Augie March Lead Leaps & Bounds Fest's 2017 Opening Night Line-up

The fifth annual Leaps & Bounds Music Festival returns to Melbourne this July, and organisers have announced a stellar line-up of acts set to kick off proceedings at the event's Opening Night party led by stalwart indie outfit Augie March.

The long-serving band have not released a new album since 2014's de facto 'comeback' effort Havens Dumb (it was their first full-length in six years) but they've nonetheless retained a special place in the hearts of Aussie music fans in the ensuing years — particularly those in Victoria and the City of Yarra, where they got their start playing in local venues before going on to become one of the country's premier indie acts during the mid-2000s.

Their strong ties to the area, some of which persist to this day, make them a distinctively qualified choice to help open Leaps & Bounds' 2017 event, this year entailing more than 200 acts and 100 events, across 10 days and 24 venues and record stores.

Augie March will be backed up on the night by celebrated singer-songwriter Jess Ribeiro and her band, as well as the garage-pop flavours of The Pink Tiles.

The award-winning Ribeiro has established herself well as an A-list festival performer in recent years, while The Pink Tiles have been enjoying a surge in renown in the lead-up to, and following, the recent release of their broadly acclaimed second studio full-length, #1 Fan.

There will also be a 'special mystery guest' on board to perform Paul Kelly's appropriately named 1986 single, Leaps & Bounds.

In addition to the musical offerings, the wider Leaps & Bounds program will also welcome the return of long-standing festival drawcards such as the 'Smith Street Dreaming' event, PBSFM's Acid Country Live To Air, and programs in both professional development and youth services.

The full spread of artists and attractions will be announced on Tuesday 9 May.

The 2017 Leaps & Bounds Music Festival kicks off with its Opening Night party at the Corner Hotel from 7.30pm on Thursday 13 July. Tickets are on sale now.

The event itself continues across the City of Yarra through till Sunday 23 July.

For more information, see theGuide.