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Music stars heading for
PLANET PERTH

Acts from around the globe
set to take over
The Rechabite

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Photo – Hadley Hudson

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Some of the most exciting contemporary music stars from near and far are coming to Noongar Boodjar to see out summer with a bang for Perth Festival 2023.

In a return to international programming, we are thrilled to welcome global superstars and boundary-pushing emerging artists alike for our 2023 Contemporary Music Program which traverses genres.

International headliners Björk – who will present her Australian-exclusive performances of Cornucopia in a special pavilion in Langley Park – and Bon Iver at Red Hill Auditorium have already been announced. See ticket details here.

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Much-loved Northbridge venue The Rechabite becomes our home of contemporary music where the Rechabite Hall main stage will be jumping with the best in indie pop, punk rock, dance music, RnB, genre-bending sounds from across the globe and more.

Rolling through The Rechabite over 20 scintillating nights will be Angel Olsen, Bikini Kill, Peaches, Kae Tempest, Mdou Moctar, Julia Jacklin, Mykki Blanco, Nakhane and Leon Vynehall, to name a few.

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Australia’s queen of soul Emma Donovan with Melbourne rhythm combo The Putbacks kick off the opening week with their unique blend of classic American soul and Australian First Nations protest music. And a pulsating first week ends with the exciting return of local MC Flewnt’s Boorloo Block Party featuring a deadly line up of First Nations hip hop stars from across the country in a New York block party style event. Produced by Tani Walker & Optamus (Downsyde), the show includes headline sets from BARKAA, Kobie Dee and Goldfields lyrical danger girl MissGenius. This epic crew will be backed by a band including horns and vocals, and more special guests to be announced. 

We continue to hero First Nations stories through music with Songs for Freedom, a free event at Point Walter Reserve in the City of Melville. Presented in collaboration with Big hART and directed by Grammy-award-winning artist Lucky Oceans, Songs for Freedom offers heartfelt messages of freedom and hope from the Pilbara mob, in their own words.

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Hearing will be believing when the charismatic energy and silky-smooth voice of South African singer-songwriter Nakhane powers up in Perth for the first time on the back of their new single Tell Me Your Politik, a collaboration with Moonchild Sanelly and Nile Rogers. Simply unmissable.

Audiences can revel in 90s nostalgia with iconic punk rock royalty Peaches (Canada) and Bikini Kill (USA). Peaches brings her iconic and outrageous live shows to The Rechabite to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her 2002 album The Teaches of Peaches and Riot Grrrl legends Bikini Kill reunite for a special Festival appearance, with their fierce feminist anthems as relevant as ever.

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From Bikini Kill to an artist inspired by the Riot Grrrl movement, American rapper, poet and performance artist Mykki Blanco (USA) brings their exuberant live show to Perth following an extensive European tour. And from across the pond, prolific poet, author and recording artist Kae Tempest (UK) returns to Perth Festival with a new album and mesmerising new live set, casually dropping relatable everyday stories through dazzling wordplay over moody electronic and grimy hip-hop beats.

Audiences are invited to come on a journey through the Program as we follow Kae Tempest with the jazz-infused signature IDM sounds of Perth five-piece instrumental band Grievous Bodily Calm or the closing long weekend, we invite dance music fans to turn it up a notch with a live set from DJ and producer Leon Vynehall (UK, Ninja Tunes) – “a creator of downtempo mini-masterpieces” (Mixmag) and Interzone, Perth legends Ben Taaffe (MOVE) and Josh McAuliffe (Outer Body), in a full venue take over which invites people to dance the night away under the stars on the Hello Rooftop to the Goodwill Club in the basement. A full line up of DJs and artists will be announced soon. 

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Charismatic Baltimore synth-pop icons Future Islands, described by NME as ‘one of the most adored cult bands on the planet’, round out the first week with their futuristic soundscapes, nostalgia-inducing lyrics and iconic dance moves in their first ever headline show for Perth audiences.

Female voices of the next generation dominate the second week of the program with prolific songstresses Soccer Mommy (Nashville, USA), Julia Jacklin (Melbourne), and Angel Olsen (Asheville, USA). These artists have shot into stardom by fearlessly sharing their stories in raw yet sweet, intimate yet fun ballads and indie rock tunes that are guaranteed to get stuck in your head.

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Dubbed ‘the Hendrix of the Sahara’ (The Guardian), Mdou Moctar (Niger) bring a sound that melds Eddie Van Halen pyrotechnics, full-blast noise and electronic drums with poetic meditations to Perth Festival. The band recently made a name for themselves with Ya Habibti being the title track for the 2022 HBO cult mini-series Irma Vep.

Australian composer and musician Anthony Pateras and his quintet A Dread of Voids invite audiences to experience an uncompromising program of intimate psychoacoustic music, including the Australian premiere of the work that gave the group its name.

Program Associate – Contemporary Music Tom Supple said ‘It is so incredibly exciting to be able to present some of the biggest names in contemporary music in Perth in 2023, giving local audiences an opportunity to experience world-class performances for the first time in over 2 years.

‘Just as important is our continued support of the local music community, with strong ongoing collaborations with artists, promoters and venue partners, it is a reminder of the world-class nature of the local scene.’

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Perth Festival runs 10 February – 5 March 2023. 

Friends and Music Members priority access booking period opens at 12pm WST on Thursday 27 October.

General Public ticket sales open at 12pm WST on Thursday 3 November.

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Perth Festival 2023
contemporary music program:

WHAT: Emma Donovan & The Putbacks
WHEN: Sun 12 Feb, Doors 7pm
WHERE: The Rechabite / Yandilup / Northbridge

WHAT: A Dread of Voids
WHEN: Tue 14 Feb, Doors 7pm
WHERE: The Rechabite / Yandilup / Northbridge

WHAT: Kae Tempest
WHEN: Wed 15 Feb, Doors 7pm
WHERE: The Rechabite / Yandilup / Northbridge

WHAT: Future Islands
WHEN: Thu 16 Feb, Doors 7pm
WHERE: The Rechabite / Yandilup / Northbridge

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WHAT: Grievous Bodily Calm
WHEN: Fri 17 Feb, Doors 7pm
WHERE: The Rechabite / Yandilup / Northbridge

WHAT: Flewnt’s Boorloo Block Party
WHEN: Sat 18 Feb, Doors 7pm
WHERE: The Rechabite / Yandilup / Northbridge

WHAT: Julia Jacklin
WHEN: Tue 21 and Wed 22 Feb, Doors 7pm
WHERE: The Rechabite / Yandilup / Northbridge

WHAT: Soccer Mommy
WHEN: Thu 23 Feb, Doors 7pm
WHERE: The Rechabite / Yandilup / Northbridge

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WHAT: Mykki Blanco
WHEN: Fri 24 Feb, Doors 7pm
WHERE: The Rechabite / Yandilup / Northbridge

WHAT: Bon Iver
WHEN: Sun 26 Feb, Doors 6pm
WHERE: Red Hill Auditorium / Wurerup / Red Hill

WHAT: Peaches
WHEN: Sun 26 Feb, Doors 7pm
WHERE: The Rechabite / Yandilup / Northbridge

WHAT: Bikini Kill
WHEN: Wed 1 Mar, Doors 7pm
WHERE: The Rechabite / Yandilup / Northbridge

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WHAT: Mdou Moctar
WHEN: Thu 2 Mar, Doors 7pm
WHERE: The Rechabite / Yandilup / Northbridge

WHAT: Björk’s Cornucopia
WHEN: Fri 3, Mon 6, Thu 9 and Sun 12 Mar, Doors 6pm
WHERE: Langley Park / Perth CBD
Björk’s Cornucopia is supported by Tourism WA, City of Perth and Seven West Media

WHAT: Leon Vynehall
WHEN: Fri 3 Mar, Doors 7pm
WHERE: The Rechabite / Yandilup / Northbridge

WHAT: Interzone
WHEN: Sat 4 Mar, Doors 8pm
WHERE: The Rechabite / Yandilup / Northbridge

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WHAT: Songs for Freedom
WHEN: Sun 5 Mar, Activities from 5pm
WHERE: Point Walter Reserve / Dyoondalup / Bicton

WHAT: Nakhane
WHEN: Sun 5 Mar, Doors 7pm
WHERE: The Rechabite / Yandilup / Northbridge

WHAT: Angel Olsen
WHEN: Tue 7 and Wed 8 Mar, Doors 7pm
WHERE: The Rechabite / Yandilup / Northbridge

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Perth Festival acknowledges the Noongar people who continue to practise their values, language, beliefs, and knowledge on their kwobidak boodjar. They remain the spiritual and cultural birdiyangara of this place and we honour and respect their caretakers and custodians and the vital role Noongar people play for our community and our Festival to flourish.

Perth Festival

Founded in 1953 by The University of Western Australia, Perth Festival is the longest running international arts festival in Australia and Western Australia’s premier cultural event. The Festival has developed a worldwide reputation for excellence in its international program, the presentation of new works and the highest quality artistic experiences for its audience. For 70 years, the Festival has welcomed to Perth some of the world’s greatest living artists and now connects with hundreds of thousands of people each year.

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AMNPLIFY – DB