concert review

Sparks proved at Melbourne's Palais Theatre on 28 May 2026 that great live music does not require giant video screens, elaborate stage sets or theatrical props. With five musicians on stage, standard concert lighting and a catalogue stretching back more than 50 years, brothers Ron and Russell Mael delivered a riveting 100-minute performance that demonstrated how enduring songs and committed musicianship remain the most powerful tools in live entertainment.

The closure of Hosier Lane caused the queue outside the Forum to extend nearly to Swanston Street. Punk enthusiasts of different ages and eras, some with striking, gravity-defying mohawks, embody the spirit of punk and are awaiting the onslaught of three different punk bands.

Touted as a “one off show not to be performed anywhere else”, with six local support acts and the “international debut of Death to Art Live at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl,” TISM fans packed out PICA, an industrial hanger style venue in Port Melbourne which was once a historic manufacturing plant.

Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening honours the legacy of Led Zeppelin with a powerful Melbourne performance marking the final show of the Physical Graffiti set

De La Soul returned to Australia with a celebratory live performance at Melbourne's Palace Foreshore, reminding fans why De La Soul remain one of hip hop's most influential and beloved groups.

Ed Sheeran returned to Melbourne with a marathon performance at Marvel Stadium, delivering a career-wide set that traced his journey from early acoustic roots to global pop dominance while reaffirming his enduring connection with Australian audiences.

Lorde returned to Melbourne with The Ultrasound World Tour, with Lorde transforming Rod Laver Arena into a theatre of confession, connection and fearless reinvention.