MELT 2024 – FULL PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT
22 AUG 2024
It’s here and it’s Queer – the full program for Melt Festival 2024! The ultimate celebration of LGBTQIA+ artists and allies, featuring over 220 dazzling performances and events that will electrify Brisbane/Magandjin from 23 October to 10 November. Across the city, a vibrant playground of community, diversity, inclusivity and creative expression will come alive with massive outdoor installations, a spectacular river parade, unforgettable performances, exhibitions, parties, sporting events and more.
Melt Reference Group Chair, Luke Furness said, “Brisbane has never looked so much like paradise. I’ve spoken with hundreds of people about Melt and the common refrain is ‘Brisbane is growing up’.”
“This program is full of artists and performers at the top of their craft. Some are familiar, and some are very different. We have done our job if you leave these weeks laughing, cheering, crying, cringing, and (best of all) thinking. With festivals like Melt, Brisbane keeps getting better.”
Artists and performers from across Brisbane/Magandjin, Australia and around the globe will wash the city with art, glitter and colour for three mammoth weeks. This celebration of the vibrant river city and the LGBTQIA+ community will be hosted across 70+ venues, stretching from the city’s iconic Brisbane Powerhouse to The Princess Theatre, The Tivoli, IMA, PIP Theatre, The Wickham and more! Expect Brisbane and beyond to be all rainbows and magenta as precincts are lit up with art and icons including The Lanes in Fortitude Valley and James Street, Brisbane City, South Brisbane and Fish Lane, Woolloongabba and reaching out to Wynnum, Logan and Ipswich!
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the city-wide celebration would add to Brisbane’s burgeoning calendar of major events.
“Brisbane is Australia’s lifestyle capital and our fantastic precincts and diverse calendar of events help bolster our $10.6 billion visitor economy,” Cr Schrinner said.
“Melt Festival’s jam packed program will bring more to see and do to suburbs across Brisbane, support our local arts scene and bring lifestyle precincts like Fish Lane and Fortitude Valley to life.
“The Brisbane River will be on show during the River Pride Parade, with residents and visitors expected to flock to our riverside bars, restaurants and hotels to enjoy the spectacle while supporting local businesses and local jobs.”
OPENING WEEKEND
Opening Melt Festival, First Nations Drag performer Miss Ellaneous (Ben Graetz) takes us on a thrilling journey of self-discovery, fusing storytelling, cabaret and drag, all inspired by Tina Turner’s iconic legacy in Tina – A Tropical Love Story. Direct from its sell-out run at Darwin Festival, this commissioned work promises to be a festival highlight, featuring a lineup of extraordinary Queer First Nations artists.
Pop on some comfortable shoes, clip on your carabiners and jump in the Subaru as you’re invited to join Ange Ponting in Bad Lesbian, as she soul-searches through banger after banger of iconic sapphic songs with her musical pal Alex Van den Broek, offering an hour of laughs, loves, lusts and longing. Revel in a night of hilarious improvisation as Brisbane’s top LGBTQIA+ performers craft scenes inspired by real-life queer experiences in Thank God You’re Queer. Each scene features a special guest improviser exploring queer territory for the first time. Will they make it through unscathed? Probably not.
Be part of a monumental installation of thousands of nude bodies by New York contemporary artist Spencer Tunick. Registrations are open for participants to pose across a closed Story Bridge before sunrise on Sunday 27 October.
Sunday’s festivities continue with the vibrant Melt Markets x Queer Slice in The Lanes, Fortitude Valley. Across the other side of town, experience Queer joy with Hannah Bronte’s Sunday’s Child, a nostalgic portrait series showcasing the LGBTQIA+ community’s diverse forms of love. Immerse yourself in Rose Miho’s Erotic Art of a Bisexual, an exhibition of vibrant watercolour paintings that tingle your senses and awaken desire. Don’t miss GGG Collective and Blaklash’s Queer Lush Deadly exhibition and opening night party featuring queer First Nations art, a night market, performances and artist talks, including a special appearance of Tiwi Sista Girls.
Melt arrives right in time for Halloween parties galore with a series of spooky and spectacular events including Halloween Hall, darker and more chilling than ever; Club Broadway: A Wicked Halloween Ball, celebrating the beloved musical and soon-to-be major motion picture Wicked, with star-studded performances by iconic drag queens and extraordinary singing talents.
Check out heaps more events and parties including the Colada Pool Party: Melt Edition over the opening weekend in the full program here.
WEEK ONE
Halloween vibes continue with the most rambunctious, sensual, unapologetic and super-talented performers at Halloween Cabaret. From stunning strippers and mesmerising dancers to sultry burlesque, awe-inspiring circus acts and captivating artist performances, the Irreverent Cabaret is sure to make you MELT! Plus alt.BIMBO slays with a spooky and nostalgic nod to 90s and 00s pop culture.
Discover the master of falsetto and stiletto with Leather Lungs—a hilarious cabaret romp featuring a voice spanning over four octaves, the flamboyance of Prince, the force of Aretha, and a range as mind-blowing as Freddie’s, this daring deviant will blow you away! Witness Scout Boxhall’s dynamic mix of observational stand-up and manic, chaotic PowerPoint comedy with a sharp political awareness. Their unique blend of stand-up, song, solo sketch and storytelling has been dubbed “genius”, “sheer perfection”, “outrageous”, “thrilling” and “a must-see”.
Wanna break a sweat? Kick-off with Brisbane Inferno’s Saturday Social Soccer, whether you’re a seasoned striker or a beginner dribbling into the game, you won’t wanna miss this match! Players and allies of all skill levels are welcome – all you need are running shoes, water and team spirit. For Netball enthusiasts, you better make sure your nails are cut, as the Community Pride Netball Game hosted by Netball Queensland is on! This event isn’t just for the ladies – men and gender-diverse people of all abilities are welcome to watch or participate, so pivot down and catch all the Netty activities and games, with coaches on hand with tips and tricks. Fancy yourself the next Sharon Strzelecki?
Catch Australian powerhouse party starters Confidence Man in support of their third studio album 3AM, with their jaw-dropping, high-octane live show. Or discover Fem Fale, a Nesianfuturistic club night centring on Trans Women of Colour and Global Club Music. And the iconic Poof Doof heats up The Wickham – a dance club for all the colours of the rainbow.
Bay Pride Diversity Walk returns to Wynnum for a colourful celebration of community. Enjoy a family-friendly walk along the esplanade, explore market stalls from LGBTQIA+ vendors and delight in a range of free and ticketed performances.
WEEK TWO
Week Two of the festival promises more captivating exhibitions, performances and community celebrations. Attend a Rainbow History Class with Rudy Jean Rigg and Hannah McElhinney as they unpack the origins of Mardi Gras, the reason Alice Springs became a lesbian hotspot and the time gay slang sent the US military on a wild goose chase, this is one class you don’t want to skip. Ensuring the fun and education continues, is cult phenomenon Queer PowerPoint, where local queer artists explore and share an idea, current obsession or ongoing fascination using Microsoft PowerPoint. Join hosts Xanthe Dobbie and Harriet Gillies for a hilarious night reclaiming and queering corporate presentation culture.
Channel Riot Grrrl energy with Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers as they deliver explosive punk rock with a modern twist, catch the band perform a plethora of tracks from their debut powerful and commanding album, I Love You as well as bonus tracks from their upcoming deluxe edition.
Prepare for a night of laughter with the talented Alex Hines! Renowned for her high-energy performances and sharp humour, Alex has quickly become a standout in the Australian comedy scene, promising a delightful mix of wit and charm that you won’t want to miss! And of course, who could forget our favourite, Hans! Step into the glittering world of cabaret and disco at Hans: Disco Spektakular!
Get entangled in the four-way polyamorous ghostly mystery of Slippery, a play by Esther Dougherty that delves into betrayal, ecstasy and murder. Homework: Optional. Detention: Never. Glitter: Always! Functional Bottom directed by Anna Piper Scott, is a darkly humorous exploration of a year in the life of Jessi Ryan, a fusion of storytelling, performance art, filth, provocation and tears. Or follow the modern-day myth of Helios, a story about the son of the god of the sun. An Ancient Greek tale about life and the invisible monuments we build to it.
Uncover Friction, a three-day encompassing event featuring an art exhibition, panel discussions, workshops, performances and an open mic, grounding queerness in Indigenous knowledge from around the world, centring First Nations peoples to these lands, alongside people of colour displaced by settler-colonial systems.
Is an image still yours once it’s been shared? Dive into Demon Rhythm, an exhibition project by Micah Rustichelli, who had their artworks used to train an Al image generator to imitate their work, now they are painting 1000 stolen images in an attempt to quantify artistic labour against artificial output.
CLOSING WEEKEND
Families are invited to join the Pride Picnic, a family-friendly community event at Southbank featuring music, entertainment and a prime view of the River Pride Parade at arguably the prettiest locale in Brisbane, River Quay Green. Grab a picnic basket and join us for a magical day! Pre-order your picnic baskets ahead of time via the website.
The River Pride Parade on Saturday 9 November 2024 is a must-see, with a colourful flotilla journeying from William Jolly Bridge to Brisbane Powerhouse, led by Melt Ambassador Courtney Act. This family-friendly spectacle welcomes all to join or enjoy from the riverbank. And for those ready to keep the party going, QUIVR presents Lismore’s famous Tropical Fruits in Fortitude Valley.
Round out the closing weekend with pop icons on the Sunday and head to A Day on the Green for an afternoon of Take That, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Ricki-Lee.
Continuing throughout the festival are Queer film screenings at Dendy Powerhouse outdoor cinema, and visual art and exhibitions, including a stunning large-scale city-wide installation from acclaimed Artist Dr Christian Thompson AO, and Filipino Artist Leeroy New’s spectacular sculptures of discarded objects at the Brisbane Powerhouse, ensuring Paradise is open seven days a week!
Live outside of Queensland? Register for the Paradise Pass – an exclusive pass featuring special offers, discounts and access to travel packages to welcome visitors to enjoy the ultimate celebration of Queer art and culture in the warmth of sunny Brisbane/Magandjin.
