10 Most Electrifying Live Music Events at Vivid Sydney in 2022

Hannah C

Last updated 5 May 2022

Image credits: @touchsensitive, @sampathegreat, @masego

From Friday 27 May to Saturday 18 June 2022 Vivid Sydney will spark the soul of the city with lustrous technicolor light art, thought-provoking discussions, and electrifying live music.

During the festival, reinvigorate your senses as a blend of groove-drenched, high-energy tunes and genre-bending takes on jazz, electronic music, and much more that transform the city with live shows in unexpected spaces.

To amplify your experience at Vivid Sydney this year, here are our picks of the coolest live Vivid Music events that blur the boundaries between art and music:

1. Masego

Masego, a multi-talented Jamaican-American saxophonist, singer, rapper, comedian, and DJ, is beaming in from the outside of soul-pop, looking back to take the genre forwards. Masego creates what he calls 'TrapHouseJazz,' a blend of neo-soul, hip-hop, and futuristic sounds that are interwoven with the sound of jazz and his sax playing. He is best known for his song Tadow created in collaboration with French producer FKJ.

Vivid LIVE marks Masego’s Sydney Opera House debut. He will be performing for one night only, so this is not a live music event in Sydney not to be missed.

When: Tuesday 14 June, 7:00 - 10:00 pm.

Where: Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House.

2. Vivid Sydney Supper Club

Every Friday and Saturday night throughout the festival, iconic music venue Mary's Underground in Circular Quay will host the inaugural Vivid Sydney Supper Club. Musical theatre acts, cabaret, dancing, drag, comedy, surprise guests, acoustic pop-ups, jazz, DJs, and more will be featured at The Supper Club. Trevor Ashley, a well-known actor, cabaret performer, and drag artist, has curated the evening event which feature Mahalia Barnes, Emma Pask, Bob Downe, and Tim Freedman.

Where: Mary’s Underground, 29 Reiby Pl, Sydney.

Line-up and dates:

Mahalia Barnes (Fri 27 May)
Tim Freedman (Sat 28 May)
Bob Downe (Fri 3 June)
Emma Pask (Sat 4 June)
Ursula Yovich (Fri 10 June)
Paul Capsis (Sat 11 June)
Genevieve Lemon (Fri 17 June)
Trevor Ashley (Sat 18 June)

3. Vivid Music at National Art School

Over nine nights in June, the National Art School’s historic Cell Block Theatre will be transformed into a hub of lights, live music, and performances for Vivid Sydney 2022.

Where: Cell Book Theatre, National Art School, 156 Forbes St, Darlinghurst.

Lineup and Dates:

GODTET: Future.Ancient.Strings (Wed 1 June, and Thurs 2 June)
Pluto Jonze: Lightscape Piano Show (Fri 3 June)
Ninajirachi presents Dark Crystal (Sat 4 June)
Annie Hamilton (Thurs 9 June)
Handsome presents BLAME (Fri 10 June)
3HARPS (Thurs 16 June)
Tim Shiel presents Distraction Season (Fri 17 June)
Adam Spark presents Snow vs Mountain (Sat 18 June)

4. Sampa the Great: an Afro Future

Sampa The Great, a Zambian-born singer, poet, and visual artist, has become one of the world's most vital performers in just a few short years, electrifying and empowering audiences with her eclectic blend of hip-hop, neo-soul, jazz, and Afrobeat.

When: Fri 27 May, 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm.

Where: Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House.

5. Future Classic Studio Party

Get ready to groove on the dancefloor! Innovative label Future Classic is bringing the vibe to the Vivid LIVE dancefloor with a huge Studio party.

When: Fri 27 May, 9:00 pm - 2:00 am.

Where: The Studio, Sydney Opera House.

Line-up:

Touch Sensitive is a multi-instrumentalist, self-confessed synth-freak from Sydney. He has remixed songs from fellow Aussie electronic icons like Rüfüs du Sol and Hayden James.
Tseba is a new project that aims to combine the recognisable sound of house music with intriguing new sounds and ideas currently cooking in the contemporary music underground.
Ayebatonye is an Eora-based DJ, multidisciplinary artist, and curator known for cultivating her own unique sound, with a blend of global sounds including afro rhythms, gqom, Chicago house, and Detroit techno.
Deepa is an Eora-based DJ, host of Saturday Sunsets on FBi Radio, and one half of femme-fronted jazzy house collective, Honey Point, and spins an eclectic collection of post-punk, ambient, jazz, house, UK Garage, or Drum and Bass music.

6. Sound on Sound

Sound on Sound is a dance party that commemorates the sounds of Latin America, the Caribbean, and the roots of soundsystem culture. The night will feature two of the most incredible soundsystems in the Southern Hemisphere: the mighty Inner West Reggae Disco Machine and El Gran Mono, as well as Columbian band Aire.

When: Sat 11th Jun 2022, 2:00 pm - 10:00 pm.

Where: Eveleigh Works Bay, 1/2 Locomotive St, Eveleigh NSW 2015, Australia.

Line-up:

El Gran Mono feat. Carlo Xavier, Jolie De Vogue, Emma Peel & MC Oscar Jiménez
Inner West Reggae Disco Machine feat. Ibo Jah, Tess Morgan & Chatta Cat
Aire (live), 101 Doll Squadron (Dance Performance) + Fever Pitch DJs

7. SINK

SINK is a minimalistic reimagination of stadium techno leaving behind the percussion and projection bringing a Zen-like ambiance to a party on the inside straight to Vivid Sydney 2022. Carla Zimbler's serene and beautiful projections will complement queer electronic musician Simona Castricum’s luscious synth wave and upbeat technopop, live percussion, and singing.

When: 1-4 Jun, 7:30 pm - 8:15 pm [free with registration]

Where: Phoenix Central Park, 49 O’Connor St, Chippendale

8. Spiritualized

Spiritualized, the legendary British space-rock act, is back in orbit, spreading the swirling, hypnotic psych-pop syrup of their latest opus Everything Was Beautiful. J Pierce pilots this thrilling journey into space, propelled by his nine-piece band, which adds gospel harmonies to heavenly rock'n'roll psychedelia.

When: Thu 16 Jun, 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm Where: The Big Top, Luna Park

9. The Gospel According to Marcia

Hear Marcia Hines's soul sing like never before in this exhilarating World Premiere live gospel experience: The Gospel According to Marcia. In an intimate live concert, Marcia's incomparable voice will fill St Stephen's Uniting Church alongside a 12-member choir and live band led by musical director Joe Accaria.

When: Thurs 9 Jun and Fri 10 Jun, 8:00 - 9:10 pm

Where: St Stephen's Uniting Church, 197 Macquarie St, Sydney

10. Hermitude

Hermitude is a hip-hop electronic duo hailing from Dharug and Gundungurra Country. Luke Dubs and El Gusto have crafted beats that blend hip-hop, funk, dubstep, and pop.

Best known for the chart-topper and bopper The Buzz, this is another live music event you don’t want to miss as Hermitude will be delivering a huge night of dancefloor bangers to Vivid Sydney 2022 outside the Sydney Opera House teasing new songs from their highly anticipated new record as well as popular old tracks.

When: Thurs 2 June, 6:00 - 11:00 pm.

Where: Northern Broadwalk, Sydney Opera House