Live Review: Kaytranada, Channel Tres @ AO Live, John Cain Arena, Melbourne

Is the third time the charm? The Untitled Group – which promotes Beyond The Valley, Pitch Music & Arts and Ability Fest – took over the music programming for the Australian Open (AO) from Mushroom in 2023. The three-day schedule has evolved every year since, relocating from the Kia Arena to the larger John Cain.

In 2025, there are some key changes for the sole music event. It's rebranding from the AO Finals Festival to AO LIVE and begins a day earlier on Thursday, with nothing on Sunday, Survival Day.

In fact, this summer's offering in Naarm/Melbourne may be the biggest yet, culminating in a show with Kesha as the marquee act (incongruously paired with Armand Van Helden) on Saturday. But the more buzz draw is KAYTRANADA, the Canadian-Haitian DJ/producer/vocalist, a house music trailblazer and LGBTQIA+ icon. The one complaint is the dearth of Australian talent at potentially a global showcase.

The challenge for Untitled has been harmonising the Grand Slam's music entertainment with the overall summer carnival atmosphere and unique demographics.

Today, the AO is not only family-oriented but also multicultural, and its top seeds are increasingly from non-Anglophone or non-Western spaces. The music program is also just that – diverse. Still, the staging has often felt peripheral – some punters ironically just attending for the music and bypassing the sport.

In 2024, the concept landed with Groove Armada DJing and Rudimental in band mode on Men's Final Day. Alas, Pride Day was less successful with avant-cool Gen Z acts such as Yaeji. Indeed, the New Yorker's cerebral performance might have been better suited for the hipster Now Or Never. In 2025, Untitled have secured more commercial names while ensuring the bills remain inclusive.

On Thursday, AO Presents kicked off with US pop-rock star Benson Boone, the voice of 2024's smash Beautiful Things. On the second day, KAYTRANADA is joined by special guest Channel Tres – the pair's appearance is notably not exclusive to the AO as they're touring nationally. A regular visitor to these shores, KAYTRANADA sells out the 10,000-capacity stadium (he and Tres will play an afterparty, also sold-out, at 170 Russell).

Opening the event late in the afternoon is the exuberant Kitty Ca$h (aka Cachee Livingston) on her inaugural trip to Australia and sporting a white T-shirt emblazoned with "Rave Baby". The Brooklynite was a fashion publicist before she became a full-time DJ thanks to Kilo Kish – and, as a "cultural cultivator," spins at branded gigs, once even DJing for Marina Abramović. Ca$h has consistently been releasing music, too, since 2021's Afrobeats single Just Fine, featuring Kiana Ledé.

Ca$h's AO set is pumping as she maximises her hour-long slot. The DJ could rock the ULTRA Music Festival. Playing quick mix style and regularly jumping on the mic, Ca$h splices up different eras and genres. She reveals a special predilection for the '90s with festive tunes like C&C Music Factory's Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now). Ca$h is the perfect 'happy slam' DJ.

The ambience in the John Cain Arena evaporates when the retractable roof closes, the venue plunged into darkness possibly to avoid any sound bleed into the tennis matches. It's a shame as AO Finals Festival worked best open-air.

The Compton rapper/singer/DJ/producer Channel Tres (Sheldon Young) has established himself as a fave in Australia over successive tours. He's even teamed with Australians, cameoing on Flight Facilities' 2021 single Lights Up and remixing DMA'S.

Tres brings back the vibe with essentially a DJ set comprising his own songs – broaching rave as he melds a Detroit house ethos with low-slung West Coast beats. That Motor City influence extends to his use of the mic as he emulates Moodymann's banter.

Last year, Tres released his debut album, Head Rush. But, this evening, he plays a lot of older fare – such as 2019's defiant deep house Brilliant N**** off the Black Moses EP. Another stand-out is his acid Alter Ego with Duke Dumont. And, of course, Tres drops 2018's hooky break-out anthem Controller.

Occasionally, Tres introduces a song – at one stage, asking, "I have a question. Has anybody heard of this really cool band called Jungle?" His query leads into his balmy song with the Brits, I've Been In Love, off 2023's Volcano.

The night's headliner, KAYTRANADA (Louis Celestin), knows an Aussie tennis player of a kind – he collaborated with Tkay Maidza on Sweet Justice. The Tennies rapper briefly contemplated going pro prior to committing to music.

The extrovert, energetic and interactive KAYTRANADA comes on at 7.30 pm and, like Tres, plays his personal catalogue in what is promoted as a "live show" but is more akin to a hybrid DJ set. He, too, uses a mic to serve as his own hypeman – once absurdly a no-no for 'cool' DJs.

In 2016, KAYTRANADA met with acclaim for his debut, 99.9%. He then won two Grammys in the Dance/Electronic field with the follow-up, BUBBA. This go, KAYTRA is touring behind his third album, TIMELESS, led by the Childish Gambino-graced Witchy – and he's up for another Grammy nomination despite little label promo.

KAYTRANADA also dips into his repertoire. An enduring surprise is how a DJ who favours slinky grooves and soft female vocals manages to sound banging.

The John Cain Arena is full of KAYTRANADA fans, but the songs of his that elicit the loudest response aren't always the obvious – one of the early crowd hits is the cult VIVID DREAMS, featuring Toronto singer River Tiber, off 99.9%. The next moment arrives with KAYTRANADA's serpentine edit of Scottish DJ Sam Gellaitry's Assumptions.

The Montrealer nods to an Australian act in Tame Impala, playing his remix of Justice's 2024 Neverender with Kevin Parker.

KAYTRANADA's top song on Spotify is his single YOU'RE THE ONE with Syd, again from 99.9%, and, yes, it's an audience hit. The DJ sings along to Drip Sweat, a Channel Tres feature off TIMELESS.

The crowd then sings along to Chance The Rapper's All Night, off Coloring Book, a disco boogie KAYTRANADA helmed. He is accompanied by his rapper brother Lou Phelps for Call U Up, another TIMELESS cut.

Finishing at 9 pm, KAYTRANADA winds down with the track that started it all for him: 2013's cheeky unofficial SoundCloud remix of Janet Jackson's If off her classic, janet.

KAYTRANADA belongs to a new era of DJs with underground nous who appeals to EDM – and pop – masses. And, much like Jamie xx, he can recreate a club feel in a festival or stadium. There are obvious limitations in the arena tonight, with the DJ being remote and seated patrons restricted in their dancing by security measures.

However, KAYTRANADA's show delivers, and AO punters snap footage of the visual spectacle for their social media feeds – the reformulated AO Presents more a unique souvenir concert than a festival.