Melbourne Entertainment

Melbourne has as good an entertainment scene as any major city in the world. Whether you want an energetic night out with drinks and dancing until dawn or a box seat at a performance of Miss Saigon, there will certainly be something happening during your visit to Melbourne. To find out what’s going on while you’re here, pick up a free copy of Melbourne Events, a monthly entertainment guide. Another useful publication is the Friday entertainment supplement (EG) found in The Age newspaper.

Nightlife

Melbourne can be a very exciting place after dark, and many people consider this city to have the best nightlife in Australia. Melbourne’s nightlife centres around Flinders Lane and King Street, where you can find dozens of clubs and retro-style bars which are popular with the younger set. Many of the city’s chic hotels tend to have upscale, trendy cocktail lounges, with a clientele to match. Friday and Saturday are the busiest nights of the week, and most pubs will be packed to the gills. Pubs generally stay open until at least midnight on most nights and up to 03:00 at weekends.

English-style pubs have traditionally been the foundation of Melbourne’s bar scene and the city is blessed with a multitude of these. Every neighbourhood has at least one or two, ranging from grungy dives to more stately venues. You can always find satellite television to keep up with your favourite sports, a good pint and more often than not, a pleasant beer garden.

The most happening neighbourhoods with regards to Melbourne’s vibrant club scene include South Yarra, which attracts a hip crowd, while Smith and Brunswick streets in Fitzroy cater to a more bohemian and alternative group. St Kilda is also a lively part of town, with several well-known establishments found here. Then there’s the Crown Entertainment Complex, with its massive casino, numerous bars, clubs and ever-popular disco, Heat.

Theatre and music

Melbourne’s busy theatre scene offers everything from mainstream Broadway blockbusters to experimental local productions. Beautiful and historic venues such as the Princess Theatre and Her Majesty’s are often the site of Melbourne’s best performances. Ballet and dance are also as good as anywhere in the world, with the Australian Ballet performing over 160 shows per year to a packed house. Discerning musical fans will also enjoy the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Opera Australia, the spectacular 85-piece Australian Pops Orchestra or the youthful Australian Boys Choir.

Live music of all kinds has a big following in this city, which is widely considered to be the music capital of Australia. Any big name musician who comes to this country will stop by Melbourne for a show or two, so it’s likely that on any given night you can find some kind of performance that interests you. Local venues such as The Espy and the Punter’s Club have gained near-legendary status among rising local stars, and are packed every night of the week. Melbourne’s main musical style is alternative grunge-pop, but there is also a growing jazz and hip-hop community. 

Festivals

Barely a month passes by in Melbourne without a lively festival taking place somewhere around the city. The great weather and relaxed atmosphere of this city makes it the ideal site for any event.

• Melbourne Food and Wine Festival has grown into the largest event of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Over a quarter of a million food and wine lovers converge on the city to indulge in Australia’s respected wine scene (February).
• St Kilda Festival offers five days of film, music, food and all around fun in the streets of St Kilda. The first four days feature distinctly Australian activities and the final day sees some 50 bands perform across seven stages (February).
• Melbourne International Comedy Festival brings talent from around the globe to the city for a month of entertainment at venues all over town (March).
•  Melbourne International Film Festival is one of the premier cinema events in the world and reason enough to visit this city. For three weeks, new releases, shorts and avant-garde movies are shown at venues around town. The best local and international films can be seen along with many of the stars (July to August).
• Melbourne Fringe Festival is one of the top events of the year. This avant-garde festival brings over 200 acts and exhibits to venues around the city for three weeks of fun. Everything from fashion and art to theatre and music gets in on the action (October).