St Jerome’s Laneway Festival – February 4
After its smash 2023 comeback, Laneway Festival is set for another year of live music, stellar acts and good times all-round. Next February, Brisbane Showgrounds will once again transform to host international music legends, with 2024 scoring rap heavy-weight Stormzy. With a headliner like that, it’s hard not to get too big for your boots. The king of grime will be joined by the likes of Dominic Fike and Steve Lacy – as well as indie darling Faya Webster, psychedelic rock band Unknown Mortal Orchestra and many more. Laneway marks one of Brisbane’s best music events of the year, bringing iconic Aussie festival vibes to The Valley for one day only. Tickets on sale now.
Round the Twist The Musical – November 12 to December 1
Round the Twist raised a generation with its creative and curious storylines. The iconic Australian show was no stranger to memorable moments and had an even more memorable theme song. Paul Hodge, known for his zany catalogue including Joh for PM and Clinton: the Musical, has adapted this original book series and subsequent TV series into a musical. Round the Twist The Musical is set to debut at QPAC in November and follows the Twist family as they fight to save their lighthouse home whilst unravelling a 100-year-old magical mystery. Get ready for all of your favourite oddball stories musically reimagined and for the earworm of “Have you ever, ever felt like this?” to finally get the stage time it deserves. Tickets are on-sale now via QTIX.
SummerSalt – multiple dates
This sun-soaked festival brings some of the best Aussie music with some of the most picturesque locations. Get keen for SummerSalt’s 2024 festivals and a boogie on the green to the likes of Ocean Alley, Hockey Dad, Matt Corby and Thelma Plum. Already, SummerSalt’s line-ups are stacked with Aussie and international talent and coming to the charming coastal town near you. From Bribie Island to Hervey Bay, you’ll get to hear your favourite tunes whilst taking in ocean views. With festivals already booked in for March and April, the SummerSalt festivals will be your source of home-grown music goodness for 2024.
Iris Van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses – June 29 to October 7
Following its Parisian run, Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses is coming to GOMA next June. The Dutch fashion designer has wowed the world with her futuristic and fantastical designs that pioneered her brand of 3D- printed and multilayered sculptures and clothing. Throughout the fashion world, Iris van Herpen has been revered for her industry-first fusion of new-age technology with classic couture craftsmanship. A regular on red carpet best dressed lists, Iris is widely known for her looks on fashion greats like Lady Gaga, Solange and Jared Leto. QAGOMA’s exhibition of almost 100 pieces showcases Iris Van Herpen’s hypnotic designs alongside an eclectic range of artefacts, specimens and artworks. Discover this bold approach to fashion in an immersive experience of design, art and philosophy. Secure your tickets via QAGOMA now.
Beauty and the Beast – From February 15
QPAC said “be our guest” with its 2024 headliner – beloved Disney musical Beauty and the Beast. For the first time in Brisbane, this nostalgia-charged stage production will be taking over the Lyric Theatre with its heart-warming soundtrack from musical legend Alan Menkin. The production adapts the original 1991 animated movie to stage and follows the timeless fairy tale of courageous bibliophilic, Belle, on her journey to free her father from the clutches of the Beast. An exciting adventure about inner-beauty, identity and love, Beauty and the Beast has received numerous accolades for its show-stopping costumes, music and sets and the Brisbane production is expected to be nothing short of magic.
Bluey’s World – August
Wackadoo! Brisbane’s most famous resident, Bluey, is getting her own immersive experience in August. ABC children show Bluey has taken the world by storm since its debut, with this adorable program receiving international acclaim and captivating parents and children alike with cheeky and heartfelt storylines. Bluey’s World will let fans of the show step inside the Heeler’s home with an immersive experience right in the city this cartoon pup family call home. Housed in its own purpose-built, state-of-the-art, 4000-sqm venue located at Northshore, Bluey’s World is slated to feature life-size sets, interactive play and even soundscaping. Keep your eyes out for opening updates on this new Brisbane theme park that’s bound to be the envy of kids world round.
Elvis: A Musical Revolution – from June 22
With the recent releases of Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis and Sophia Coppola’s Priscilla, we’ve found ourselves all shook up for The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Keeping our blue suede shoes tapping next year is a brand-new bio-musical, which celebrates the life and music of Elvis Presley. Taking over HOTA from June 22, Elvis: A Musical Revolution will feature all of your favourite hits, including ‘Jailhouse Rock’, ‘Hound Dog’ and ‘A Little Less Conversation’. Head to the HOTA website to secure your seat!
11th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art – November 30, 2024 to April 27, 2025
For its 11th year, this flagship exhibition is kicking off its next decade at QAGOMA. The Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art returns to wow Brisbane for another year with more than 200 artists, makers and thinkers from the Asia-Pacific region. In this world-class art event, QAGOMA curators weave together a diverse range of thematic threads to capture the social and cultural diversity of the unique geographical location Brisbane calls home. Showcasing both favourite QAGOMA artists and newcomers, APT11 will celebrate Oceania’s art with a range of sculptures, paintings, installations and more. Mark your calendars and keep an eye out for the reveal of artists and works in this unmissable exhibition.
ΩHM Festival – February 28 to April 20
First launched in 2022, Brisbane Powerhouse’s provocative ΩHM Festival (pronounced OHM) returns with its boundary-breaking program of art, music and performance. The 2024 event will unite international artists as well as homegrown talent for another thrilling two-month residence at Brisbane’s heart of arts and culture. The line-up’s diverse range of acts confirms ΩHM Festival is as bold as ever. Find everything from the installations by rock matriarch Kim Gordon and political musical group Yothu Yindi in concert, to the discombobulating dance of Stephanie Lake Company and the genre-defying band, The Necks. With tickets on sale now, book your acts and expect the unexpected.
Image three: Iris van Herpen / Netherlands b.1984 / Hydrozoa dress, from the ‘Sensory Seas’ collection 2020 (detail) / Collection: Iris van Herpen / Photograph: David Uzochukwu / © David Uzochukwu
