Created In Partnership With Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House
Sydney’s winter arts calendar gets a serious jolt of energy this May, with local tastemakers Astral People curating a program for Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House.
Since forming in 2011, Astral People have become one of the country’s most innovative touring and events collectives, bringing artists including Fred again.., 100 Gecs, Grace Jones, Stormzy, Jamie xx, Oklou and more to Australian shores. The group have also helped manage the careers of local acts such as Cosmo’s Midnight, FUKHED, and Sam Alfred. Now, as part of their 15-year celebrations, on Wednesday, May 27, Astral People are curating a lineup for a one-night-only venue-wide takeover during this year’s Vivid Sydney program. Here’s who’s on the lineup.
Gil Scott-Heron by Brian Jackson and Yasiin Bey
In a world-first, Astral People is hosting a heartfelt tribute to the inimitable Gil Scott-Heron: the American poet and musician whose political, spoken-word, jazz-infused performances helped to transform the rhythm and blues music of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Led by Scott-Heron’s longtime collaborator and keyboardist, Brian Jackson, and featuring acclaimed rapper and singer Yasiin Bey, this celebration of music will revisit Gil Scott-Heron’s catalogue, including “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”, and bring new life to songs that continue to influence contemporary music.
Moonflower Suite: Maina Doe, NMMWL, KHYA & Hey, Love
In the Sydney Opera House’s Utzon Room, Astral People have curated Moonflower Suite. Anchored by the Sydney instrumental collective Hey, Love, Indonesian-born R&B star Maina Doe, South Sudanese poet NMMWL, and vocal and spoken-word Chilean-Australian talent KHYA, the artists come together for a fluid, spiritual journey through jazz, soul, hip-hop, and poetry. Across the musical suite, the musicians enter as vocal and spoken-word counterparts, weaving melody, poetry and narrative through live compositions. With each artist bringing a unique sound, expect a genre-blurring and creatively inspiring performance.
Studio Party feat. TOKiMONSTA & ONEMAN
As part of an all-new Studio Party, Astral People have invited world-renowned, LA-based DJ and producer TOKiMONSTA and South London DJ ONEMAN to perform live at the Sydney Opera House.
In a groundbreaking exploration of live electronic music, TOKiMONSTA will bring her pioneering sound to Australia. The producer has previously remixed tracks for Beck, Lil Uzi Vert, David Bowie and more. She was the first Asian American producer to be nominated for a Grammy Award for her 2017 album “Lune Rouge” and this May, she’ll perform live at the Astral People takeover. DJ ONEMAN, who made a name for himself on the London pirate radio station Rinse FM, will be returning for his first local performances in almost a decade. Known for his sets that blend dubstep, hip-hop, grime and UK garage, consider this your chance to witness two internationally-acclaimed producers perform in Australia’s iconic landmark.
Flying Lotus
Los-Angeles-born and Grammy Award-winning artist, Flying Lotus, is returning to Australia for Astral People’s May 27 takeover. With seven critically-acclaimed (and genre-defining) albums under his belt and post the release of his new EP BIG MAMA, Flying Lotus will perform for one night only in the Joan Sutherland Theatre. Also a decade after his last Australia appearance, Flying Lotus will perform his legendary Layer³ show, an immersive 3D spectacle to bring the audience into the wild world of his imagination.
For more information on Vivid LIVE and to browse the full program, visit the website.
