When you think of a fun night out at our beloved Arts Centre Melbourne, the fun in question probably takes the form of a world-class ballet or a serious play. But what if we told you the ACM is throwing a series of club nights curated by legends of the club scene?
Club 8 – named for its location on level eight of the Theatres Building and the number’s connotations of luck, prosperity and success in Chinese numerology – will pop up at the Arts Centre between February 20 and March 8. These nine eclectic nights of music and performance art are all part of Asia TOPA, aka the Asia-Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts.
While it usually runs every third year, Melbourne hasn’t been blessed with an Asia TOPA festival in five years. Now, the celebration makes a much-anticipated return from February 20 to March 10, 2025. Split into three streams called performance, knowledge and nightlife, the festival aims to showcase the best of Asia-Pacific arts, culture and ideas through a mix of free and ticketed events.
You’ll be able to find Club 8 right under the famous spire, in the recently renamed Leaper Family Pavilion. Each of the nine nights has a distinct theme and line-up, celebrating the diversity of Melbourne and Australia’s diasporic communities.
The roster of incredible artists ready to raise the Arts Centre roof includes Rainbow Chan, Kianna Oricci, Panelia, Réjizz, Soju Gang, Betty Apple and Betty Grumble.
Asia TOPA creative director Jeff Khan describes the Club 8 program as “radical”, calling on Melburnians to “bring your crew and kick on with us”.
“We wanted to honour the energy and creativity of nightlife communities across the Asia-Pacific,” he says. “So many people prefer to create and experience performance in nightlife settings and Club 8 and the wider nightlife program challenges traditional notions of where and how culture is experienced.”
This impressive line-up of parties is just one part of the festival’s nightlife element, which also includes free concerts and a special edition of NGV Friday Nights. Find out more about Asia TOPA at the festival website.
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