Dua Lipa singing into a mic in front of a pastel background
Photograph: Supplied/Live Nation
Photograph: Supplied/Live Nation

The best gigs happening in Melbourne this month

The long weekend means there are music festivals galore to check out, plus two huge pop superstars hit Rod Laver Arena

Ashleigh Hastings
Contributor: Leah Glynn
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March 2025: If you thought the Aussie music festival scene was dead, take a look at the line-up for March. From Pitch and Golden Plains to Port Fairy Folk Festival, there's something to suit everyone's musical tastes. Legendary DJ and producer Fatboy Slim will be bringing his 'eat, sleep, rave, repeat' mantra to Geelong, and there's a free gig series happening at Fed Square featuring the likes of Peach PRC and Wax'o Paradiso.

Plus, the pop girlies continue their dominance with Billie Eilish and Dua Lipa both performing multiple sell-out shows across the month.

When stuck for things to do between live gigs, you can also always rely on our catch-all lists of Melbourne's best bars, restaurants, museums, parks and galleries, or consult our bucket list of 100 things to do in Melbourne before you die

Craving a pint with your favourite local band? Here are the best live music pubs in Melbourne.

Upcoming gigs in Melbourne

  • Music
  • Music

No it’s not an illusion, Dua Lipa is indeed starting the 2025 leg of her world tour right here in Melbourne. With three Grammys, seven Brits and some serious dance training under her belt, we can’t wait to see Dua give us everything Down Under. Her Radical Optimism Tour will hit Rod Laver Area for five (yes, really!) massive shows and if you don't have tickets already, don't start now – they're already gone.

  • Music
  • Dance and electronic
  • Recommended

Fatboy Slim, aka Norman Cook, aka the man responsible for some of the world’s biggest dance tunes, is returning to Australia after an electric visit in 2023. This time, he’s promising summer’s biggest outdoor rave. Along with special guests DJ Seinfeld, CC:Disco! and Jennifer Loveless, the Fatboy Slim Loves Australia tour will land at Geelong’s Mt Duneed Estate on March 22. 

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  • Music
  • Melbourne

Live at the Gardens is a brand new gig series popping up in Melbourne, where the lush, expansive lawns of the Royal Botanic Gardens hosts up to 5,000 people for an eclectic mix of musical acts. The first round of concerts kicked off across two weekends in November and now a new set of gigs has been announced for March. These include can't-miss appearances by English electronic stars Groove Armada, five-piece pop outfit Lake Street Dive and local legends Boy and Bear, Augie March and Sarah Blasko.

  • Things to do
  • Southbank

The music and magic of Disney has been shaping childhood memories for generations. This March, you can relive all the nostalgia of Disney’s  timeless film scores – including songs from Hercules, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Frozen and more – with the full backing of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and an all-star cast of musical performers at Disney in Concert: Live at Arts Centre Melbourne.

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  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • Southbank

Whack on something dazzling and dust off your dancing shoes as the much-loved NGV Friday Nights returns this summer. The popular event returns for 18 weeks during the Yayoi Kusama exhibition at NGV InternationalThe trendy tunes are a key drawcard, with DJs performing in the Great Hall every night. These musicians have been chosen to compliment the energy of Kusama’s work with upbeat J-pop and electro rhythms. The stacked line-up includes Small Fry, Jnett, Aqueerius, Rainbow Chan and takeovers from both Midsumma and Asia TOPA. 

NGV Friday Nights runs from December 20 until April 18. For further information and to book tickets visit the NGV website here.

Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.

Keen for more? These are the best exhibitions in Melbourne this month.

Where to go dancing instead

  • Melbourne
  • price 1 of 4

This motorcycle-workshop-turned bar is big on music: the sound system plays anything from reggae to indie rock, and the venue frequently plays host to local and touring MCs and DJs. After dark, the tunes are loud, the bar is red-lit and the kitchen slings super-sized pizzas all night long.

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  • Melbourne
  • Recommended

It may be housed in a converted shipping container with scattered wooden pallets for seats, but you can still find classy cocktails, bright street art and a perpetual party vibe at Section 8. Catch DJs spinning everything from house to disco seven days a week, with free entry. Get ready to boogie.

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  • Melbourne
  • Recommended

Like an invite-only party thrown by the coolest person you know, Angel Music Bar is intimate, relaxed and has a hectic sound system. Start your night with an expertly-mixed classic cocktail and snacks courtesy of Butcher’s Diner, then mosey upstairs to the dancefloor.

  • Clubs
  • House, disco and techno
  • Melbourne
  • Recommended

Decked out in dark wooden surfaces to make you feel like you’re hanging out inside a speaker box, Music Room is a warm, comfortable haven serving spirits and cocktails. Put your feet up, or get your boogie on to one of the venue’s 3,000 vinyl records.

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  • Music
  • Collingwood
The Night Cat
The Night Cat

Sometimes the classics are classics for a reason. With room enough for a spacious dancefloor, a 360-degree stage and a sizeable bar, the Night Cat is designed with late nights in mind. The venue specialises in funk, soul, Latin, disco, hip hop, R’n’B and good times.

  • Clubs
  • Melbourne
  • price 1 of 4
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

What do Lady Gaga, Noel Gallagher and Mick Jagger have in common? When they’re in Melbourne, they party at Cherry Bar. While you’re unlikely to brush up against superstars on a regular night, Cherry Bar is an always-fun option with a laid-back, rock n’ roll vibe.

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Somewhere Bar

Ah, Chapel Street. With a bar you can dance in on every corner, the selection can be overwhelming. If you’re tossing up your options, go to Somewhere Bar for a toastie, a cocktail and a packed-out dancefloor soundtracked by Melbourne’s finest DJs.

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