2025 program archive
24 —27 July 2025
Anti Fade Records and The ToTe Presents Lazy Sunday
A full day of raucousness.
Constant Mongrel return for their first local show since 2021, joined by rare appearances from J. McFarlane's Reality Guest and The Shifters and Yartapuulti/Port Adelaide's Dom Sensitive in the band room, with The Judges and Blue Communications keeping things warm by the fire in the front bar.
Roger Knox at The Standard
Celebrating a true legend of Australian country music.
Roger Knox is a respected First Nations musician and trailblazer whose legacy embodies hope, healing, and reconciliation. He is a proud descendant of the Gomeroi Nation, born in Moree and raised on Toomelah Aboriginal Mission Station near Boggabilla in north-western NSW. Roger is well loved in Aboriginal communities across Australia where he is widely known as the ‘Blak Elvis’ and the ‘Koori King of Country’, thanks to his deeply soulful, honey-soaked baritone voice.
The Queer Shift at The Workers Club
Get your dance card ready.
Join us for an afternoon of music, movement, and community. We'll be serving up a stellar lineup of local queer artists, DJs, and creatives who are reshaping the sound of Naarm.
Featuring:
June Jones + Naycab + Lupa J + Dark Water + Tom Foolery
Rocket Science + Hot Blood at the gem
A one-off special arvo show of trashy-psychedelic-garage-punk.
Local legends and internationally renowned act ROCKET SCIENCE are playing a one-off special arvo show at The Gem as part of Leaps and Bounds Festival. Experience a dynamic fusion of trashy-psychedelic-garage-punk, charged with the spirit of new wave and no-wave art-punk.
WEDNESDAY 23 july
Two amazing movies, one location. Come and join us at Richmond Library this Leaps and Bounds Festival!
thursday 24 july
A montage of movement, light, and sonic shapeshifting across three levels.
From snarling punk electronics to sci-fi lullabies, hypnotic rap to improvised collisions of tradition and machine, each act edges beyond the boundaries of genre.
Feat. Jujulipps (Aotearoa/NZ), Cold/Heat (Gadigal Land/Syd), Secret Guest (TBA), Arsam Samadi Bahrami & Sachin de Silva, Cloud Ice 9, Flossy, Rita Bass, Zipper + DJs TBA
An intimate night of live music featuring two rising voices in Melbourne's scene. Mya Rodgers and her band bring a fresh take on modern jazz — expressive, dynamic, and effortlessly cool. Lilliana follows with a smooth R&B set alongside Mukul Jiwnani and Tejo D'Cruz, blending soul, groove, and rich vocal layers.
Thursday Night Throwdown brings three of the best together and you come out the winner.
Head down to Oldie on a cold winter's night to warm up from watching this total fire lineup, featuring Lothario, Public Figures & The Antics
Glamorama Courtyard Presents: DRÉ & Work Wife – Live Recording Sessions Part of Leaps & Bounds Festival 2025.
Two nights. Two selectors. One courtyard built for connection and sound.
Canisha is a First Nations artist with a captivating exploration of emotion in her music. Her debut EP, DON'T BE SCARED, released in 2024 via Bad Apples Music, showcases her confident and lush pop sound. Canisha's music is textured and rich, with inviting and warm vocals. Liv And The Dream is a seven-piece band from Naarm, fronted by Arrernte artist Olivia Meg. With powerful vocals and emotionally charged lyrics, Olivia leads the group's dynamic blend of indie folk-rock, enriched by an energetic rhythm section, soulful horns, and lush harmonies. Their music explores themes of love, self-discovery, and the human experience, inviting listeners into a dreamy, immersive journey.
Join Alice Bisschops, a Naarm-based jazz saxophonist, for "Desmond-esque," an evening of Cool Jazz featuring the music of Paul Desmond and Jim Hall, alongside original compositions. Experience elegant melodies with a skilled ensemble, including Pierre Jaquinot (Guitar), James Lockwood (Double Bass), and Marissa Di Marzio (Drums). Supporting act Astral Flex, led by Felix Meredith (Trumpet/EFX) and Odyssey Zelno (Drums), brings a fresh take on improvised jazz electronica, seamlessly blending hip hop and ambient grooves.
This year we're marking July with a cold open for the biggest, most festive chess festival in this town's history — welcome to Chesstivus.
A Live Broadcast of Radio City & Swinging Doors.
Hosted by Melbourne legends Crispi and Ernie, PBS and Leaps and Bounds present huge line up of bands at The Railway Hotel as we officially launch Leaps and Bounds 2025
Join us for afternoon of jazz classics and gospel music with Tracey Miller and her band at the Corner Hotell. With a focus on older people and people with a disability, this is a great opportunity to get out, hear some live music, and have fun!
friday 25 july
Bar Open have teamed up with Leaps and Bounds Festival to host an epic show that celebrates the diverse talent in the local Naarm music scene.
Erica Avenue is a 5-piece girl band drawing inspiration from pop, folk, and rock genres. They formed in early 2024 after merging new and old friends with a keen interest in playing and creating original music. It wasn't long after forming the band, the girls found themselves in the studio recording their debut single 'Feel It' as well as playing sold out shows and being played on Triple J.
I OH YOU, The Evelyn, Punters Club and Leaps and Bounds present "Kennel Fest".
Float between two venues to see an exciting line-up of bands and DJs.
Blending '60s folk charm with dreamy exotica influences and opening this special evening, Kook Joey is an emerging artist carving out her own space in the indie-folk scene. With a sound that radiates warmth and nostalgia, she crafts introspective yet playful songs that capture life's ever-changing rhythms. Her music is a rich tapestry of storytelling, introspection, and escapism. With intricate acoustic arrangements and a voice that feels both intimate and timeless, Kook Joey creates a sound that transports listeners to another era while remaining deeply personal and relevant.
EORTI DAY 1
Deep dive into 78 RPM Greek Recordings and live Rebetika music
Peter Stathopoulos plays and discusses original 78 rpm Greek recordings.
Live music: Irine Vela, Anthea Sidiropoulos and Anatreptix (band).
Peter Stathopoulos, Irine Vela, Anthea Sidiropoulos and Anatreptix.
Doors, Complimentary Meze and Tastings - 7.00 pm.
Noongar artist Poli-Pearl likes to deliver jazzy-house-fusion and broken beats. As well as being an immensely talented selector and beat maker, Poli-Pearl is a composer and instrumentalist in apocalyptic jazz/fusion group Special Feelings. As a DJ, Poli-Pearl combines a wide variety of genre, from world music, and hip hop to experimental and electronic soundscapes, and they've warmed up dancefloors at major festivals and events around the country, including Suncycle, Freedom Time and SPASTA!
Glamorama Courtyard Presents: DRÉ & Work Wife – Live Recording Sessions Part of Leaps & Bounds Festival 2025.
Two nights. Two selectors. One courtyard built for connection and sound.
saturday 26 july
A huge night of frequency bending featuring Naarm’s finest selectors.
The missing piece of the Melbourne event calendar you've been waiting for… 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢 will transform into a metal nightclub space for 𝐄𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬𝐞, playing only metal bangers with non-stop DJing from 9pm to 3am.
Boundary pushing live beat sets hosted by Joelistics and Dan West
BUTTONS is an on-going monthly beat night that's grown into a vital hub for Naarm's experimental and underground music scene. Founded by artists Dan West and Joelistics, BUTTONS takes place at Izakaya by Tamura, where heads come to hear live hardware sets from producers pushing the boundaries of electronic, hip hop, ambient and leftfield styles.
An evening of unadulterated heavy riffs, power ballads and bold storytelling.
Dead Pretty Bookings, a brand new independent artist management and bookings agency, will be celebrating its official launch with a super exciting triple header.
The Femme Agender Weekender! Is a two day weekend party showcasing the femme, queer, and LGBTIQA+ musician and performance artists community from the Melbourne circuits. Expect a riot of raw sound, bold bodies, and boundary-pushing performances . Artists from the Thrash Punk, trip-hop, Alt-folk, post-rock, shoegaze and electronic communities , this event is a fierce expression of identity, rebellion, and queer creativity. Come loud, come proud—Glitter Riot is femme smeared and queerness turned all the way up.
EORTI DAY 2, 7 PM -A deep dive into 78 RPM Greek Music Recordings w/ Peter Stathopoulos from Vicious Sloth Collectables, live band 'EPISTROFI' with Achilles Yiangoullis, Jacob Papadopoulos, Nick Koutsaliotis.
Doors, Complimentary Meze and Tastings - 7.00 pm.
Live music: 'EPISTROFI' with Achilles Yiangoullis, Jacob Papadopoulos, Nick Koutsaliotis
Local legends and internationally renowned act ROCKET SCIENCE are playing a one-off special arvo show at The Gem as part of Leaps and Bounds Festival 2025.
Experience a dynamic fusion of trashy-psychedelic-garage-punk, charged with the spirit of new wave and no-wave art-punk. With the band's inventive songwriting as a driving force, Rocket Science deliver electrifying live performances that showcase their unique creative vision and artistic evolution. Don't miss your chance to witness an arvo of unforgettable music and pure energy. With special guests The Hot Blood.
Anti Fade Records, Leaps and Bounds & The Tote present Lazy Sunday - a Winter's afternoon of new and original music from some of this cities finest musical acts. Constant Mongrel return for their first local show since 2021, joined by rare appearances from J. McFarlane's Reality Guest and The Shifters and Yartapuulti/Port Adelaide's Dom Sensitive in the band room, with The Judges and Blue Communications keeping things warm by the fire in the front bar. Kicks off from 3pm - all wrapped up by 8pm.
Laikon Eorti (Day 2, session 1) - SURROUND SOUND OF '666' BY APHRODITE'S CHILD
Doors, Complimentary Meze and Tastings - 2.00 pm
We're keeping the LuliePalooza flame burning this winter with LittlePalooza, a one-day celebration of everything Lulie Tavern: live music, good times, and a commitment to keeping it all accessible, inclusive, and free.
On Saturday July 25th we are excited to have a slew of talented first nations DJs with Art, Fosters & Yarra in the brewpub from 4pm while Tjum Tjumba Collective take-over Stingrays upstairs from 7pm.
sunday 27 july
Come one, come all to the Sorbo Amplio Fiesta! Sorbo Amplio is a Melbourne-based 10-piece "New Chilean Cumbia" band, that takes you straight to the streets of Latin America.
This style of music brings influences of Latin rhythms and mixes elements of Rock, Ska and/or Hip-hop. Fun, energetic, free-style dancing music, so everyone can be a part of it. The unique rhythm will take you on a journey to far away places. The Fiesta is celebration the Melbourne - Latin American communities. This free event features drink specials, live music, community, connection, dancing and DJs!
BLACK JESUS EXPERIENCE (BJX) is a 9 piece band playing an irresistibly danceable alloy of traditional Ethiopian song and 21st Century groove. Like the diverse backgrounds of its members members, BJX's music reflects the multicultural vibrancy of the band's hometown, Melbourne, Australia.
Roger Knox is a respected First Nations musician and trailblazer whose legacy embodies hope, healing, and reconciliation. He is a proud descendant of the Gomeroi Nation, born in Moree and raised on Toomelah Aboriginal Mission Station near Boggabilla in north-western NSW. Roger is well loved in Aboriginal communities across Australia where he is widely known as the ‘Blak Elvis’ and the ‘Koori King of Country’, thanks to his deeply soulful, honey-soaked baritone voice.
From July 24-27th, Bodriggy x Leaps and Bounds are putting on a weekend of live music, celebrating First Nations artists in our community. This weekend will also be the final showing of an exhibition of artworks from First Nations artists from Blak Pearl Gallery in Fitzroy. Sunday the 27th will be the wrap up party for the exhibition and artists involved.
Get your dance card ready for The Queer Shift at The Workers Club.
Join us for an afternoon of music, movement, and community. We'll be serving up a stellar lineup of local queer artists, DJs, and creatives who are reshaping the sound of Naarm.
EORTI DAY 3 - ALL AGES GREEK BBQ, SWEETS, DJ AND DANCING
Under 18’s free entry
Greek BBQ and sweets (to purchase).
Complimentary tastings
Greek DJ playing all the nostalgic and dance hits.
Greek landscapes, movies and series shown on screen, in background.
A crate-digging paradise at Collingwood Town Hall
The missing piece of the Melbourne event calendar you've been waiting for… 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢 will transform into a metal nightclub space for 𝐄𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬𝐞, playing only metal bangers with non-stop DJing from 9pm to 3am.