Sydney Festival and Seymour Centre present
Spend your humid summer evenings basking under the big trees of the Seymour Centre courtyard with Banyan Nights. Bringing the look and feel of a Southeast Asian market to the courtyard, Banyan Nights is a lively celebration of Cambodia and its rich and artistic culture.
Tuck into traditional Cambodian, Indonesian, Malay and First Nations food and join us for free live performances from incredible local artists from Southeast Asian-Australian communities, including Maggie Tra, Rainbow Chan, Dyan Tai and more.
Plus, celebrate A Bucket of Beetles by drawing your own beetle and including it in the forest inside the foyer (from 10-13 January).
Explore the full program below for Banyan Nights at the Seymour Centre. Come for a show, stay for the music.
Image credit: Maggie Tra, Wytchings, Dyan Tai, Rainbow Chan
Maggie Tra
A hint of sweet with a dash of spice, spell-bounding smooth selector Maggie Tra uses the world as her playground. The Australian-born Vietnamese/Cambodian's DJ sets bring finesse and flair to the dance floor by embracing the culture of the land she's in with wholeness and conviction.
Event Details
Date: Tue 9 Jan 2024
Time: 7:30pm - 9:30pm
Pho The Girls
SYS Sister Sounds is a community built to empower and push women x NB in the creative and music industry. Through the workshops the collective DJ under Pho The Girls in Australia and beyond. Djs playing the Pho The Girls night: Nadia Sandiego, Maggie Tra, Xanthe and Mökki.
Event Details
Date: Fri 12 Jan 2024
Time: 4pm - 9pm
Suara Indonesia Dance Group
Suara Indonesia Dance Group presents an energetic mix of dance, body percussion and song unparalleled by any other performance group in Australia. With a blend of traditional and contemporary influences from their Indonesian heritage and Australian upbringing, Suara Indonesia Dance Group brings liveliness, originality and all-engaging performances to the stage every time. Prepare yourself to embark on a spectacular journey with this highly talented group as they share their story with you.
Event Details
Date: Sat 13 Jan 2024
Time: 1pm - 3pm
Alisha.K
Sri Lankan-Australian singer-songwriter Alisha.K connects the dots between her dual identities as a small-town beach girl from Sydney and a rising pop/blues singer-songwriter. "Music is my everything. Nothing conveys a feeling or a message better than a melody. Singing my most vulnerable feelings live on stage is strangely the only place I feel comfortable speaking up and accepted for who I am” - Alisha.K
Event Details
Date: Sat 13 Jan 2024
Time: 6:30pm - 8pm
Marcus Whale
Marcus Whale lives and works on Gadigal land in Sydney, Australia. His work across music, performance and writing focuses on the experience of uncontrollable desire and devotion, often with reference to aesthetics of horror, as well as religious iconography, liturgy and ritual.
As a musical artist under his own name and with groups Collarbones and BV, his recorded output primarily forms an electronic world around the voice. Solo album The Hunger, a vampire story, was nominated for the 2021 Australian Music Prize. Performance works including Possession, The Hunger, Lucifer, In The Mood and Praise! have been presented by Performance Space, Asia Topa, Next Wave, Sydney Opera House, Sugar Mountain Festival, Underbelly Arts Festival.
As a composer he has contributed to works for stage and screen by Angela Goh, Martin Del Amo, Vonne Patiag, Jane Campion, Paul Mac, Harriet Gillies & Xanthe Dobbie, Ivan Cheng and Kane Gaundar.
Event Details
Date: Sat 13 Jan 2024
Time: 8:55pm - 10pm
Nergal-ito
Event Details
Date: Tue 16 Jan 2024
Time: 6:30pm - 7:30pm and 8:30pm - 9pm
Wytchings
Wytchings is a project from Western Sydney artist, Jenny Trinh. Growing up, she would often be found in the art room, headphones on and doodling until the blank pages of her sketchbook were filled up. Those times with her head in the clouds always brought her comfort – she has always been enamoured by the teleportive nature of music.
In 2018, she participated in New Age Noise (formerly known as All Girl Electronic) where she explored electronic music production properly for the first time, creating dreamy, film-inspired sounds evoking that of space and water.
She has performed at a variety of shows from debuting at 2019’s ‘Club 4A’ to 2022’s ‘Essential Tremors’ curated by Liars’ Angus Andrew.
She has also been featured in publications such as VICE and Push Magazine, contributed to compilations by the likes of SYS Sister Sounds and New Weird Australia, and has reworked tracks by artists like Bluetung.
Event Details
Date: Wed 17 Jan 2024
Time: 5pm - 6:15pm
AnSo
As a self-described sculptor of sound existing and creating on Gadigal land, South Korean artist, AnSo’s works are ever-evolving, like a blob of clay on a throwing wheel, the hands of the sculptor feeling, moulding, collapsing, rising. Their music lies in the experimental electronic realm, building worlds with field recording manipulations and vocal experimentation. AnSo’s back and forth weave between Korean and English lyrics highlights their diaspora and a feeling of cultural loss.
Event Details
Date: Wed 17 Jan 2024
Time: 7pm - 8:30pm
Blanche
Blanche is the creative alias of John Grant, a self produced Singer-Songwriter, First Nations musician (Wiradjuri) hailing from Sydney, Australia. Blanche produces all his music in his bedroom studio weaving through the genres of alternative rock, folk and psychedelia, likening his sound to artists such as Bon Iver, Radiohead, Nick Drake and Scott Matthews.
Event Details
Date: Thu 18 Jan 2024
Time: 5pm - 6:15pm
Putrika
Putrika is a Jakarta-born, Gadigal Land/Sydney-based singer, songwriter, and electronic music producer. She defines her music as alt-soul electronica with multi-layered vocals and synths, percussive drums and ambient soundscapes.
She released her first self-produced 4-tracks EP ’Silmara’ in May 2022. It got a rotation on multiple Australian community radios. One of the tracks on the EP titled ‘Monologue’ was featured on the second episode of Netflix TV series ‘Heartbreak High’.
She performed at various well-known venues such as The Australian Museum, Australian National Maritime Museum, Club 77, Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), Red Rattler Theatre, The Bearded Tit, Ferdyduke and also performed at Desert Festival 2022 in Alice Springs and New Beginnings Festival Sydney 2022.
Event Details
Date: Thu 18 Jan 2024
Time: 7pm - 8:30pm
Lemonise
Gadigal-based funk rock band Lemonise transcends the boundaries of modern-day sound with eclectic licks and groovy riffs. Infused with mesmerizing psychedelic influences, their music is a kaleidoscope of funky rhythms and mind-bending melodies, taking audiences on a sonic journey that's as unique as it is unforgettable.
Event Details
Date: Fri 19 Jan 2024
Time: 5:15pm - 5:45pm
Blanche
Blanche is the creative alias of John Grant, a self produced Singer-Songwriter, First Nations musician (Wiradjuri) hailing from Sydney, Australia. Blanche produces all his music in his bedroom studio weaving through the genres of alternative rock, folk and psychedelia, likening his sound to artists such as Bon Iver, Radiohead, Nick Drake and Scott Matthews.
Event Details
Date: Fri 19 Jan 2024
Time: 6:30pm - 7:15pm
Tessa Thames and Glenfield Park
MOTHER. DAUGHTER. SISTER. AUNTY. SINGER. SONGWRITER. FIRST NATIONS. CENTRAL COAST NSW.
The Spice Girls, The Fugees, TLC, Shania Twain, Natalie Imbruglia, Mariah Carey, The Cardigans… Tessa Thames’ Dad ran a karaoke business in the 90’s where she operated as a ‘warm up’ of sorts, taking the mic first with the hopes of encouraging others to follow suit. It was a delicate balancing act: being good enough to entertain whilst trying not to intimidate punters. Through this, Tessa cultivated her love of music and songwriting, absorbing her dearly held ‘Top Of The Pops’ 90’s nostalgia like a sponge. Now she’s squeezing it all out as something of her own.
Some may recognise her as the voice of folk act Microwave Jenny, having toured Australia, NZ, Asia, the UK and playing festivals such as Bluesfest (Byron Bay), Woodford Folk Festival (Woodford), Friendship Festival (Seoul) & The Aussie BBQ (UK).
Her music has been featured on television series Gods of Wheat Street (ABC1), Redfern Now (SBS), Offspring (Network 10), Winners & Losers (Seven Network) & Underbelly Chopper (The Nine Network).
Now Tessa Thames unleashes her modern 90’s nostalgic pop on the world without any concern for who might be intimidated.
Glenfield Park Music is a music project from Wiradjuri & Gamilaroi man Brendon Boney drawing from the highway-sunset-rock of the 70’s and 80’s.
It’s a tribute to Brendon’s father Athol, whose love of soft rock created the score for dozens of road trips and countless more Friday nights growing up in the family home at Glenfield Park. As well as co-writing and collaborations, Brendon’s other projects Microwave Jenny and The Magpie Swoop together have collected over a million streams and seen him perform at venues and festivals in the UK, Taiwan, South Korea and across Australia playing Bluesfest Byron Bay, Woodford Folk Festival, Sydney Festival, Adelaide Fringe Festival, Brisbane Festival and many more.
Event details
Date: Fri 19 Jan 2024
Time: 7:45pm - 8:45pm
Wen Pei Low
Tender yet visceral, Wen Pei‘s music is birthed from grief and determination. The 20 year-old artist leans into vulnerability and the messiness of feeling, catalyzing her sensitivity for a purpose larger than herself. Wen Pei started writing Mandarin songs in 2018, and has since continued to pursue songwriting in her mother tongue, Hokkien. She is known for her songs ‘For Grandma’ and ‘Kin’, and has performed in various spaces, including Belvoir St Theatre in Sydney, and the 2022 Hokkien Huay Kuan Folk Music Concert in Singapore.
Event Details
Date: Sat 20 Jan 2024
Time: 6:00pm - 6:15pm
Cassandra The Queen
Cassandra is a drag artist who will give you the experience of a lifetime. Few years into doing drag, she can be seen regularly at the iconic and historic Stonewall Hotel. She is fabulous, fierce, and a Filipina beauty with a heart.
Event Details
Date: Sat 20 Jan 2024
Time: 6:30pm
Fio
Fio Gede Parma (they/she) is a Balinese-Australian writer, dancer, published author, facilitator, mentor, and witch who has taught in five continents. Fio has been performing Balinese dance since the age of 5, has travelled throughout Australia with Gamelan Giri Jaya, and has studied and performed contemporary dance along the east coast of so-called Australia. They currently live, work, and play in stolen Gadigal and Bidjigal Country.
Event Details
Date: Sat 20 Jan 2024
Time: 7pm
Dyan Tai
Self-described as the Gaysian empress of Sydney, Dyan Tai (he/they) has emerged from the local cabaret scene and now evolved into an electronic artist. Named as one of the outstanding acts to watch from BigSound 2023 (NME), praised by Flume as “soundscapey and weird” (TripleJ Unfinished Finalist) and
described as “sophisticated palette pop” (Rolling Stones), the trilingual, Malaysian Chinese-Australian queer artist sonically fuses electronic music with Asiatic soundscapes with experimental artpop.
Known for their captivating live shows that include powerful visuals and a mirrorcoated keytar, upcoming shows that include Woodford Folk Festival and Biennale Sydney 2024.
Event Details
Date: Sat 20 Jan 2024
Time: 7:30pm - 8:15pm
BVT
A talented hip-hop artist, Beatboxer and producer, BVT toured with electro-dance pop group “Haiku Hands” in 2021 and was the winner of the APRA AMCOS x MARDI GRAS competition for Emerging Queer Artists. Bernie performed at World Pride 2023 and their debut mixtape ‘LALAKI’s Mixtape’ released in November, noting decolonising self, bringing forth QPOC representation and bearing the culture as a future ancestor as the passions behind the project. Recently, LALAKI won “Best music video” at the FBi Radio Sydney Music Art and Culture (SMAC) awards. BVT has packed out venues such as the art gallery of NSW and carriageworks. They are currently fresh off their first international tour with Haiku Hands and Big Freedia, performing in iconic venues all along the South Side and East Coast of America.
Event Details
Date: Sat 20 Jan 2024
Time: 8:30pm - 9:00pm
Rainbow Chan
Rainbow Chan‘s carefully considered, boundary-pushing art-pop has seen her perform around the continent and internationally at Sydney Opera House, MONA FOMA, VIVID, Iceland Airwaves, Gallery of Modern Art and most recently in SXSW in the US plus a string of shows in Hong Kong and Seoul.
Chan’s work has found strong support with media including Triple J, Double J, Dazed, The Guardian, The Age, SBS, ABC Radio National, rage, NME, Bandcamp, Junkee, Acclaim Magazine, Nowness Asia, EARMILK, The 405, Purple Sneakers, Pilerats, Broadsheet and more including community radio around the continent.
Of her previous records, from debut Spacings (2016), Fabrica EP (2017), Pillar (2019) to the Stanley EP (2021), Pillar boasted a nomination Australian Music Prize, her single ‘Let Me’ winning the FBi SMAC Award for Best Song, and Spacings receiving a Record of the Year nomination in the same as well as for Best Dance/Electronica Album via AIR. Her subtle, refined approach to songwriting has seen her compose music for ABC documentary The Glass Bedroom (2017), a live score for Art Gallery of NSW’s Starburst, Chinese Film Season, the theme song for 7am’s podcast Everybody Knows, and the original soundtrack for short film Butter (2022) directed by Anita Lee.
Her artworks have been exhibited at Artspace Sydney (where she was part of their One Year Studio Program and selected as the Performance Space x West Kowloon Exchange resident artist), National Art School, Liquid Architecture, and Penrith Regional Gallery among others. In 2022, Rainbow was recognised in the Asian-Australian Leadership Summit’s 40 under 40: Most Influential Asian Australian Awards for her contributions to arts and culture, and also won FBi Radio’s Artist of the Year.
Image credit: ELS
Event Details
Date: Sun 21 Jan 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 2:30pm and 5:30pm - 6:30pm
We are a registered COVID-Safe business with measures in place to make your next Seymour visit safe and enjoyable. Find out more about our safety measures.
This event is supported by the City of Sydney and presented in association with Sydney Festival.
Free event. No tickets or registration required.
From acclaimed drama and acrobatic fun to captivating shows for kids, there's something for everyone in the Seymour's Sydney Festival line-up. Playing 9 to 21 January. Explore the program.
AGAPE ORGANIC , SATAY BROS and YAN'S DUMPLINGS food trucks will be in the Seymour Courtyard throughout the festival on alternate nights, serving a tasty menu of specials alongside well-loved classics.
There’ll also be an outdoor rickshaw bar serving drinks, plus outdoor games such as giant chess and Jenga.
Free event. No tickets or registration required.
From acclaimed drama and acrobatic fun to captivating shows for kids, there's something for everyone in the Seymour's Sydney Festival line-up. Playing 9 to 21 January. Explore the program.
AGAPE ORGANIC , SATAY BROS and YAN'S DUMPLINGS food trucks will be in the Seymour Courtyard throughout the festival on alternate nights, serving a tasty menu of specials alongside well-loved classics.
There’ll also be an outdoor rickshaw bar serving drinks, plus outdoor games such as giant chess and Jenga.
Maggie Tra
A hint of sweet with a dash of spice, spell-bounding smooth selector Maggie Tra uses the world as her playground. The Australian-born Vietnamese/Cambodian's DJ sets bring finesse and flair to the dance floor by embracing the culture of the land she's in with wholeness and conviction.
Event Details
Date: Tue 9 Jan 2024
Time: 7:30pm - 9:30pm
Pho The Girls
SYS Sister Sounds is a community built to empower and push women x NB in the creative and music industry. Through the workshops the collective DJ under Pho The Girls in Australia and beyond. Djs playing the Pho The Girls night: Nadia Sandiego, Maggie Tra, Xanthe and Mökki.
Event Details
Date: Fri 12 Jan 2024
Time: 4pm - 9pm
Suara Indonesia Dance Group
Suara Indonesia Dance Group presents an energetic mix of dance, body percussion and song unparalleled by any other performance group in Australia. With a blend of traditional and contemporary influences from their Indonesian heritage and Australian upbringing, Suara Indonesia Dance Group brings liveliness, originality and all-engaging performances to the stage every time. Prepare yourself to embark on a spectacular journey with this highly talented group as they share their story with you.
Event Details
Date: Sat 13 Jan 2024
Time: 1pm - 3pm
Alisha.K
Sri Lankan-Australian singer-songwriter Alisha.K connects the dots between her dual identities as a small-town beach girl from Sydney and a rising pop/blues singer-songwriter. "Music is my everything. Nothing conveys a feeling or a message better than a melody. Singing my most vulnerable feelings live on stage is strangely the only place I feel comfortable speaking up and accepted for who I am” - Alisha.K
Event Details
Date: Sat 13 Jan 2024
Time: 6:30pm - 8pm
Marcus Whale
Marcus Whale lives and works on Gadigal land in Sydney, Australia. His work across music, performance and writing focuses on the experience of uncontrollable desire and devotion, often with reference to aesthetics of horror, as well as religious iconography, liturgy and ritual.
As a musical artist under his own name and with groups Collarbones and BV, his recorded output primarily forms an electronic world around the voice. Solo album The Hunger, a vampire story, was nominated for the 2021 Australian Music Prize. Performance works including Possession, The Hunger, Lucifer, In The Mood and Praise! have been presented by Performance Space, Asia Topa, Next Wave, Sydney Opera House, Sugar Mountain Festival, Underbelly Arts Festival.
As a composer he has contributed to works for stage and screen by Angela Goh, Martin Del Amo, Vonne Patiag, Jane Campion, Paul Mac, Harriet Gillies & Xanthe Dobbie, Ivan Cheng and Kane Gaundar.
Event Details
Date: Sat 13 Jan 2024
Time: 8:55pm - 10pm
Nergal-ito
Event Details
Date: Tue 16 Jan 2024
Time: 6:30pm - 7:30pm and 8:30pm - 9pm
Wytchings
Wytchings is a project from Western Sydney artist, Jenny Trinh. Growing up, she would often be found in the art room, headphones on and doodling until the blank pages of her sketchbook were filled up. Those times with her head in the clouds always brought her comfort – she has always been enamoured by the teleportive nature of music.
In 2018, she participated in New Age Noise (formerly known as All Girl Electronic) where she explored electronic music production properly for the first time, creating dreamy, film-inspired sounds evoking that of space and water.
She has performed at a variety of shows from debuting at 2019’s ‘Club 4A’ to 2022’s ‘Essential Tremors’ curated by Liars’ Angus Andrew.
She has also been featured in publications such as VICE and Push Magazine, contributed to compilations by the likes of SYS Sister Sounds and New Weird Australia, and has reworked tracks by artists like Bluetung.
Event Details
Date: Wed 17 Jan 2024
Time: 5pm - 6:15pm
AnSo
As a self-described sculptor of sound existing and creating on Gadigal land, South Korean artist, AnSo’s works are ever-evolving, like a blob of clay on a throwing wheel, the hands of the sculptor feeling, moulding, collapsing, rising. Their music lies in the experimental electronic realm, building worlds with field recording manipulations and vocal experimentation. AnSo’s back and forth weave between Korean and English lyrics highlights their diaspora and a feeling of cultural loss.
Event Details
Date: Wed 17 Jan 2024
Time: 7pm - 8:30pm
Blanche
Blanche is the creative alias of John Grant, a self produced Singer-Songwriter, First Nations musician (Wiradjuri) hailing from Sydney, Australia. Blanche produces all his music in his bedroom studio weaving through the genres of alternative rock, folk and psychedelia, likening his sound to artists such as Bon Iver, Radiohead, Nick Drake and Scott Matthews.
Event Details
Date: Thu 18 Jan 2024
Time: 5pm - 6:15pm
Putrika
Putrika is a Jakarta-born, Gadigal Land/Sydney-based singer, songwriter, and electronic music producer. She defines her music as alt-soul electronica with multi-layered vocals and synths, percussive drums and ambient soundscapes.
She released her first self-produced 4-tracks EP ’Silmara’ in May 2022. It got a rotation on multiple Australian community radios. One of the tracks on the EP titled ‘Monologue’ was featured on the second episode of Netflix TV series ‘Heartbreak High’.
She performed at various well-known venues such as The Australian Museum, Australian National Maritime Museum, Club 77, Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), Red Rattler Theatre, The Bearded Tit, Ferdyduke and also performed at Desert Festival 2022 in Alice Springs and New Beginnings Festival Sydney 2022.
Event Details
Date: Thu 18 Jan 2024
Time: 7pm - 8:30pm
Lemonise
Gadigal-based funk rock band Lemonise transcends the boundaries of modern-day sound with eclectic licks and groovy riffs. Infused with mesmerizing psychedelic influences, their music is a kaleidoscope of funky rhythms and mind-bending melodies, taking audiences on a sonic journey that's as unique as it is unforgettable.
Event Details
Date: Fri 19 Jan 2024
Time: 5:15pm - 5:45pm
Blanche
Blanche is the creative alias of John Grant, a self produced Singer-Songwriter, First Nations musician (Wiradjuri) hailing from Sydney, Australia. Blanche produces all his music in his bedroom studio weaving through the genres of alternative rock, folk and psychedelia, likening his sound to artists such as Bon Iver, Radiohead, Nick Drake and Scott Matthews.
Event Details
Date: Fri 19 Jan 2024
Time: 6:30pm - 7:15pm
Tessa Thames and Glenfield Park
MOTHER. DAUGHTER. SISTER. AUNTY. SINGER. SONGWRITER. FIRST NATIONS. CENTRAL COAST NSW.
The Spice Girls, The Fugees, TLC, Shania Twain, Natalie Imbruglia, Mariah Carey, The Cardigans… Tessa Thames’ Dad ran a karaoke business in the 90’s where she operated as a ‘warm up’ of sorts, taking the mic first with the hopes of encouraging others to follow suit. It was a delicate balancing act: being good enough to entertain whilst trying not to intimidate punters. Through this, Tessa cultivated her love of music and songwriting, absorbing her dearly held ‘Top Of The Pops’ 90’s nostalgia like a sponge. Now she’s squeezing it all out as something of her own.
Some may recognise her as the voice of folk act Microwave Jenny, having toured Australia, NZ, Asia, the UK and playing festivals such as Bluesfest (Byron Bay), Woodford Folk Festival (Woodford), Friendship Festival (Seoul) & The Aussie BBQ (UK).
Her music has been featured on television series Gods of Wheat Street (ABC1), Redfern Now (SBS), Offspring (Network 10), Winners & Losers (Seven Network) & Underbelly Chopper (The Nine Network).
Now Tessa Thames unleashes her modern 90’s nostalgic pop on the world without any concern for who might be intimidated.
Glenfield Park Music is a music project from Wiradjuri & Gamilaroi man Brendon Boney drawing from the highway-sunset-rock of the 70’s and 80’s.
It’s a tribute to Brendon’s father Athol, whose love of soft rock created the score for dozens of road trips and countless more Friday nights growing up in the family home at Glenfield Park. As well as co-writing and collaborations, Brendon’s other projects Microwave Jenny and The Magpie Swoop together have collected over a million streams and seen him perform at venues and festivals in the UK, Taiwan, South Korea and across Australia playing Bluesfest Byron Bay, Woodford Folk Festival, Sydney Festival, Adelaide Fringe Festival, Brisbane Festival and many more.
Event details
Date: Fri 19 Jan 2024
Time: 7:45pm - 8:45pm
Wen Pei Low
Tender yet visceral, Wen Pei‘s music is birthed from grief and determination. The 20 year-old artist leans into vulnerability and the messiness of feeling, catalyzing her sensitivity for a purpose larger than herself. Wen Pei started writing Mandarin songs in 2018, and has since continued to pursue songwriting in her mother tongue, Hokkien. She is known for her songs ‘For Grandma’ and ‘Kin’, and has performed in various spaces, including Belvoir St Theatre in Sydney, and the 2022 Hokkien Huay Kuan Folk Music Concert in Singapore.
Event Details
Date: Sat 20 Jan 2024
Time: 6:00pm - 6:15pm
Cassandra The Queen
Cassandra is a drag artist who will give you the experience of a lifetime. Few years into doing drag, she can be seen regularly at the iconic and historic Stonewall Hotel. She is fabulous, fierce, and a Filipina beauty with a heart.
Event Details
Date: Sat 20 Jan 2024
Time: 6:30pm
Fio
Fio Gede Parma (they/she) is a Balinese-Australian writer, dancer, published author, facilitator, mentor, and witch who has taught in five continents. Fio has been performing Balinese dance since the age of 5, has travelled throughout Australia with Gamelan Giri Jaya, and has studied and performed contemporary dance along the east coast of so-called Australia. They currently live, work, and play in stolen Gadigal and Bidjigal Country.
Event Details
Date: Sat 20 Jan 2024
Time: 7pm
Dyan Tai
Self-described as the Gaysian empress of Sydney, Dyan Tai (he/they) has emerged from the local cabaret scene and now evolved into an electronic artist. Named as one of the outstanding acts to watch from BigSound 2023 (NME), praised by Flume as “soundscapey and weird” (TripleJ Unfinished Finalist) and
described as “sophisticated palette pop” (Rolling Stones), the trilingual, Malaysian Chinese-Australian queer artist sonically fuses electronic music with Asiatic soundscapes with experimental artpop.
Known for their captivating live shows that include powerful visuals and a mirrorcoated keytar, upcoming shows that include Woodford Folk Festival and Biennale Sydney 2024.
Event Details
Date: Sat 20 Jan 2024
Time: 7:30pm - 8:15pm
BVT
A talented hip-hop artist, Beatboxer and producer, BVT toured with electro-dance pop group “Haiku Hands” in 2021 and was the winner of the APRA AMCOS x MARDI GRAS competition for Emerging Queer Artists. Bernie performed at World Pride 2023 and their debut mixtape ‘LALAKI’s Mixtape’ released in November, noting decolonising self, bringing forth QPOC representation and bearing the culture as a future ancestor as the passions behind the project. Recently, LALAKI won “Best music video” at the FBi Radio Sydney Music Art and Culture (SMAC) awards. BVT has packed out venues such as the art gallery of NSW and carriageworks. They are currently fresh off their first international tour with Haiku Hands and Big Freedia, performing in iconic venues all along the South Side and East Coast of America.
Event Details
Date: Sat 20 Jan 2024
Time: 8:30pm - 9:00pm
Rainbow Chan
Rainbow Chan‘s carefully considered, boundary-pushing art-pop has seen her perform around the continent and internationally at Sydney Opera House, MONA FOMA, VIVID, Iceland Airwaves, Gallery of Modern Art and most recently in SXSW in the US plus a string of shows in Hong Kong and Seoul.
Chan’s work has found strong support with media including Triple J, Double J, Dazed, The Guardian, The Age, SBS, ABC Radio National, rage, NME, Bandcamp, Junkee, Acclaim Magazine, Nowness Asia, EARMILK, The 405, Purple Sneakers, Pilerats, Broadsheet and more including community radio around the continent.
Of her previous records, from debut Spacings (2016), Fabrica EP (2017), Pillar (2019) to the Stanley EP (2021), Pillar boasted a nomination Australian Music Prize, her single ‘Let Me’ winning the FBi SMAC Award for Best Song, and Spacings receiving a Record of the Year nomination in the same as well as for Best Dance/Electronica Album via AIR. Her subtle, refined approach to songwriting has seen her compose music for ABC documentary The Glass Bedroom (2017), a live score for Art Gallery of NSW’s Starburst, Chinese Film Season, the theme song for 7am’s podcast Everybody Knows, and the original soundtrack for short film Butter (2022) directed by Anita Lee.
Her artworks have been exhibited at Artspace Sydney (where she was part of their One Year Studio Program and selected as the Performance Space x West Kowloon Exchange resident artist), National Art School, Liquid Architecture, and Penrith Regional Gallery among others. In 2022, Rainbow was recognised in the Asian-Australian Leadership Summit’s 40 under 40: Most Influential Asian Australian Awards for her contributions to arts and culture, and also won FBi Radio’s Artist of the Year.
Image credit: ELS
Event Details
Date: Sun 21 Jan 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 2:30pm and 5:30pm - 6:30pm
We are a registered COVID-Safe business with measures in place to make your next Seymour visit safe and enjoyable. Find out more about our safety measures.
This event is supported by the City of Sydney and presented in association with Sydney Festival.
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