Fitzroy to Host New Winter Live Music and Arts Program
Fitzroy, Australia, will host HIGH GROUND, a new winter live music and arts program running May to August 2026 across three venues: The Night Cat, The Evelyn, and Punters Club. The series features international and local acts spanning post-punk, electronic, jazz, and R&B, alongside a public gallery exhibition showcasing Fitzroy’s cultural history.
A new winter live music and arts program, HIGH GROUND, will launch in Fitzroy from May through August 2026. The series will take place across three iconic independent venues: The Night Cat, The Evelyn, and Punters Club, presented on Wurundjeri Country. It aims to celebrate Fitzroy’s creative legacy, drawing inspiration from its traditional name, Ngár-go, and its reputation for boundary-pushing live music and underground culture. The inaugural lineup includes internationally acclaimed acts such as Protomartyr, Mark Ernestus & Ndagga Rhythm Force, Violent Magic Orchestra, YHWH Nailgun, Mildlife, and Jenevieve. The program spans post-punk, experimental electronic, jazz, psych, R&B, and club music, featuring local and touring artists, DJs, and collectives. At the heart of the series is HIGH GROUND: IN MOTION, a multi-venue event on Saturday, July 18, 2026. This one-night festival will allow audiences to move between venues for live music, DJ sets, and late-night performances. The lineup includes Skeleten, Sleepazoid, XIAO XIAO, Orange Moon, No News, Rain Dogs, Horatio Luna, DJ LUV YOU, Public Figures, Setwun & The Soulstranauts, and Miles Nautu. The series is presented by PBS 106.7FM, CLBR, and Leaps and Bounds Music Festival. Organizers describe it as a celebration of Fitzroy’s live music history and its role in shaping Australian counterculture. CLBR Co-Founder Nate Farrell stated, ‘HIGH GROUND is our love letter to Fitzroy,’ emphasizing the suburb’s unique cultural energy. Alongside live music, the program includes a free public gallery exhibition featuring archival photography and memorabilia documenting Fitzroy’s musical and cultural heritage. Additional artists, exhibitions, and activations will be announced in the coming weeks. More details are available at the PBS FM website.
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