From a progressive bluegrass quintet to a soul multi-instrumentalist, here are some of the gigs to check out across Melbourne’s eastern suburbs in November.
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The Legends of Sunbury
The Sunbury Pop Festival was a rock festival that ran from 1972 to 1975, showcasing a range of Aussie pub rock and international acts like Queen.
Progressive rock bands Madder Lake and Spectrum and blues guitarist Phil Manning feature in the lineup.
When: Sunday November 1, 2:30-5pm
Where: Oakleigh Carnegie RSL, 95/97 Drummond Street, Oakleigh
Cost: $35 standing room, $40 for a seat at a table
Damien Leith
Irish-Australian singer-songwriter Damien Leith is touring the country to celebrate the 20th anniversary of him winning Australian Idol.
The setlist will include renditions of songs he sang during the show, as well as selections from his 12 albums.
When: Sunday November 1, 7:30-9:30pm
Where: Karralyka Centre, 22A Mines Road, Ringwood East
Cost: $65
Including up to 45 members, the Royal Australian Navy Wind Band performs songs across a wide range of styles including traditional military marches, classical symphonic works and musical theatre.
When: Saturday November 7, 2-3pm
Where: Mooroolbark Community Centre, 125 Brice Avenue, Mooroolbark
Cost: $18
Kew Court House Live
Built in 1888, the Kew Court House venue has an 80-seat capacity, with November performances including singer Angela Librandi on Friday November 6, jazz trio Torrio! on Friday November 13 and the Shanghai Pearls mixing vintage Chinese popular music and western jazz on Friday November 27.
When: Multiple dates, 7.30-9.30pm
Where: Kew Court House, 188 High Street, Kew
Cost: $25-$30
You, Me, Everybody
The Mountain Pickers Association, a group dedicated to bluegrass and old-fashioned music, is hosting this five-piece New Zealand progressive bluegrass band.
When: Tuesday November 10, 7:30pm
Where: Ferntree Gully Bowls Club, 2A Glenfern Road, Ferntree Gully
Cost: $30
Alex Lloyd
Australian singer-songwriter Alex Lloyd celebrates his 2001 album Watching Angels Mend, which included his calling card Amazing, and the key tracks Green, Everybody’s Laughing, Bus Ride and Downtown.
When: Friday November 20, 7pm
Where: Sooki Lounge, 1648 Burwood Hwy, Belgrave
Cost: $62.25
Ella Thompson
As a teenager, soul singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ella Thompson was mentored by Renée Geyer.
She later toured internationally with acts like Mark Ronson and Angel Olsen and was a member of funk group The Bamboos.
Thompson is touring the country, playing songs off her new album Triumph & Sadness.
When: Saturday November 21, 7:30pm
Where: The Memo Healesville, 235 Maroondah Highway, Healesville
Cost: $42.50
Cabaret at the Court House – An Evening with Joti Van Carlos Gore
Cabaret at the Court House is a special performance series curated by renowned jazz singer Mama Alto.
Joti Van Carlos Gore is an American-born and Melbourne-based theatre artist, recording singer-songwriter, actor-director, dancer-choreographer and poet.
When: Thursday October 1, 7:30-9:30pm
Where: Kew Court House, 188 High Street, Kew
Cost: $30
River Folk Festival
Held annually in Warburton, the River Folk Festival runs across three days and showcases a range of international, national and local folk acts.
The lineup includes Indigenous folk outfit Stiff Gins, American cellist Natalie Haas, American fiddler Hanneke Cassel and Japanese tsugaru shamisen performer.
When: Friday October 2 to Sunday October 4
Where: Arts Centre Warburton, 3409 Warburton Highway, Warburton and other locations
Cost: $57.50-$152.50
Andrew Swift
Hailing from Melbourne outer south-east, Swift is a country music singer-songwriter with five studio albums under his belt.
When: Friday October 2, 7-10:30pm
Where: Sooki Lounge, 1648 Burwood Highway, Belgrave
Cost: $39.80
Young at Heart in Vienna
Violinist Raistlin Chan
Formed in 1984, the Robert Stolz Viennese Music Society hosts regular concerts honouring the music of Austrian composer Robert Stolz and other Viennese music.
The performance will include tenor vocalist Christopher Busietta and mezzo-soprano singer Chloe James alongside violinist Raistlin Chan and Phillipa Safey accompanying on piano.
Afternoon tea will be included.
When: Saturday October 3, 2-4:15pm
Where: Glen Waverley Uniting Church, 10-12 Bogong Avenue, Glen Waverley
Cost: $25
Lucy Wise
Central Victorian folk musician Lucy Wise has recently released her fifth album Salt, with her inspirations including Joni Mitchell and Madison Cunningham.
When: Saturday October 3, 8-10:30pm
Where: Burrinja Cultural Centre, 351 Glenfern Road, Upwey
Cost: $40
BJ Morriszonkle and Great Earthquake
BJ Morriszonkle brings together a range of inspirations to create his musical soundscapes, including old cartoon music and horror movie soundtracks.
One-man-band Great Earthquake – Noah Symons – is launching his brand-new album Vibrant Noise featuring post-punk inspired bass lines and reverberating vocals.
When: Saturday October 3, 8-10:30pm
Where: The Railyard, 3/1545 Burwood Highway, Tecoma
Cost: Free
Katie Noonan
Since coming onto the Australian music scene in 2002, Katie Noonan has made a name as one of the country’s best singer-songwriters.
Featuring songs from her 30th studio album, Alone but All One, released earlier this year, the performance will include Noonan on piano with a string quartet.
Folk singer-songwriter Mark Wilkinson will be the support act.
When: Friday October 9, 7:30-9:30pm
Where: Karralyka Centre, 22A Mines Road, Ringwood East
Cost: $70