Top 4 Must-See Acts Performing Vivid LIVE At Sydney Opera House This Weekend

Maina Doe - Sat 3 June 7pm

Maina Doe has been an under-the-radar star for years now, with fans flocking to her sensational blend of neo-soul, R&B, pop, and jazz that is unlike anything else in the Australian music landscape. Kicking off her career with the acclaimed single Delusion in 2019 before releasing the sultry Unwritten Laws in 2020, Doe quickly became a sought-after collaborator and artist. In 2022, she released Primal Design which has become her most popular single yet, with its distinctive sound acting as a beacon to both old-school R&B lovers and contemporary soul addicts. 

Recently releasing the beloved WYD, through the freshly-minted Valve Sounds label, Maina Doe is rising to new heights and becoming a mainstay in the industry, with fans and critics alike recognising her potential to become one of our country's best exports. 

As part of the Sydney Opera House’s Liminal series in 2021, Doe delivered a sensational performance recorded in the Joan Sutherland Theatre and returned to the venue last year for a buoyant set as the support for hip-hop hero Tkay Maidza. This is Doe’s official Vivid LIVE debut and her first solo in-person show. She’s one future star you won’t want to miss.

Squarepusher: Sat 3 June 8:30pm

Squarepusher, real name Tom Jenkinson, has been pushing the boundaries of electronic music since his myth-making first recording for Aphex Twin, 1996’s Feed Me Weird Things. From there, Squarepusher has lived up to his name, thinking out of the box and moving fluidly between hectic breakbeats, impish hardcore, musique concrète, electric jazz, prog, funk and – naturally – recordings composed entirely for robots.

Not only is his recorded music a lesson in creative genius, but his live shows are also beyond expectations. Immersive, visceral and filled with twists and turns, Squarepusher’s live shows categorically defy genre, and this new audio-visual experience in the Joan Sutherland Theatre is sure to satisfy fans. 

From era-defining IDM classics Music is Rotted One Note (1998) and Go Plastic (2001) to the experimental Damogen Furies (2015) and his 2020 career opus Be Up a Hello, Squarepusher is one of a kind and an absolute must-see this weekend. 

Posh Isolation Presents HTRK, Lust For Youth, Croatian Amor, YL Hooi: Sat Jun 3, 8PM

Swedish duo Lust For Youth and Danish artist Croatian Amor join Melbourne cult faves HTRK and YL Hooi for Vivid LIVE in 2023.

Curated by 3NDLES5 – aka Mitch Tolman from Sydney’s post-punk heroes Low Life - in partnership with Posh Isolation, the two creative entities have designed a show that will blend the sound of Scandinavia and Australia in a once-in-a-lifetime performance. 

Whether it’s the dark and hypnotic electro-minimalism of HTRK, the post-punk experimentation and dream-pop of YL Hooi, the otherworldly electronic sounds of Croatian Amor or Lust For Youth’s brand of shimmering synth-pop and vibrant post-punk noise, audiences members will be transported to a place unknown. 

Don’t miss out on catching some of the biggest names from Sweden and Australia, transform Sydney Opera House’s The Studio for an unmatched performance of electronic experimental sound. 

Weyes Blood: Jun 1, 8:30pm & Jun 4, 6:30pm

LA-based singer-songwriter Weyes Blood, real name Natalie Mering, has become a defining artist of this generation, capturing the true essence of living in the 21st century in her discography. 

Emerging from the noise rock underground to solo renown in the early 2010s, Weyes Blood – who once described her sound as “Bob Seger meets Enya” – soared to prominence with her fourth album, Titanic Rising (2019). She returned in 2022 with, And In Darkness, Hearts Aglow, once again capturing the minds and souls of this generation through her poetic deliverance.

Those who have seen Mering perform will understand it’s an experience entirely unique to her own – a unique feeling she’s spent years honing. Performing her newest album And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow, punters will be aghast with her ability to tame a crowd and elicit such visceral emotion night after night. 

Find out more about Vivid's Program here.