Author: Sydney Spectaculars

For the 1st time as part of Vivid Sydney, the Kings Cross Hotel will host a diverse program of music, theatre and cabaret over 4 weeks including an eclectic, all-star line-up of disc jockeys (DJs) performing across 5 levels at a special one-off vertical music festival Welcome To Kings Cross, and an immersive theatrical journey titled Visiting Hours.

Vivid Music Curator, Stephen Ferris, said “This year’s Vivid Music program celebrates local musicians, artists and performers and spreads the Vivid Sydney footprint across the city. Kings Cross Hotel is an iconic venue in the heart of Sydney that will showcase the best of Sydney’s dance music, cutting edge DJs, cabaret and an incredible new theatre experience”.

“Inspired by internationally successful theatre program, New York’s Sleep No More, Visiting Hours will transform the hotel into a mysterious hospital with live performances happening around the audience over multiple floors.”

“The hotels intimate Red Room will also be home to Avant-Cabaret, a new offering to the Vivid Music program featuring invigorating and extravagant performances from cabaret stars including Jeff Duff, Betty Grumble, and Zsa Zsa La Fine, and directed by Terry Serio.”

Kings Cross Hotel owner, Elliot Solomon said, “Kings Cross Hotel has played a key role in the Sydney live music and nightlife scene over the years, and now being a core venue in Vivid Sydney is an exciting next step in the burgeoning arts and entertainment diversity that we are building at the Kings Cross Hotel.”

The Kings Cross Hotel’s Vivid Music Program includes the following events:

Welcome To Kings Cross | 28 May

For one night only, the Kings Cross Hotel is bringing together an all-star line-up of Sydney’s finest DJs, collaborators and crews for an eclectic, dancefloor-driven adventure through the city’s diverse and thriving late-night culture. Curated over 5 floors with over 20 DJs, Welcome To Kings Cross features a special 20 year reunion of Sydney’s legendary 90s party Sounds Of Seduction, a tropical beat-filled paradise from Le Fruit, and an immersive tribute to Kings Cross from Bad Deep. Across the venue will be sets from CC: DISCO!, Kato, Shantan Wantan Ichiban, Stephen Ferris, Martin Novosel (Purple Sneakers), Adi Toohey and many more.

Vivid Au Go Go:

Visiting Hours | Wednesdays and Thursdays from June 1

After dark Kings Cross Hotel will transform into a surreal, immersive, theatrical time warp. Produced and directed by bAKEHOUSE Theatre, the hotel will become a mysterious old hospital with performances taking place around visitors in multiple floors and rooms with lighting by Richard Neville and Mandylights. Inspired by internationally successful immersive theatre programs like Sleep No More in New York, Visiting Hours is a unique new theatre experience for Sydney.

Avant-Cabaret | Friday and Saturday evenings 27 May – 18 June

Over 8 nights, a curated collection of Sydney’s cutting-edge cabaret luminaries will make visitors laugh, cry and raise the rafters with delight. A whole new chapter of Vivid Sydney will unfold in the intimate and ultra-plush velvet jungle of the Red Room. Performers include Jeff Duff, Cabaret Sasquatch, Betty Grumble, and Zsa Zsa La Fine among many more.

Twenty Years of Seduction with Jay Katz & Miss Death | Saturdays 28 May-18 June

In a special four-week run, The Sounds of Seduction returns to the intimate lounge environment of the Kings Cross Hotel Dive Bar. This is a chance for visitors to re-live the Lounge Revival – a rare, beloved, and uniquely Sydney craze.

For further details on the Vivid Music program at the Kings Cross Hotel visit www.vividsydney.com.

Media Release: Vivid Sydney

With less than four weeks to go until the world’s largest festival of light, music and ideas, Vivid Sydney, illuminates the city, 141 artists from 23 countries are working to create more than 80 light installations and projections that will appear in more than eight Vivid Sydney precincts spread across Sydney.

In 2016, Vivid Sydney will host its longest program ever running for 23 nights from 27 May until 18 June. Last year more than 1.7 million guests attended Vivid Sydney including 112,000 international and domestic visitors. In 2015, Vivid Sydney generated $63.2 million in visitor spend for the NSW economy.

NSW Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events Stuart Ayres said, “With less than a month to go until Vivid Sydney begins, our city is gearing up for this year’s festival which will once again shine a light on Sydney as a hub for culture and innovation. The city’s hotels and major attractions are reporting strong bookings and are preparing to welcome visitors from across Australia and the world who will travel to Sydney to be a part of this incredible annual event. I encourage everyone to make plans for Vivid Sydney today, as there is so much on offer over the festival’s 23 nights.”

Destination NSW CEO and Vivid Sydney Executive Producer, Ms Sandra Chipchase agrees. “Vivid Sydney is simply too big to cover in just one night. It’s the combination of light, music and ideas that makes Vivid Sydney a completely unique experience. Visitors should plan to stay in Sydney and surrounds to enjoy a jam-packed schedule of daytime Ideas talks, seminars and forums combined with night time tours of the light installations and evening music performances,” she said.

Vivid Light will see the city illuminated into a dazzling playground of fun and free sights for all ages. New precincts at Taronga Zoo, The Galeries and the harbourside of the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney will join returning favourites at Circular Quay, Darling Harbour and the Australian Maritime Museum, Martin Place, Central Park and Chatswood.

According to Vivid Sydney Creative Director, Ignatius Jones, the next four weeks are a time of intense creativity and construction for light artists. He says “Vivid Sydney takes art off the walls and literally puts it on the street. You cannot underestimate the complexity of creating touchable, durable outdoor light art. Artists are working intensely, often developing new technologies to bring their vision to life.”

Over the next four weeks, Vivid Sydney’s artistic and technical teams will be busy preparing for the incredible lights-on moment at 6pm on Friday 27 May. Up to 1,480m of LED tape will be installed to light up Sydney Harbour Ferries as they journey across the Harbour.

Approximately 1600 LED tubes, containing 76,800 individual LEDs, and 140 High Output LED Cans will be laid so visitors can literally control the colour of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, as part of the Dress Circle installation at Circular Quay.

Light artists Ruth McDermott and Ben Baxter have exhibited at every Vivid Sydney since the festival began in 2009. In the coming weeks, they will be installing lighting by boat under Walsh Bay’s Piers 2/3 to bring to life the Underwater Forest, a light work that pays homage to the massive turpentine tree trunks which support the heritage pier.

Wunderkind designers, Thomas Martin and Sebastian Barkoczy, will be fitting thousands of clear light tubes to build U-Tube, a frame in which guests can imprint their palm or body. Martin and Barkoczy are well known for their popular Robtoanic installation which was a hit in Martin Place during Vivid Sydney 2015.

At the McGrath Foundation, almost 3,000 Australians have submitted images of those touched by breast cancer to create the inspirational McGrath Foundation Mosaic installation. Images will be projected on the AMP ‘Sydney Cove’ Building at Circular Quay to form a mosaic tribute to Jane McGrath who inspired a nation, and whose legacy via the McGrath Foundation continues to support families across Australia experiencing breast cancer through its McGrath Breast Care Nurses.

Artists Justinus Hartany, Sean Virili, Matthew Fungs and Jamie Bastiol are collecting 1,200 PET bottles to fill with 120 litres of tonic water. Quinine in the tonic will glow under UV light to create Tectonic, a playful installation suspended above visitor heads in Kendall Lane.

Mr Jones points out that these initiatives are just a small part of the overall efforts undertaken by artists to create the most original and exciting Vivid Sydney festival yet.

“Every year artists outdo themselves to create new art works, use new technologies and engage with audiences in new ways. Vivid Sydney is never the same, it is always evolving to provide fresh experiences to visitors annually,” he says.

Tickets to Vivid Sydney’s Vivid Music and Vivid Ideas events are also selling fast. Limited tickets remain for Vivid Ideas’ Game Changer talk series featuring filmmaker Spike Jonze, House Of Cards creator Beau Willimon, Orange Is The New Black creator Jenji Kohan & fashion creative director, Margaret Zhang while demand is high for Vivid Music events such as New Order and Anohni at the Sydney Opera House, the Models, Machinations & Dave Mason reunion event at the Enmore Theatre & the arts-meets-music dance party Curve Ball at Carriageworks.

Vivid Sydney is owned, managed and produced by Destination NSW, the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency. Vivid Sydney features large scale light installations and projections (Vivid Light); music performances and collaborations (Vivid Music including Vivid LIVE At The Sydney Opera House) & creative ideas, discussion and debate (Vivid Ideas), all celebrating Sydney as the creative hub of the Asia-Pacific.

For more information on travel packages, light installations, events & to make tour bookings, visit www.vividsydney.com/.

Media Release: Vivid Sydney

For the 1st time during Vivid Sydney, the iconic ‘music castle’ nestled on the edge of the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Sydney Conservatorium Of Music (the Con), will be a beacon of both spectacular light & live music as part of the opening weekend of Vivid Sydney, the world’s largest festival of light, music & ideas.

From a wind symphony concert, Symphonies Of Gaia, to a new music festival, Sound Gardens, the Con will stage live music across the 1st weekend of Vivid Sydney on the 28th & the 29th of May 2016.

The University Of Sydney’s Doctor Damien Ricketson, Chair Of Composition & Music Technology and Co-Director of Sound Gardens at the Con said “It will be a weekend music marathon that extends from popular, classical works in a Saturday night concert to jazz, electronic & experimental music in a Sunday afternoon festival.”

“Festival goers will see the breadth and depth of music & musicians coming out of the Con today. We will surprise & inspire visitors with what they see & hear!”

Vivid Music Curator, Stephen Ferris, said “Vivid Sydney is the perfect platform to showcase & celebrate the diversity of music talent this city has to offer. The Con plays an important role in fostering the rising stars of Australian music & I can’t wait for visitors and Sydneysiders to be able to come together for this special weekend of inspiring performances at one of our city’s most iconic venues.”

To launch the Vivid celebrations at the Con, the façade of the 100-year-old landmark building, with its castle-like turrets, will be illuminated in a wash of colour by TransGrid, lighting for 3 evenings from Friday the 27th of May to Sunday the 29th of May.

TransGrid Group Manager – Stakeholder Engagement, Katy Hannouch, said the company’s focus on innovation to drive efficiencies makes collaboration with Vivid Sydney a natural fit for the New South Wales (NSW)-based electricity infrastructure provider.

“Vivid’s lights paint Sydney in many colours & our support is focused on helping them all stay green. We’re delighted to be a Vivid Sydney Collaborator & to shine a light and bring Vivid colour to the façade of the Sydney Conservatorium Of Music during Vivid’s opening weekend.”

Guest artists, lecturers & emerging musicians from the University Of Sydney’s music school will form the unique line-up of music talent performing live over the weekend.

On Saturday night, the Sydney University Wind Orchestra will present Symphonies Of Gaia, conducted by Doctor Steven Capaldo. From Raider’s March (John Williams), the famous theme song of Raiders Of The Lost Ark, to a major finale work Symphonies Of Gaia (Jayce John Ogren), the concert program is a diverse repertoire of modern symphonic wind band music for all tastes.

On Sunday afternoon, a new 1-day music festival, Sound Gardens, curated by the Con’s Doctor Damien Ricketson, Craig Scott & Clint Bracknell, will be held across multiple venues at the Con.

In a genre-bending mash of vibrant new music, talented musicians from the Con’s composition, jazz & contemporary music tertiary courses will perform a series of live music sets that will run into the evening.

Headlining the festival are guest artists Natasha Anderson, who is the recipient of this year’s Peggy Glanville Hicks Residency, the exploratory Anthony Pateras & bassist Clayton Thomas, along with well-noted musicians & Con lecturers, Phil Slater & Simon Barker. They are joined by rock music group Secret Suburbs & other musician groups that are emerging from the Con.

Pendulum, an interactive installation made of glass jars and bells that trigger an electroacoustic soundscape & a performance by student Mimi Kind with her self-made instrument, the Rhythm Machine, will produce new experimental sounds at Sound Gardens.

For further details on the artists & music program at the Sydney Conservatorium Of Music, visit www.vividsydney.com.

Event details:
What: Vivid Music at the Con – Symphonies Of Gaia (Sydney University Wind Orchestra) & new Sound Gardens music festival
Where: Sydney Conservatorium Of Music, 1 Conservatorium Road, Sydney NSW 2000
When: Saturday the 28th of May (7:30pm) & Sunday the 29th of May (from 3pm)
Tickets: http://music.sydney.edu.au/event-listings

Media Release: Vivid Sydney

NEW EVENTS ANNOUNCED & FULL SPEAKER LINE-UP REVEALED:

AACTA Presents Hollywood Director Jocelyn Moorhouse In Conversation;
1st Ever Women In Electronic Music Symposium In Sydney;
Robowars Bring ‘Deathroll Crocodile’ In Australia For 1st Time &
Tickets Selling Fast To Game-Changers Talks: Spike Jonze, Jenji Kohan, Beau Willimon & Margaret Zhang

Vivid Ideas today finalised its 2016 program with more than 180 events & over 400 speakers from across the world. Launching its official event guide in Sydney today, Vivid Ideas unveiled several major new events & an expanded list of world class speakers to the line-up, confirming the 2016 program as the most ambitious yet.

Destination New South Wales (NSW) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Executive Producer – Vivid Sydney, Sandra Chipchase, said “The 2016 Vivid Ideas program is a dynamic showcase of art, creativity & innovation. It will bring to life inspiring success stories & spark important debates around the business of creativity. Showcasing Sydney at its cutting-edge best, it is a reminder that our city is a global world leader in creative innovation & ingenuity.”

Vivid Ideas will feature for the 1st time a special event presented by the Australian Academy Of Cinema & Television Arts (AACTA). Internationally acclaimed director of The Dressmaker, Jocelyn Moorhouse, will hold an In Conversation event on Thursday the 16th of June. In 30 years as writer-producer-director, Moorhouse has worked with many of the biggest names in film from Kate Winslet to Winona Ryder & Hugo Weaving to Colin Firth. Moorhouse will share her experiences of directing all-star casts & creating Australian cinematic masterpieces including The Dressmaker (5 AACTA Awards) & Proof (6 Australian Film Institute Awards).

In another 1st, Vivid Ideas will host a Women In Electronic Music Symposium on Saturday the 18th of June. Presented by Music NSW, it will bring together some of this generation’s trailblazing female dance music artists, disc jokeys & emerging producers for Australia’s very 1st Women In Electronic Music Symposium. Aimed at supporting, inspiring & promoting the brightest female artists in electronic music, this Sydney-exclusive will include a 3 day master-class series, debate panel & a 1-night-only showcase of female talent at the Vivid Ideas Exchange.

Vivid Ideas is also pleased to add 2016 NSW Woman Of The Year, Jen Armstrong. Jen is the founder of the Beauty Bank, a charity collecting unwanted toiletries & beauty products for women in need, particularly those experiencing domestic violence. It has helped over 3,000 women & men since 2013. A survivor of domestic violence, Jen is a passionate speaker about the effects of domestic violence & the power of resilience. She will share insights into promoting a culture of innovation by learning from our mistakes at Mistakability on the 7th of June.

Robot lovers will be pleased to hear the hugely popular Robowars have announced the Australian Premiere Rumble of their crocodile ‘Deathroll’ robot, fresh from the Los Angeles set of the Battlebots television (TV) show. Weighing in at 150 kilograms, this is a robot not to be messed with. Robowars returns to Vivid Ideas on the 5th of June for another epic showdown. Robots big and small & built by hand from metal, power tools and toy parts, battle it out in this 1 day event.

Yahoo & General Assembly will present one of the largest learning events ever staged in Sydney: Code in the Park on Saturday the 18th of June & it offers an introduction to coding for all ages and abilities. The event is designed to transform thinkers of today into creators of tomorrow. Expect an afternoon of inspirational digital speakers & interactive demonstrations by Australia’s tech innovators.

Technology will also be in focus at another new event, Creating Cut-Through Content on the 3rd of June. The average person consumes more than 10,000 pieces of digital content per day. With every brand out there becoming a publisher, how can you create content that cuts through the noise? Learn from the editors & publishers behind popular publications including Georgia Frances King (Editor, Kinfolk Magazine), Nick Shelton (Founder, Broadsheet) & Joanne Gray (Editor, Australian Financial Review’s BOSS Magazine).

The Media Architecture Biennale 2016 (MAB16) is also pleased to confirm global design leader, Carlo Ratti, as keynote speaker for its closing ceremony on June the 4th. Professor Ratti is an architect, engineer, inventor and educator at Boston’s prestigious Massachusetts Institute Of Technology & director of the SENSEable City Lab. He is at the forefront of connecting technology & the built environment. His Digital Water Pavilion at the 2008 World Expo was hailed by Time Magazine as “One of the best inventions of the year”. He has been included in Esquire Magazine’s ‘Best & Brightest List’, in Blueprint Magazine’s ‘25 People Who Will Change The World Of Design’ & in Forbes Magazine’s ‘People You Need To Know’ in 2011.

Tickets continue to sell quickly for the Vivid Ideas highlight Game-Changers talks featuring legendary filmmaker Spike Jonze, House Of Cards creator Beau Willimon, Orange Is The New Black writer and creator Jenji Kohan & Australian global fashion influencer Margaret Zhang. This series provides rare, behind-the-scenes insights into the creative workings of these cutting-edge cultural icons at the height of their industries. Early bird tickets to the Game-Changers Talk Series ends 22 April so book today to avoid missing out.

Running from the 27th of May to the 18th of June, Vivid Ideas is part of Vivid Sydney, the world’s largest festival of light, music & ideas. Speakers & subjects span the creative industries including technology, start-up smarts, film, storytelling, design, architecture, visual arts & communication. At Vivid Ideas, makers, thinkers, pioneers & businesses come together for professional development, updates on relevant industries, market opportunities & world class innovation. The program builds engagement between the creative industries & the broader economy, exploring trends, movements & opportunities that shape society & business globally.

Vivid Sydney is owned, managed & produced by the NSW Government’s tourism & major events agency, Destination NSW. For more information about Vivid Ideas, visit www.vividsydney.com/ideas.

VIVID IDEAS HIGHLIGHTS BACKGROUNDER

GAME-CHANGERS TALKS HIGHLIGHTS

4 global icons of creativity will share their insights & experiences in shaping the creative landscape during the Game-Changers Talk Series.

BEAU WILLIMON (USA)
Screenwriter & producer, Beau Willimon, created House Of Cards, one of the most highly-acclaimed streaming series on screen today. Willimon offers insights into crafting drama, sharing his approach to collaboration & explaining the business behind producing quality content.
28th of May | Sydney Town Hall

MARGARET ZHANG (AUS)
Margaret Zhang is one of Australia’s most influential new creatives. She has built a global fanbase for her work as a stylist, photographer & creative director. On stage at Vivid Ideas, Margaret shares the journey of her career to this point, explains her approaches to collaborations and working with brands & takes your questions.
28th of May | Sydney Town Hall

SPIKE JONZE (USA)
Spike Jonze is a director, producer, writer & photographer. Recognised for his feature films (Her, Adaptation, Being John Malkovich), Jonze’s body of work is varied including music videos, commercials, TV & theatre. He is the co-creator and producer of the Jackass TV shows and films & currently is co-President of Vice’s new TV channel, Viceland.
5th of June | Sydney Town Hall

JENJI KOHAN (USA)
Writer & show creator, Jenji Kohan, creates unforgettable, complex & diverse characters and stories: The stunning success of Orange Is The New Black, now entering its 4th season, is proof of that. Kohan comes to Sydney to share with us her creative approach to storytelling & adapting to new models of TV.
10th of June | Sydney Town Hall

VIVID IDEAS HIGHLIGHT EVENTS

SEMI PERMANENT [Vivid Ideas Theme: Creating + Making]
Semi Permanent is an unique, live experience that brings together internationally renowned artists & creative icons to explore the power & future of design. Through a series of talks, panel discussions, exhibitions, workshops, installations & events, Semi Permanent is an opportunity to connect & collaborate. It is a hands-on, immersive experience that opens the doors to new relationships & new ways of thinking.
26th to the 28th of May | Carriageworks, Redfern

GOOD DESIGN FESTIVAL [Vivid Ideas Theme: Creating + Making]
Celebrating cutting-edge design & innovation, the 2016 Good Design Festival showcases the very best of design in Australia. For the 1st time ever, contenders for the prestigious Good Design Awards will be on display to the general public. See the latest innovations in product design, architectural design, digital design, communication design, service design & breakthroughs in social innovation and business design.
27th to the 29th of May | Overseas Passenger Terminal, Sydney

THE SUNRISE 2016: Australia’s Most Successful Founders Tell Their Stories [Vivid Ideas Theme: Leadership + Entrepreneurship]
Driven by Australia’s start-up success, The Sunrise delves deeper into the future of technology, business & fostering an innovative start-up ecosystem. It brings together a host of Australia’s most successful founders sharing the lessons & stories of how their companies were born & scaled.
30th of May | Carriageworks, Redfern

MAB16 [Vivid Ideas Theme: Built Environment]
In Sydney for the very 1st time, the MAB will bring together cutting-edge artists, civic leaders & academics to explore how technology & digital media can lead to more exciting, liveable city environments. The 4-day event includes a conference, series of exhibitions, symposia, workshops & an award ceremony.
1st to the 4th of June | The Concourse, Chatswood

REMIX SYDNEY – CULTURE, TECH, ENTREPRENEURSHIP [Vivid Ideas Theme: Communications + Audience Development]
Be inspired by 75 creative pioneers over 2 days exploring the future of culture, cities & the creative economy. Discover the latest trends at the intersection of culture, tech and entrepreneurship & meet potential collaborators across a diverse range of talks, panels, masterclasses, workshops and networking receptions.
2nd to the 3rd of June | Sydney Town Hall

MAKE NICE [Vivid Ideas Theme: Creating + Making]
The 1st of its kind in Australia, Make Nice is an event for, by & about creative women with an exclusive line-up of international & home-grown industry luminaries in an intimate un-conference format. Make Nice is about sharing knowledge between pioneering creative women during round-table discussions & forming genuine relationships with other attendees during programmed social events.
2nd to the 4th of June | Cake Wines Cellar Door & aMBUSH Gallery

DO GOOD, BE GOOD [Vivid Ideas Theme: Community + Social Impact]
Can art do good & be good? Are artistic excellence & social impact mutually exclusive ends? Explore these ideas with artist Steve Lambert (USA) alongside academics, cultural programmers, activists & artists focused on strategies for social change.
3rd of June | Seymour Centre

ETSY SYDNEY MADE MARKET [Vivid Ideas Theme: Creating + Making]
Celebrate all things handmade & meet local crafters, collectors, artisans and designers from etsy.com at the Etsy Sydney Made Market. Evoke your own passion for making & soak up the creative atmosphere.
4th of June | Pier 2/3, Walsh Bay

CONSCIOUS CHANGE MAKERS [Vivid Ideas Theme: Leadership + Entrepreneurship]
This dynamic summit explores the stories & statistics behind better business practices. It appeals to the innovators who care, the entrepreneurs who give back & the CEOs and board members who lead authentically because it’s who they are. It’s for anyone in business who wants the statistics & stories to validate their instincts, which tell them that ‘good business’ is good for everyone.
7th of June | Ivy Ballroom, Ivy Hotel

SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL [Vivid Ideas Theme: Storytelling]
Sydney Film Festival is one of the longest running film festivals in the world & is a major event on the NSW cultural calendar. Each year, the Festival brings the best new films from around the world to audiences right here in Sydney. The 63rd Sydney Film Festival runs from Wednesday the 8th to Sunday the 19th of June 2016 with 300+ screenings of 180+ films from 50+ countries, talks, questions & answers, parties, red carpets, special events & more!
8th to the 19th of June | Sydney Venues – Various

INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CREATIVE, ENTREPRENEURIAL & DIGITAL WOMEN [Vivid Ideas Theme: STEM + STEAM]
Less than a quarter of scientists, technologists, engineers, artists & mathematicians (STE(A)M) are women – and yet jobs that require these skills are the fastest growing & amongst the most highly paid. Hear from a panel of experts, teachers, industry leaders & girls themselves, about what is stopping girls from embracing STE(A)M & how we can help to inspire the next generation of young women to become innovators and entrepreneurs.
11th of June| Vivid Ideas Exchange

Media Release: Vivid Sydney

ARIA-nominated, Bag Raiders join Vivid Music line-up & announce 2nd show
Australian music legend, Don Walker & his band announce return to the stage
The Hard-Ons regroup with original member Keish “Velvet Fog” De Silva

Vivid Music has announced exciting new acts for 2016 including home-grown heroes turned international music heavyweights, Bag Raiders, famed Australian singer-songwriter, Don Walker & 1980’s punk rock band, The Hard-Ons.

Vivid Music is part of Vivid Sydney, the world’s largest festival of light, music & ideas, which will be held from the 27th of May to the 18th of June 2016.

Originally from Sydney, the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA)-nominated Bag Raiders will return home for the band’s 1st Australian tour since 2011, celebrating the launch of new single ‘Checkmate’. The Saturday the 4th of June show at Oxford Art Factory has already sold out & so due to popular demand, a 2nd show has been announced today & is on sale for Thursday the 2nd of June. The Bag Raiders rose to fame in 2010 when their hit single ‘Shooting Stars’ dominated the airwaves around the world & have enjoyed international success since.

Fans of 70’s and 80’s music will revel at the addition of popular Australian singer-songwriter Don Walker to the Vivid Music line-up. Known for writing many of Cold Chisel‘s hits, Don & his band will perform at Marrickville’s Camelot Lounge on Friday the 27th of May.

In what is sure to be music to the ears of retro rock lovers, Australian 80’s punk-rock band, The Hard-Ons, will rock Newtown Social Club on Saturday the 28th of May with the return of original vocalist/drummer Keish “Velvet Fog” De Silva.

Vivid Music Curator, Stephen Ferris, said “At the heart of Vivid Music is a desire to showcase & celebrate Sydney’s vibrant and diverse music scene. Vivid Music broadens the footprint of Vivid Sydney offering more events for local & international music fans of all generations across Sydney & the inner west.”

Additional drawcards include father of ethio-jazz, Mulatu Astatke , teaming up with Australia’s Black Jesus Experience & the comeback and collaboration of iconic 80’s rockers, The Models, Machinations & Dave Mason.

For ticketing and further information on Vivid Music events, visit www.vividsydney.com/

Some Key Events To Diary Note

• Don Walker & The Suavae F***S | 27th of May at Camelot Lounge
  Known for writing many of the key hits for Cold Chisel, Don Walker & his band have announced a return to the stage in time for Vivid Music. Don has shaped the Australian music scene for over 30 years, from Kings Cross to regional towns & the spaces in between, illuminating those at the heart of Australian society.
• The Hard-Ons | 28th of May at Newtown Social Club
  Still absolutely buoyant from their 30th anniversary tour & the world-wide release of their best album to date ‘Peel Me Like A Egg’, Sydney’s colourful rocking identities, The Hard-Ons, will regroup as a foursome for Vivid Music with the return of original vocalist/drummer Keish “Velvet Fog” De Silva. The expanded, new & revitalised Hard-Ons will flex their considerable & charismatic musical muscle to wow audiences once again.
• Models, Machinations & Dave Mason | 29th of May at The Enmore
  Australian music legends & chart toppers, the Models, Machinations & Dave Mason, have re-emerged to perform an exclusive Vivid Sydney show at The Enmore Theatre. Born out of glam-punk & fused with emerging electronica this unique one-off performance will link the past with the present.
• #Portals – KUČKA & Rachel Archibald | 2nd of June at The Basement
  #Portals is an exciting new collaborative work between electronic musician KUČKA & visual artist Rachael Archibald in which the audience will be immersed in textural soundscapes delivered in surround sound & impressive digital video manipulations. Focusing on the themes of shared consciousness, virtual reality, & escapism, #Portals explores how technology is increasingly used as a vessel for human interaction with new environments, personas & pleasure.
• Bag Raiders | 2nd & 4th June at Oxford Art Factory
  Originally from Sydney, the Los Angeles based electronic band, Bag Raiders, are returning home for their 1st Australian tour since 2011 to celebrate the release of their new single ‘Checkmate’. The band’s only Sydney show will be part of Vivid Music & fans, new & old, are sure to revel in welcoming home the ARIA-nominated band fresh off their North American tour.
• Mulatu Astatke (Ethiopia) & The Black Jesus Experience | 5th of June at The Basement
  Ethiopian musician, Mulatu Astatke is touted as the father of ‘ethio-jazz’ and is one of Africa’s most influential musical figures. His blend of jazz & funk grooves with Ethiopia’s distinctive pentatonic scales has gained him international repute. Astatke will travel to Australia as part of Vivid Music, reconnecting with Australian band, The Black Jesus Experience, extending their long term musical relationship.
• 1 Day Sunday | 5th of June at The Factory
  Spearheaded by 1 Day disc jockeys (DJs) Joyride, Adit, Raph & Nick Lupi, 1 Day Sundays features a rotating cast of Australia’s premier DJs playing hip hop, rhythm and blues & soul as well as some of the country’s top artists painting a live graffiti mural at The Factory Theatre.

Now in its 8th year, Vivid Sydney is a major celebration of the creative industries & is owned, managed and produced by Destination New South Wales (NSW), the NSW Government’s tourism & major events agency.

For more details & to book tickets, visit vividsydney.com.

Media Release: Vivid Music

Expansion into the Royal Botanic Gardens &Taronga Zoo

Over 80 light installations & projections

Björk, New Order & Bon Iver for Vivid Music

Superstar storytellers Spike Jonze, Jenji Kohan, Beau Willimon for Vivid Ideas

The longest ever Vivid Sydney will shine for 23 nights when it illuminates Sydney Harbour, new and much-loved precincts & hosts vibrant music performances and big ideas talks from Friday the 27th of May to Saturday the 18th of June.

Destination New South Wales (NSW) Chief Executive Officer & Executive Producer of Vivid Sydney, Sandra Chipchase, said “This year, Vivid Sydney is back with an incredible program where art, creativity and innovation meet & are celebrated by local and international visitors.”

“Vivid Sydney delivers the world’s leading light artists in Vivid Light, cutting-edge musicians in Vivid Music & creative innovators in Vivid Ideas. In 2015, the festival attracted a record 1.7 million attendees & this year, visitors to Vivid Sydney will have longer to experience the wonder and enjoy our biggest year yet.”

In a Vivid Sydney first, the sails of the world-heritage listed Sydney Opera House will celebrate the rich & diverse work of Australia’s Indigenous artists through the projection, Songlines. This exceptional work of art is directed by Sydney Opera House Head Of Indigenous Programming, Rhoda Roberts, of the Bundjalung Nation of NSW & brings together 6 Indigenous artists whose work illustrates the extraordinary connections between Indigenous astronomy and the natural world – the celestial & terrestrial Songlines that weave through time & distance, earth and sky.

Vivid Sydney’s brilliant light also returns to Chatswood, Central Park, Darling Harbour, the Australian National Maritime Museum, Martin Place & new precinct The Galeries, which becomes the festival’s 1st indoor precinct. Treasured attractions, the Royal Botanic Gardens and Taronga Zoo, will light up during Vivid Sydney in celebration of the monumental anniversaries both celebrate in 2016.

At Garden Of Light, visitors will take a glittering journey through the Royal Botanic Gardens as part of its’ 200th birthday celebrations. Grand installations will dazzle & delight including the impressive 60-metre long Cathedral Of Light, made from hundreds of thousands of white light-emitting diodes which radiate gentle but brilliant light from all angles.

Taronga Zoo will be illuminated by larger-than-life multimedia sculptures of 10 critical species ranging from the magnificent Asian Elephant to the vividly coloured Corroboree Frog, encouraging visitors to Be The Light For The Wild in Taronga Zoo’s centenary year & beyond.

Vivid Music will pulse through the city with new sounds & venues with highlights including the world première of Björk Digital, a new virtual reality project from the international avant-garde artist & the inaugural Curve Ball – a large scale live music & art event from Fuzzy Music, both held at Carriageworks.

Vivid LIVE At The Sydney Opera House will unleash a series of incredible acts including synth-pop legends New Order, indie folk band Bon Iver, jazz artist Esperenza Spalding & the Australian première of Anohni’s astonishing multimedia show.

The Sydney Conservatorium Of Music will present The Sound Gardens: Vivid New Music performed by talented students with guest artists Natasha Anderson, Anthony Pateras & Clayton Thomas. Aussie hip-hop will be celebrated at Come Together @ Luna Park & One Day Sundays at The Factory in Marrickville. ARIA Hall Of Fame inductees & 80s’ trailblazers The Models will join fellow chart-toppers The Machinations and a stripped down version of Dave Mason’s The Reels to present The Models, Machinations & The Reels for 1 night only at the Enmore Theatre.

Vivid Music venues joining the line-up in 2016 include Newtown Social Club, brand new venue Cake Wines Cellar Door & returning favourites including Oxford Art Factory, Freda’s and The Basement.

At Vivid Ideas, the Game Changers Talk Series will be headlined by storytellers shaping the creative landscape including acclaimed director & producer Spike Jonze, House Of Cards creator Beau Willimon, the creative force behind Orange Is The New Black Jenji Kohan & one of Australia’s most influential new creatives, Margaret Zhang.

Across the city, creative conferences will dive into the business of innovation &d imagination with highlights including The Sunrise which delves into Australia’s start-up culture, an exploration of how technology & digital media can shape exciting, liveable cities at the Media Architecture Biennale 2016 & Conscious Change Makers, a dynamic summit exploring the idea that ‘good business’ is good for everyone.

Vivid Sydney, now in its 8th year, is the world’s largest festival of light, music and ideas & is owned, managed and produced by the NSW Government’s tourism & major events agency, Destination NSW. Vivid Sydney runs from Friday the 27th of May to Saturday the 18th of June 2016. For more information, visit www.vividsydney.com.

Media Release: Vivid Sydney

* BALLOT FOR TICKETS *

4 NIGHTS ONLY, VIVID SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE

“The most exquisite thing you will hear in your life” – Laurie Anderson (The Times, UK)

Vivid Sydney and the Sydney Opera House today announced that one of music’s singular innovators – the towering, ever-transforming Anohni (known previously to audiences as Antony Hegarty of Antony & The Johnsons) – will debut her latest work in 4 exclusive Vivid LIVE performances at the Sydney Opera House as part of Vivid Sydney, the world’s largest festival of light, music & ideas.

Incorporating a series of immersive, sense-shifting moments, the show promises to be the transgender artist’s most ambitious and personal yet. Due to the expected high demand, tickets to Anohni’s Sydney-exclusive Vivid LIVE concerts on 27, 28, 30 & 31 May 2016 will be allocated by ballot.

Following sold-out ballots for Morrissey (2015) and Kraftwerk’s 3D Catalogue retrospective (2013), Anohni’s 4 Sydney-only Vivid LIVE performances will feature her 5th album and solo debut as Anohni, ‘Hopelessness’, which raises the dramatic power of Antony & The Johnsons to new electronic heights.

American electronic artist and producer Oneohtrix Point Never (who, along with Hudson Mohawke, collaborated on the new album) & Gaël Rakotondrabe (pianist from Antony & The Johnsons) will join Anohni on the Joan Sutherland Theatre stage in this exclusive Australian premiere.

The shows also mark Anohni’s return to the city that has embraced her from the start, from her 2003 visits supporting Lou Reed & 2005 Opera House performances (when the singer stole the all-star Leonard Cohen tribute show, Came So Far For Beauty) to 2010’s memorable Antony & The Johnsons Concert Hall appearance.

Destination New South Wales (NSW) Chief Executive Officer & Executive Producer of Vivid Sydney, Sandra Chipchase, said “Vivid Sydney’s cutting-edge contemporary music program brings the most outstanding local and international artists to Sydney & today’s announcement of Anohni at Vivid LIVE is the first of what’s set to be a stellar line-up for the festival in 2016.”

Revered for her inimitable vibrato & classic cinematic sonics on ‘Hopelessness’, the Mercury Music Prize-winner Anohni combines the symphonic, heavyweight beats of Hudson Mohawke (TNGHT, Kanye West) with Warp’s Oneohtrix Point Never to room-shuddering effect. Enigmatic Anohni is a 2016 Academy Award Best Original Song nominee. ‘Hopelessness’ has drawn comparisons to Radiohead’s classic Kid A as both a musical evolution & call-to-arms: the album’s world-warning single ‘4 Degrees‘ was released to coincide with the COP24 climate-change talks in Paris.

Vivid LIVE, now in its 8th year, will be the 2nd curated by Ben Marshall, the Sydney Opera House’s Head Of Contemporary Music. Recently named the 2015 FBi SMAC Of The Year, Marshall has brought the likes of Morrissey, Sufjan Stevens & TV On The Radio to the stages of the World Heritage-listed building.

Ben Marshall, Curator, Vivid LIVE, said “Anohni is one of the most talented & powerful contemporary artists working today. She is a transformative artist for this transformative festival. Her fluid, visionary, heart-rending and dare I say it, subversively pop mediation, on the tipping points of gender, sexuality, identity & humanity will stay with you forever after these performances. We are genuinely honoured she has chosen Vivid LIVE at the Sydney Opera House to unveil her most ambitious, compelling & perhaps accessible piece yet.”

The full program for Vivid LIVE at the Sydney Opera House will be announced during the Vivid Sydney program launch next month.

vividsydney.com/sydneyoperahouse.com/vividLIVE

SEASON DETAILS

• WHAT: Anohni (Antony & The Johnsons + Oneohtrix Point Never)
• WHEN: Friday May 27 – Tuesday 31 May 2016
• WHERE: Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House
• TICKETS: From $79 + booking fee

IMPORTANT TICKETING INFORMATION

The Sydney Opera House expects high demand for tickets for the Anohni (Antony & The Johnsons + Oneohtrix Point Never) series of concerts exclusive to Sydney based on previous touring success. To ensure everyone has an equal chance to purchase tickets, the Sydney Opera House has put in place an online application process. This will minimise the congestion through sales channels & distribute tickets to fans across time zones, states & countries.

Apply for your tickets anytime between Monday 29 February 2016 (10am Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT)) & Friday 4 March 2016 (5pm AEDT). Tickets will not be allocated on a 1st-come, 1st-served basis; all applications received during this period will be equally considered. To apply, go to http://vividlive.sydneyoperahouse.com/.

APPLICATIONS CANNOT BE ACCEPTED OVER THE PHONE OR IN PERSON.

ABOUT VIVID LIVE AT VIVID SYDNEY

From 27 May–13 June, the Sydney Opera House will welcome some of the most ambitious & innovative local and international artists for Vivid LIVE – a celebration of music on the nation’s most famous stages – held as part of Vivid Sydney, the world’s largest festival of light, music & ideas.

Vivid LIVE invites the world’s leading music artists & performers to raise the roof of the Sydney Opera House’s theatres, rehearsal spaces, recording studios & most famously, it’s iconic sails, which are transformed into a unique lighting canvas each year for Vivid Sydney.

Now in its 8th year, Vivid Sydney, features large scale light installations and projections (Vivid Light); music performances and collaborations (Vivid Music including Vivid LIVE at the Sydney Opera House); & creative ideas, discussion and debate (Vivid Ideas), celebrating Sydney as the creative hub of the Asia-Pacific region.

Vivid Sydney is owned, managed & produced by Destination NSW, the NSW Government’s tourism & major events agency, & runs from 27 May to 18 June 2016. For more information, visit www.vividsydney.com.

Media Release: Vivid Sydney

For the 1st time ever, Vivid Sydney is lighting up Taronga Zoo with a trail of spectacular installations including giant, luminous animal sculptures.

Minister For Trade, Tourism & Major Events, Stuart Ayres, said Sydney’s world famous zoo is turning 100 & Vivid Sydney is joining the celebrations bringing its wondrous light, creativity & innovation to the iconic attraction for a special after hours event.

“Visitors to Vivid Sydney at Taronga Zoo will be welcomed by a grand projection onto the façade of the heritage-listed main entrance building which leads into a journey filled with thousands of lanterns including 10 magnificent, larger-than-life animal sculptures illuminated to shine a light on the 10 critical species Taronga has committed to protecting,” Mr Ayres said.

“The captivating creatures ranging from the vividly coloured Corroboree Frog to the grand Asian Elephant will sparkle & feature interactive lighting, sound effects and moving parts. They will be among the largest and most technologically advanced lanterns featured in the festival, showcasing the innovation Vivid is known for.”

Minister For The Environment, Mark Speakman, said New South Wales (NSW) school students would play an important role in bringing the festival to life at Taronga Zoo.

“As part of the centenary celebrations, NSW primary school students participating in Taronga’s education program are invited to construct their own mini-lanterns of the 10 critical species which will feature at Vivid Sydney,” Mr Speakman said.

“The program aims to engage students with the valuable conservation work of Taronga while inspiring creativity & getting students involved in Vivid Sydney at Taronga Zoo with their lanterns to be displayed at the festival.”

Vivid Sydney is the world’s largest festival of light, music and ideas & is owned, managed and produced by the NSW Government’s tourism & major events agency, Destination NSW. It attracted a record-breaking 1.7 million attendees in 2015.

Vivid Sydney runs from Friday the 27th of May to Monday the 13th of June 2016.

Media Release: Vivid Sydney