NEW MUSIC. NEW VENUES

We're making waves!

Hometown heroes and exciting new musical voices will lay down hot summer rhythms in fresh venues and unexpected spaces for Perth Festival 2022. 

Our contemporary music programmer Tom Supple says: 

‘This program has a proud local focus that resonates with the boundless enthusiasm, talent and dynamism and one that I’m very grateful to showcase.'

For two weeks, we turn the vacant European Foods Warehouse in Northbridge into a dedicated music venue, where a central stage will host in-the-round performances from local legends Methyl Ethyl and Flewnt, who brings a slew of collaborators and guests to the warehouse for his Boorloo Block Party.  

Local electronic labels Good Company Records and Midnight Elevator host the late-night club event HOME in the closing weekend of the Festival that features the best of the electronic scene. It is backed up by parties from iconic local experimental festival Planet X and a new mega collaboration Rhythm is Rhythm from local crews Boorloo Justice, M33T, Midnight.co, Netwerxx & Soul Alphabet. Created in collaboration with celebrated local curator and creative producer Ben Taaffe (Move, Freedom Time, Planet X) and featuring a bespoke lighting installation by artists Reelize Studio, these are high-energy warehouse parties on steroids. 

Aesoteric adds a second show at the WA Museum Boola Bardip after the special Festival edition of this highly anticipated event sold out in record time. 

At B Shed in Fremantle, local star Stella Donnelly kicks off two weeks at the revitalised Victoria Quay venue on 18 February. Joining the portside line-up over the following nights are the queerlectro pop perfection of Alter Boy. Also at B Shed is Warranma! featuring remote and regional first nations artists singer-songwriter Theona Councillor and Warriyangga Warralgurniya with WAM. 

Much hyped First Nations MC, crowed as the new matriarch of Australian rap BARKAA, flies in to perform her first show on Noongar Boodjar with special local guests.

RTRFM’s WA Mixtape returns in 2022 to celebrate the much-loved community radio station’s 45th birthday with fresh takes on three classic WA albums by Grace Barbé (Jebediah’s Slightly Odway), Dan Howls (The Scientists’ Weird Love) and Noah Dillon (The Triffids’ Born Sandy Devotional).  

Also in the program at B Shed is I Liked it, BUT… – a Pub Trivia Night style show hosted by performance artist extraordinaire Joel Bray and local musicians.  

Local-turned-global psych-rock legends Pond kick off their world tour at Fremantle Arts Centre on 11 February to celebrate the Festival’s opening night and their latest chart-topping album, 9. Take to the lawns of this iconic venue to experience a night of expansive jams, exhilarating experimentation and frenetic showmanship. Closing out the opening weekend is Melbourne’s King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard with their genre defying sounds. 

Art and music will collide inside the old Karakatta Club, a women’s club in the historic Lawson Apartments. WA-based international beatmaker Ta-ku’s Songs to Experience will be a room-by-room immersive journey of light, art and the sonic grooves of his debut album. Each room brings to life a different song in this surreal, immersive world created by Ta-ku in collaboration with artists, designers and creators from around the globe.  

Tom on putting this line up together: 

‘It’s been a great experience inviting iconic Perth club nights and music collectives to collaborate with Perth Festival to celebrate an inclusive community focused program that platforms the city’s cutting-edge talent late into the hot summer nights.' 

Stay tuned ... more details and a final suite of shows will be announced in January.  

Full line up

B Shed, Victoria Quay 

Stella Donnelly Fri 18 Feb, 7.15pm 
WA Mixtape Sat 19 Feb, 7.30pm presented in association with RTRFM 
Joel Bray’s I liked it… BUT Sun 20 Feb, 7.30pm 
BARKAA Fri 25 Feb, 7.30pm 
Alter Boy Sat 26 Feb, 7.30pm 
Warranma! Sun 27 Feb, 1pm 

European Foods Warehouse 

Methyl Ethel Fri 25 Feb, 11pm 
Flewnt’s Boorloo Block Party Sat 26 Feb, 8pm 
HOME Fri 4 Mar, 8pm presented in association with Good Company Records and Midnight Elevator 
Planet X: PARALLAX Sat 5 Mar, 6pm 
Rhythm is Rhythm Sun 6 Mar, 6pm presented in association with M33t, Midnight.Co, Netwerxx, Nani Creative & Soul Alphabet 

Fremantle Arts Centre 

POND Fri 11 Feb, 8.30pm 
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard Sun 13 Feb, 8.30pm 
 

WA Museum Boola Bardip 

Aesoteric Thu 24 and Fri 25 Feb, 7pm 

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Banner image: Planet X, photo by Mason Devon