Five Unmissable Vivid LIVE Shows This Weekend

26 May 2022 | 1:12 pm | Staff Writer

Vivid LIVE is almost upon us, with Sydney Opera House set to come alive from this week as part of the highly anticipated 2022 event. With a program that’s overflowing with talent, it can be a bit dizzying task trying to map out the perfect weekend; but we’ve got you covered, with five must-see events happening this weekend.

Paul Kelly (pic by Michael Hili) and Sampa The Great (pic by Michaela Dutkova)

Paul Kelly (pic by Michael Hili) and Sampa The Great (pic by Michaela Dutkova)

Paul Kelly is one of this country's greatest ever singer-songwriters, soundtracking multiple generations of Australian music. From his early tenure in Melbourne’s band scene, to breaking through with some of the biggest singles of the ‘80s, to his timeless ‘90s classics, Kelly has had a ubiquitous presence in global music. Kelly is no stranger to the sails of the Sydney Opera House, making his debut at the venue in 2006, before performing five shows with Neil Finn in 2013, and performing a marathon, two-hour set at the Forecourt.

This year, he performs four big nights at Vivid LIVE on the Northern Broadwalk from May 27 - 31, with a show titled Time And Tide: Four Decades Of Song. The show will celebrate Kelly’s entire career in music, performing songs that have defined culture across four decades. Alongside his band, including the radiant Vika and Linda Bull, Kelly will play under the stars, with special guest, First Nations singer and songwriter Thelma Plum for a historic night of music.

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Sampa The Great is quickly becoming one of Australia's most exciting musical exports. The Zambian-born singer, poet and visual artist has captivated listeners with her eclectic blend of hip hop, neo-soul, jazz and Afrobeat music.

Her previous record The Return received high critical acclaim, including multiple ARIA Awards and the Australian Music Prize. 

At Vivid LIVE she will debut An Afro Future in the Joan Sutherland Theatre on May 27 & 28. The show marks the first opportunity to see Sampa live with her full band from Zambia, performing her debut award-winning album as well as music that speaks to a shared vision of a possible future, in dialogue with the cultural heritage and experiences of the Black Diaspora. Joining her on stage include Mwanjé and KYE, with sounds by C.FRIM.

Tkay Maidza is another empowering global hip hop name returning to shores for Vivid LIVE at the Sydney Opera House. In her already blooming career, it feels like her global domination has just begun, already winning an ARIA Award, dropping a Top 20 album and releasing two mixtapes last year, collaborating with the likes of JPEGMAFIA, Killer Mike and Troye Sivan, just to name a few. 

She returns to Australia this weekend for her long-awaited Opera House debut to play her first headline show in the city since 2018. She’ll be joined by emerging Australian nu-soul star Maina Doe at Joan Sutherland Theatre on May 29.

With her career so far, singer, songwriter and rapper Hinenuiterangi Tairua – aka A.GIRL - has made incredible waves in Australia’s local hip hop scene. A part of the generation of artists that have blown up out of Sydney’s West, A.GIRL’s perfect mould of silky smooth vocal deliveries and hard hitting beats has seen her swiftly rise to the top of the scene, with already adored singles including Play, 2142 and All Over You. A.GIRL is ready to dominate Vivid LIVE, performing in the Utzon Room on May 29.

Returning for the first time since his dazzling set at Vivid LIVE in 2019, Barcelona’s master of vibe John Talabot will play an epic live party set in Sydney Opera House’s Studio. The producer is one of the world’s most cult adored DJs, renowned for his diverse electronic music offerings. What’s resulted is a catalogue of music that spans 2000s melodic house, his 2011 masterpiece ƒIN, a DJ-KiCKS compilation and collaborations with the likes of The xx and Axel Boman. He’ll be delivering his cosmic ambient techno and deep moody house to the country following a large run of shows in Europe this Sunday, the 29th of May.

For more details on Vivid LIVE, click here.