Ongoing events in complex of theatres and concert halls includes circus, theater, classical and pop music concerts, roller and ice skating, cinema and dance. See the Melbourne Festival 2014 in October, for 17 days of cultural events spanning continents, cultures and every kind of creative endeavour. See their website for details:
Every Saturday, 10pm-5am at backdoor of Bottom End, upstairs. A warehouse dance club from the past, today. "devastating door policy, demanding decor, delicious house music, deluded dancers." POOF DOOF DJs: Gavin Campbell, Sunshine, Chris Wilson, Courtney Marson, China, Tamara Kiti.
Sunday Industry Nights at Love Machine, 18+ dress to impress, gay/lesbian and friends dance night, international celebrities, DJs, sexy go-go dancers, special monthly theme nights include Super White Party and Pink Party.
December 6-7, 2014 at Melbourne Showgrounds, Epsom Rd, Ascot Vale VIC. Kick off the summer with Australia's biggest dance & music festival - scores of top talent groups & DJs including: Carmada, Calvin Harris, Timmy Trumpet, Uberjak'd, Kaz James, Tigerlily, MC Losty, Tale Of Us, Tiësto, Scuba, Duke Dumont, Skrillex, Allesoo... For full line-up, and more see website:
December 12-14, 2014, Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre, Meredith/ Golden Plains, VIC, 90km W of Melbourne. Among world's best indie music festivals. With: The War on Drugs, Tiny Ruins, Ty Segall, De la Soul, Mark Lanegan, Factory Floor, Jagwar Ma, Augie March.... No commercial sponsors/signage/market stalls/timetable clashes, no telling you where to camp, no curfew, etc.
January 18 - February 8, 2015 annual queer cultural festival. Over 150 events, 3-week festival, performing arts, dance parties, visual art exhibitions, community events, forums; January 18th Carnival opens + T-Dance, entertainment, food and drinks. February 1st Pride March down Fitzroy Street, followed by Catani Gardens family-friendly picnic in the park.
January 21 - March 15, 2015, under the Big Top at Flemington Racecourse. The fascinating journey of the human species from original amphibian state to an ultimate desire to fly. Characters evolve onstage evoking a giant turtle, a symbol of origin for many ancient civilizations. Inspired by founding myths, the evolutionary progress of our species by way of visual and acrobatic language.
January 22 - February 12, 2015 at The Imperial Hotel. Back for the 8th fabulous year, LOL Comedy brings you the brightest and freshest comedy talents, showcasing your favorite stars of radio, stage and screen. Nightly showbag of the best in Australian GLBTI and GLBTI-friendly comedy stars. Weekly mix including Fiona O'Loughlin, Geraldine Hickey, Thom Jaspers, Dolly Diamond and more!
January 30, 2015, at The Laird Hotel. Bare-arse & wet jock competition, raising funds for people living with HIV/AIDS for over 20 years. Guys bare all to win prizes, and maybe a few fans. With 'talent' and 'wet-jock' segments, the crowd are guaranteed all-round views of the contestants. Half time comedy act, rapid-auction, bugger-all money at 15 bucks entry!
January 30-31, 2015, Friday 8:30pm, Saturday 5pm at Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre. Ups and downs of a ‘perfect life’ - a one man show. After mental illness, drug abuse and struggles relating to sexuality, a story of recovery and gratitude: mother, trampolining, diving, discovery of Brisbane clubs gay life at 14, and balancing wild child partying with Olympic sports training.
January 31, 2015 at The 86. Cocks, balls, furry butts to make you laugh, turn you on, and tell a story. Renowned male burlesque performer Raven leads a mixed bag of hot Australian performance artists, getting it off in ways you haven't even imagined, but you'll never forget. Happy endings for all. "We dare you not to be offended. We dare you to get naked"
February 1, 2015, Pride March Victoria. Parade departs 2pm from the park at the corner of Lakeside Drive & Fitzroy Street, along Fitzroy Street, to Catani Gardens on the St Kilda foreshore, where the energy and pride will continue for a family-friendly, dynamic picnic in the park. Local traders will be selling devilishly good picnic baskets. See website for more details.
February 6-7, 2015 at Fairfax Studio, the Arts Centre. Channelling sex appeal and songs of divas from Marlene Dietrich, Bassey, Cher and Chrissy Amphlett to Madonna, Kylie, Beyoncé, Katy Perry and Lady GaGa, with just a hint of Berlin cabaret mixed with the boldness of burlesque, the sultry 'Ms B' invites you to an adventurous evening of 'sublime sensuality'.
Ongoing Tuesdays through Saturdays until February 7, 2015 at Arts Centre Melbourne. Join hosts “Rhonda Butchmore” (Thomas Jaspers) and Kyle Minall for a hilarious behind the scenes romp of Australia’s largest performing arts centre. Get the down low on the famous and the infamous and see the theatres and costumes that have helped shape Melbourne’s queer culture.
February 27 - March 15, 2015 Food/ wine lovers come out to play (taste, cook, eat, learn, drink, discover) each year with artisan producers, trail-blazing chefs and inspiring winemakers. Events in every location imaginable - among wine barrels at cellar doors, in early autumn countryside sunshine, lights-down-low basement bars, hidden city lanes + award-winning restaurants.
March 6, 2015, 7pm at the Melbourne Zoo. With a star on Hollywood Blvd, the “Kings of Disco” have greatly influenced dance music, and popularized camp sensibilities worldwide with sales of 100 million recordings. Six men in familiar costumes combine energetic choreography with outrageous fun + lots of bumping and grinding. Music entertainment to get you singing and dancing!
March 6, 2015, 8pm, at National Theatre, St Kilda. Elvis, cultural icon, ‘King of Rock and Roll’ or simply ‘The King’.. The memory and legend live on in a concert event starring one of the world's first/most-successful Elvis impersonator Max Pellicano, whose uncanny resemblance and equally chilling performance has mesmerised Australians these past two decades.
March 6-9, 2015, Queer Country Pride Labour Day Long Weekend dances at Daylesford Town Hall. Street Parade & Carnival, Vincent Street, Daylesford. Thousands of friend for a great weekend of entertainment including the famous and truly unique street parade and all-day, all-star, open-air carnival. See website for updates:
March 7-9, 2015, Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre, Meredith, Golden Plains, VIC, 90km W of Melbourne, Geelong/Ballarat. 3-day music festival, camping. Last year with: You Am I, Public Enemy, Flying Lotus, Fat Freddy's Drop, Neko Case, Yo La Tengo, Cut/Copy, Charles Bradley + His Extraordinaires, The Drones, Adalita, Chet Faker, Gold Panda, Seekae, Cosmic Psychos, King Gizzard....
March 8, 2015, Labour Day Long Weekend, Flemington Racecourse. 18+ music festival. 1st round: AVICCI, Drake, The Prodigy, Afrojack, Knife Party, Martin Garrix, Hilltop Hoods, Nero, Example, Die Antwoord, Darude, Sigma, 2 Chanz, Kiesza, Tchami, Blasterjaxx, Robin Schulz, Klingande, Gorgon City, Carnage, Bassjackers, Yellow Claw, Throttle, Sven Väth, Art Department, Apollonia +200...
March 19-30, 2015, Each year screening over 150 features, shorts, documentaries and experimental films from Australia and around the world over 11 days; Australia's largest, oldest, most successful queer film festival, at 3 Melbourne venues including the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. The MQFF also tours highlights of its program to various parts of Australia.
March 25 - April 19, 2015, various clubs & venues around town; comedy acts, theater, cabaret & stand-up artists of all kinds, including queer talents. One of the three largest comedy festivals in the world. Also: Deadly Funny, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander comedy program for Australia’s traditional owners. See 2015 competition dates + venues after October 2014.
April 1-5, 2015, at State Theatre, Arts Centre. Deeply rooted in Argentinean culture, tango has fascinated and captivated the world with its sexuality, power and beauty. Featuring new music from Argentinean composer Fernando Marzan, with 10 tango dancers from Buenos Aires, 2 contemporary dancers + 5-musician tango band, a 21st century exploration of traditional and contemporary tango.
April 10-12, 2015, 10am-5pm at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. Bored with your training schedule? Want to start a new fitness kick or need valuable training or diet advice? Head to the ultimate workout for fitness, wellness and health, to find the best solution for you.
June 18-28, 2015, at Village Melbourne, 557 St Kilda Rd. The second largest cabaret festival in the world, one Melbourne’s major winter arts events, held across a diverse range of cabaret venues. In 2014 these included: Chapel Off Chapel, Kew Court House, Village Melbourne, Draculas, fortyfivedownstairs and The Butterfly Club. See website for the 2015 line-up.
October, 2015 (to be confirmed), at Hare Hole. Latest & greatest a-v material representing/ catering to queer desires, diverse sexual identities; sensual-lewd, silly-serious, subtle-shameless -full spectrum queer erotic imagery; includes film screenings, discussions, parties, and play.