Interviews

Local music force of nature, Tamil Rogeon, is bringing his 16-piece orchestra to The Night Cat on October 18 for a kaleidoscopic night of jazz, dance and orchestral sounds. The violinist, composer, producer and genre-chameleon best known for blending cosmic jazz through to deep house, takes audiences into his ever-expanding, multi-dimensional universe in this immersive one-off show. Listen in to Mystic Brew with Mike Gurrieri as Tamil stops by to share more about this MIJF show.

A collaboration between two of Melbourne’s new music ensembles, Arcko Symphonic Ensemble and Six Degrees Ensemble, will be presented at Jolted Art Space on October 11 and 12. The concert will showcase works by Helen Gifford and Nigel Butterley, two of Australia’s most celebrated composers of new and avant-garde music, with 2025 marking the 90th birthday of each. Timothy Phillips, Justine Anderson, and Peter Dumsday join Ian on The Sound Barrier, tune in to hear about this special show.

What happens when an ancient guzheng bumps into a jazz pianist, trips over a rocking percussionist and falls into the Chinese Museum? We'll find out when Chinese-Australian musician QiQi visits the Global Village to chat and play some live music on the 21-string guzheng, in the lead-up to her Fringe show Elysian Blues, taking place at the Chinese Museum on Sunday October 12.

One of India’s most distinctive and well-known singer-songwriters, Lucky Ali, returns to Melbourne for his 'Journey Through the Decades' tour. Performing his timeless melodies with his signature soulful voice at the Northcote Theatre on October 10, fans can expect a night filled with nostalgia and a rich musical journey. Stopping by Tiger Beats Elephant Grooves to catch up with Pradip, tune in to hear from the acclaimed actor and musician.

Irish-American duo DUG, made up of Irish songwriter Lorkin O’Reilly and California clawhammer banjo player Jonny Pickett, are bringing their raw, rowdy, and harmony-steeped sound to 5ft High and Rising this Saturday morning. Tune in to hear their clever picking, fan-worthy fiddle tricks, and where you can catch them live across Victoria, including their show at Out On The Weekend on October 11.

Back in Melbourne after a year of touring Europe for their debut LP 'Temple Of Mirth', Thee Cha Cha Chas will be playing at The Tote - Upstairs on October 24. Bringing their old-school rock ’n’ roll to Twistin’ Fever for a live session, tune in from 7pm to start your Friday night off with some hearty grooves from the band.

On October 4 at the Fairfield Amphitheatre, '9 Years of Finding Figaro' is going down with four special guests: Mike Who, Omoloko, Adriana, and Finding Figaro. Coming all the way from Brazil, Omoloko is part of a new wave of artists leading the Brazilian music scene from the front. Tune in to The Breakfast Spread this Friday morning to hear Omoloko spin the Wheels of Steel, playing his selection of disco, global music, techno, and broken beat.

Starting at The Fig Tree (near the Gertrude/Nicholson St) in Carlton Gardens at 2pm on October 4, the Yalinguth Fitzroy Live Music Tour will kick off. Part of the Fringe Festival, the event is led by proud Yorta Yorta man Jason Tamiru. Tune in to Swinging Doors as Ernie catches up with Jason, chatting about the event on Saturday, where he will guide the audience through the historical and contemporary songline of Gertrude Street, linking culture, history, stories, song and the spirit of Fitzroy.

Standing six feet tall and with a gossamer voice, Emily Lubitz holds every audience in the palm of her hand. Fresh off the release of her romantic, old Hollywood-esque debut album 'Two Black Horses', Emily will perform two songs from the new record live on Swinging Doors. Tune in for this intimate performance, and to hear about her recent album tour across Australia.

‘The Blue Hour’ is the fifth album from local singer-songwriter Amaya Laucirica, launching at Northcote Social Club on October 25. A compelling meditation on the nuances of motherhood, identity, acceptance, and connection, the album explores themes of optimism and reflection. As Amaya puts it,“It’s about inhabiting an optimistic landscape, one that looks brightly towards the future and appreciates its past as well". Stopping by Radio City, tune in to hear Crispi catch up with Amaya.

Combining live music performance and storytelling set in an imagined town from years past, The Village Square presents narratives of love and loss, misfortune and mirth, the graceful and the grotesque. Featuring renowned cellist Zoe Knighton, award-winning guitarist/composer Robbie Melville, and the charismatic Richard Piper as the narrator, the fables sparkle with the magic of traditional mythology. Tune in at the start of the show for a special live performance from the trio.

Drifting east for the first time, Boorloo/Perth goth gloomers Life Cult are bringing their blend of '80s-influenced darkwave, goth, and post-punk to Melbourne this October. Their latest 7" 'The Death Bell / Life Is Love', offers a fresh take on the classic Leeds goth sound, which they’ll bring in to Studio 3 for a special live performance. Tune in to Bleeding Black Hearts Revue as Kristen catches up with the band ahead of their show at The Tote on October 2, and Footscray's Spit on October 3.

With a music career that stretches all the way back to Ross Wilson’s Party Machine in the 1960s, through to the seminal progressive band Spectrum/Murtceps in the 1970s, Mike Rudd is a well-seasoned musician. Mike Rudd's Indelibles now join forces with The Hornets, featuring ARIA Hall of Fame guitarist Jeff Burstin and singer-songwriter and author Craig Horne. Helen catches up with Mike and Craig, tune in to hear about the show taking place at Newport Bowls Club on October 26.

Playing a unique mix of psych and doom, local band Oceanlord are dropping in to Pojama People to chat with Chris Pearson about the new music they've been working on. Bringing something new, something dark, and marking a new chapter for the band, tune in to hear about their upcoming show at the Leadbeater Hotel on September 4, where they’ll be performing alongside Stoned Jesus.

San Francisco songwriter Sonny Smith has returned to Australian shores this October with his cult garage-pop/folk-rock outfit Sonny & The Sunsets. Presented at The Curtin, by The Curtin, this special Melbourne headline show brings Sonny’s singular songbook to the stage with jangly charm, melodic warmth and plenty of character. Tune in to Firewater this week as Claire Stuchbery catches up with the band ahead of their show on Friday night.

Known for his distinctive gravelly, soul-drenched vocals and cinematic sound, Jacob Banks’ music has made waves worldwide. He’s commanded stages at Coachella and Lollapalooza and sold-out headline shows across Europe and North America. Whether backed by a full band or delivering a stripped-back acoustic moment, Banks captivates audiences with every note. Jacob drops in to Boogie Beat Suite to catch up with MzRizk, tune in to hear about his show at Northcote Theatre on October 1.

The ArtsPay Foundation is an independent charitable organisation with a mission to support independent artists and small arts organisations across Australia. Located alongside PBSFM at Collingwood Yards, co-founder Alistair Webster will be joining Claire Dickson this Tuesday morning to talk more about the organisation and announce the recipients of the ArtsPay Foundation grants. Tune in from 8am to find out who they are.

Presented by N0 R3PLY and Chuleo Club, CADENA is a four-day festival celebrating the creative excellence of the Latinx diaspora in Naarm/ Melbourne. Bringing together artists, writers, musicians, and performers, CADENA showcases the breadth and diversity of Latinx voices across artistic disciplines. Tune in to Headhunters as Tina Disco joins Elle to chat about the event.

Tune in to Homebrew this Monday at 3.30pm to hear Brooke catch up with soul artist and proud Noongar woman, Bumpy. They’ll be chatting about her latest singles, including 'Feel Good', a celebratory, radiant neo-soul/R&B/funk track - as well as the announcement of a full-band show in anticipation of her long-awaited debut album 'Kanana'.

Listen in to Black Wax for a live performance from one of Melbourne’s most respected jazz identities, Steve Sedergreen, and acclaimed French chanteuse/vocalist Noria Letts. They'll be joining Adam to chat about their upcoming show at Bird's Basement on October 11, where the Steve Sedergreen Trio, along with special guests, will perform music by Gainsbourg, Michel Legrand, and Camille Bertault, through to Coltrane, Monk, and Brubeck. Tune in from 11.15 to hear this dazzling performance.