Different
Over in the Joan Sutherland Theatre, things are set to get deep, weird and wonderful – just how WavyLand likes it. For its seventh birthday, the cult Aussie tastemakers are curating a lineup that jumps between genres and generations, from transcendent Thai-Swedish rap force Thaiboy Digital to boundary-pushing American hip hop innovator BKTHERULA.
There's also Pale Jay, the mysterious LA-based jazz vocalist and pianist, performing a seductive blend of slow disco, lovelorn soul and Afrobeats. Marking only his second-ever live performance, he'll take to the stage with his signature red mask and honey dripped vocals, delivering a soul-stirring set that transcends genre. And on June 1 comes the first performance in 30 years from influential 90s British group The Sabres of Paradise. The Australian exclusive show will channel the energy of their legendary Sabresonic warehouse raves and honour the groundbreaking legacy of co-founder and DJ, the late Andrew Weatherall, all accompanied by a spectacular visual display.
Jordan Munns
For the Vibe Seekers
You don't have to know the full lineup to have a great night at Vivid LIVE. This year, the Sydney Opera House transforms its iconic harbour-side setting with the launch of the Forecourt Food Village — a vibrant, open-air dining destination offering Cuban and Korean street food from celebrated chefs Danielle Alvarez and Jimmy Ryu. Plus, the return of Newtown hospitality legends The Midnight Special to the Concert Hall foyer, with an ethereal late-night pop-up bar The Aurora, providing a lively spot for everyone (open to the public) to unwind between shows or after enjoying the light displays, as well as the sensory dining journey from Danielle Alvarez, a unique First Nations dining experience in a hidden Opera House location and special festival offerings across all four Opera House restaurants.
And this year's 'Lighting of the Sails' is Kiss of Light, a celebration of visionary Australian artist and activist David McDiarmid, which will see the sails light up with a bold, technicolour tribute to queer identity. Whether you're seeing a show or just passing through, it'll be completely unmissable.
As the Sydney Opera House's Head of Contemporary Music, Ben Marshall, said: "There's nothing quite like Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House. As well as gathering many of the world's greatest musical talents here, we're welcoming the vibrant communities that infuse our music scene with the sounds of Sydney itself."
"This is what makes Vivid LIVE stand apart – experiencing this great range of incredible international and local artists inside a living work of art."
Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House runs from May 23 to June 14. For more information or to book your tickets, visit the website.
By Jacque Kennedy
