Fitzroy to Host New Winter Live Music and Arts Program

A new winter live music series, HIGH GROUND, is coming to Fitzroy, launching across three of the suburb’s most iconic independent venues.

Set to spotlight Fitzroy's rich cultural and musical legacy, the program draws inspiration from Fitzroy’s traditional name, Ngár-go, and aims to celebrate the area’s longstanding reputation for creative independence, underground culture, and boundary-pushing live music.

Running from May through August across The Night Cat, The Evelyn and Punters Club, presented on Wurundjeri Country, HIGH GROUND will bring together international touring artists, local acts, DJs, collectives, exhibitions, and community-led programming throughout the colder months, encouraging audiences back into Fitzroy’s independent venues.

The inaugural lineup spans post-punk, experimental electronic, jazz, psych, R&B and club music, featuring internationally acclaimed acts including Protomartyr, Mark Ernestus & Ndagga Rhythm Force, Violent Magic Orchestra, YHWH Nailgun, Mildlife, and Jenevieve. 

At the centre of the series is HIGH GROUND: IN MOTION, a multi-venue event taking place on Saturday, July 18th across all three venues within what organisers are calling the “Fitzroy Triangle". 

Presented by PBS 106.7FM, CLBR and Leaps and Bounds Music Festival, the one-night event will allow audiences to move between venues for a program of live music, DJs and late-night performances.

The first IN MOTION lineup includes performances from Skeleten, Sleepazoid, XIAO XIAO, Orange Moon, No News, Rain Dogs, Horatio Luna, DJ LUV YOU, Public Figures, Setwun & The Soulstranauts, and Miles Nautu.

Organisers say the series was designed as both a celebration of Fitzroy’s live music history and a reflection of the suburb’s continuing role in shaping Australian counterculture and independent music scenes.

“HIGH GROUND is our love letter to Fitzroy. We want to celebrate the creative and cultural history of this incredibly unique community,” CLBR Co-Founder and Managing Director Nate Farrell said.

“I spend 95% of my time between Johnston St and Alexander Parade, and every night already feels like a festival to me, being able to bounce between our venues (aka The Fitzroy Triangle).

“We wanted to bottle that feeling, that excitement of seeing all these dots connect in these spaces with different crowds and scenes coming together, all with Fitzroy as the backdrop.”

Alongside the live music program, HIGH GROUND will also host a free public gallery exhibition featuring archival photography and memorabilia documenting Fitzroy’s cultural and musical history.

Additional artists, exhibitions and activations are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. See here for details.

HIGH GROUND 2026

May-August 2026
The Night Cat, The Evelyn, Punters Club, Fitzroy VIC

HIGH GROUND
Bridget Small
College Of Knowledge Presents: Soul Dynamite
Disco Mediterranea
DJ Assault (USA)
DJ Colette
DJ Luv You
Eden Burns (NZ)
Horatio Luna
horse
Intermood
Jenevieve (USA)
Lamestream
Love Sensation
MAAJELA
Mark Ernestus & Ndagga Rhythm Force (SEN)
Mildlife
Miles Nautu
Milly Strange
Milo Eastwood
Mulga Bore Hard Rock
New York & Cortisa Star (USA)
Nice Girl
No News
Orange Moon
People Taking Pictures
Pollen Art Club Presents: Rinse
Protomartyr (USA)
Public Figures
Rain Dogs
Setwun & The Soultranauts
Skeleten
Sleepazoid
Sports (USA)
Steady Weather
Stupid F*ck the Silly Clown
The Gnomes
Tony Armstrong: The Let Down
Violent Magic Orchestra (JPN)
Weaver Pres.
XIAO XIAO
YHWH Nailgun (USA)

HIGH GROUND: IN MOTION 
Skeleten
Sleepazoid
XIAO XIAO
Orange Moon
No News
Rain Dogs
Horatio Luna
DJ Colette
DJ LUV YOU
Public Figures
Setwun & The Soulstranauts
Miles Nautu
Bridget Small