Music festivals in Melbourne: our summer guide

Ready to make a racket? AO Live (formerly Finals Festival) is taking over the Australian Open this summer with its biggest line-up yet. 

The three-day musical and entertainment extravaganza will take place at John Cain Arena from January 23-25, and features a world-class roster of global artists and DJs for some off-court action. 

Curated by Untitled Group, highlights include pop sensation Benson Boone, who will open the series following his show-stopping performance at the MTV Video Music Awards, and a performance by the Grammy Award-winning DJ and producer Kaytranda.

The final day of AO Live will dovetail with the Women's Final on Saturday, January 25. It will feature a set by legendary DJ Armand Van Helden (known for floor-filling hits such as 'My My My' and 'You Don't Know Me'), before 'Tik Tok' and 'Timber' singer Kesha closes out the festival. It's the first time Kesha has visited Australia in seven years, and this will be her only Melbourne show.

Tickets start at $89 and include an Australian Open ground pass, so you can enjoy the action on both the court and on the stage. For more info, visit the website. 

Want more music? Check out the best gigs in Melbourne this month.

The 2025 edition of Laneway is coming to Melbourne's Flemington Park on Friday, February 14. Happy Valentine's Day to us! 

This year, the vibe Laneway Festival vibe is very electro-dancey-pop-like, with a dash of indie garage rock. With music discovery at its core, 100 per cent of the Laneway line-up has released new music this year, and a third of the line-up will tour Australia for the very first time. 

The woman of the moment and pop songstress behind such anthemic earworms as ‘Apple’ and 'I think about it all the time', Charli xcx, will return to Australia and New Zealand to perform exclusively at Laneway Festival this summer in the southern hemisphere. Charli is on top of the world right now, and this is the moment to see this “young girl from Essex” (as Lorde would say) at the top of her game. 

Joining the queen of brat summer, Charli xcx; is British bedroom pop rock icon Beabadoobee; fellow Laneway Festival alumni, the eternally charming Clairo (hot tip: stream ‘Sexy to Someone’ right now to have yourself a good bop); one of the biggest names in UK dance, Bicep, who present their new AV DJ show CHROMA; alternative pop queen Remi Wolf; and dance floor euphoria expert Barry Can’t Swim. 

Amongst the contingent who are touring to Australia for the very first time is British neo-soul star Olivia Dean; heavy-hitting LA shoe-gazers julie; hip hop’s most energetic new arrival, Joey Valence and Brae; NYC’s most in-demand band, Fcukers; UK dubstep DJ Hamdi; and the enigmatic electro-pop artist 2hollis. The local legends joining Laneway’s international contingent are local garage-surf-rock duo Skegss, who enter a new era with their forthcoming album out this month; Brisbane four-piece rockers Girl and Girl (spoiler alert: they’re not girls); and cutting-edge electronic artists Rona, Stüm and Ninajirachi. 

None other than Djo – aka multi-talented musician/actor Joe Keery, aka the guy who plays Steve Harrington in Stranger Things (the one with the dreamy hair who works in the ice cream shop with the cute sailor uniforms) has also been announced as the surprise act.

Unsurprisingly, tickets for Laneway Festival Melbourne are currently sold out, but we recommend keeping an eye on resale platforms closer to the date.

Need your live music fix? Here are the best gigs happening in Melbourne this month.

St Kilda Festival, the legendary free and all-ages music festival, returns in February with more live music, family entertainment and community activations.

As one of the country’s most beloved summer festivals, St Kilda Festival showcases Australia's best established and emerging live music acts against the idyllic natural backdrop of the St Kilda foreshore.

The festival has been lighting up the inner city waterfront since 1980, to widespread acclaim. In the past couple of years, the festival introduced a new format, spreading the good times and sweet tunes across two days. 

So far the 2025 line-up is still under wraps, but we'll update this space as soon as we hear more. We do know that the 2025 dates are February 15-16, though.

Live and breathe live music? Here are the best gigs happening in Melbourne this month.

 After its debut in 2017, Pitch Music & Arts Festival quickly became one of the most exciting and hotly anticipated events on the music circuit. Held at the tranquil foothills of the Grampian Plains, it aims to deliver a distinct blend of sonic soundscapes across three architecturally designed stages.

Dust off your doof sticks, because the festival will return in 2025 for its eighth edition. Across four days from March 7-11, Pitch will be headlined by Colombian-born, Berlin-based Fuunk Tribu, Chicago house icon Honey Dijon, electro duo 2manydjs, Italy’s self-described “rave demolition crew" 999999999, and a back-to-back set from Daria Kolosova and SPFDJ. 

Other highlights include the Australian debut of Joy Orbison, Shanti Celeste, a live set debut from Fjaak, and Gabber Eleganza performing with multiple gabber dancers. 

Local talent also features heavily on Pitch’s 2025 line-up, including Moopie back-to-back with DJ PGZ, Osmosis Jones, Mabel, Stev Zar, Jennifer Loveless and many more. 

For those looking for a moment of reprieve, the Pitch Pavilion will re-appear in 2025. The tranquil sanctuary is where festivalgoers can participate in wellbeing workshops and mindful activities, listen to talks and interact with tangible artworks. Pitch Precinct will also act as a safe space away from the main area, hosted by forward-thinking crews like Luna Blessings and Urban Analytics. Edition eight sees the addition of Club Serra, named for the Serra Range in the Grampians and designed to celebrate local talent.

For those ready to rough it, you can bring your own tent and set it up in a free camping area. If you're a fan of creature comforts, there are different tiers of camping and glamping packs to choose from that include access to premium shower and toilet amenities, power, soft bedding and more. 

To secure tickets for Pitch, you’ll need to enter the ballot system here and agree to the ‘Pitch pledge’. Ballot registrations close on Monday, November 25 and sales start the same day. Once ballot winners have had their chance to buy tickets, those remaining go on sale at 6pm on Tuesday, November 26. Discover the full line-up and more information at the festival website.