Live music
Brisbane music lovers have been spoilt for choice with Open Season, which has seen local and international sound-makers run rampant on both The Tivoli and The Princess Theatre stages. This sprinkling of sizzling set lists is forecast until late August, meaning you have a mere month left to soak it all up. This weekend sees soul and RnB singer-songwriter Ngaiire, and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra unite at The Princess Theatre on Friday August 4 for one night of musical wonder. This rare performance arranged by exciting young composer Alex Turley, will see worlds collide and sounds combine. Doors open at 7:30 pm for an 8:30 pm start. Tickets are $65 – head to the Open Season website to book yours.

Head to The Tivoli this Friday August 4, while the creative genius behind electronic music project What So Not, Emoh Instead, makes his triumphant return to the live stage, his first since 2018. Performing an unforgettable visual journey of his latest album Anomaly, Anomaly: Live Mode is a meticulously crafted audio-visual experience intricately intertwined with live synthesis, mesmerising vocals, electrifying drums, and innovative production techniques. Tickets are $70 – purchase yours here.

The acoustic walls of The Triffid have seen bounds of talent from sound-makers far and wide, as well as those homegrown. This Friday August 4, they are readying to welcome Melbourne-based RnB artist RINI, who makes his return to Australia for his Past The Naked Eye Tour with a fresh setlist, a brand new show and energy to match. The night kicks off at 8:00 pm and tickets are $55 – purchase yours here.

Ministry of Sound is celebrating all things noughties nightlife, a moment in time where communities were formed on the dancefloor, cemented over 4:00 am conversations. This Friday August 4, head to the house of tunes and tipple The Fortitude Music Hall, for Testament. A fitting name, Testament is dedicated to 90s and 00s club culture, the unmatched era of nightlife that has become the stuff of folklore and legend. Broken up into two sessions, this weekend’s session one features artists from The Bloody Beetroots, Digitalism and FreQ Nasty to Skool of Thought, Groove Terminator and Kid Kenobi. Gather the gang and get ready to (literally) dance the night away from 8:00 pm to 3:00 am. Tickets are $89  – head to the Ministry of Sounds website to purchase yours.

Live Shows and theatre
Whether you’re a classical music lover or new to the scene, all will delight in this enchanting evening as Camerata presents Viva Violin. On Saturday August 5, QPAC will host Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra as they play familiar classics by Mendelssohn and Rossini, joined by a special guest, violin soloist Catherine Lee. Rossini may have written mostly for opera, but the vitality and humour of his work have been embraced by popular culture, unlike any other opera composer. Opening the show will be a performance of his famed ‘Barber of Seville’ overture, an impassioned piece featured alongside many cartoons, films and television from Bugs Bunny to Mrs Doubtfire. Camerata will then perform two of Mendelssohn’s most renowned compositions, his violin concerto and Italian symphony, before being joined by Queensland-born violinist, described as one of the most gifted and promising violinists to have emerged from Australia in recent decades, Catherine Lee. Tickets are on sale from $89 – head to the Camerata website to purchase yours! The musical mastery kicks off at 7:00 pm.

Here we go again! The iconic stage production set in the gyros-filled oasis of blue skies and sunny beaches MAMMA MIA!, is returning to the QPAC stage this Sunday August 6. Showing for a strictly limited season, this 2023 iteration of MAMMA MIA! is a restaging of the highly successful and critically acclaimed 2017 production, again bringing all of ABBA’s greatest hits to life from ‘Dancing Queen’ and ‘Voulez-Vous’ to ‘S.O.S’ and ‘Take a Chance On Me’. Become immersed as Sophie and Donna dance through a hilarious and heartwarming display of mother-daughter love. The season ends on Sunday September 24 – head over to the QPAC website to purchase tickets and let the vocal warm-ups begin.

The Queensland Ballet continues to showcase spellbinding performances, and with the return of Bespoke hitting Talbot Theatre this Saturday August 5, the spellbinding continues. Returning for its sixth season with a triple bill by leading Australian choreographers Paul Boyd, Natalie Weir and Remi Wörtmeyer, this celebration of collaboration and original creativity offers audiences the chance to explore the vibrant world of contemporary dance. Tickets are on sale from $64 – head to the Queensland Ballet website to purchase yours.

La Boite Theatre is known for showcasing thought-provoking theatre, and Capricorn is no different. Until Saturday August 12, this new production by Butchulla and Kabi Kabi writer Aidan Rowlingson explores culture, sexuality, personal growth and grief, as well as environmental issues, the importance of protest and the effects institutional corruption has on society. Be a part of this theatrical journey from heartbreak to healing, tempered with a dash of surrealism and comic relief – the perfect storm! Delve a little deeper and sit in on the Artist Talks this Friday August 4 at 7:30 pm, or catch a performance on Saturday August 5 at 2:00 pm or 7:30 pm. Tickets range from $30 to $55 and you can purchase yours from the La Boite Theatre website.

All things food and drink
If gin-tasting and canape grazing is right up our alley, then you need to make your way to Cloudland this Friday August 4, where your palates will sing and new tastes will be discovered. Gather your gin-loving friends or those that need some persuasion and head to Palate Play: Featuring Nosferatu Gin, where your senses will go beyond the bland and on a mission to discover new and exciting flavours, textures and tastes. For $40 per person, sip on four Nosferatu Gin samplings and graze on Cloudland kitchen’s canapes to match. The night kicks off at 6:00 pm – head to the Cloudland website to purchase your ticket.

Until August 31, Soleil Pool Bar, perched on the podium level of Rydges South Bank, invites you to indulge in the spoils of a European winter at Apres Soleil. Dig into mouth-watering pizzas, steamy fondue for two, loaded Swiss cheese fries and more while savouring sips from jugs of Stone & Wood, Heineken or Kirkin Beer. Or, opt for a glass of Mumm champagne, a mulled wine pot or a Dicey pinot noir box to share with four friends, paired with a charcuterie platter to graze. Stay warm in a booth by the fire and cosy up under faux mink blankets while snow shows on the deck and more live entertainment see you into the night. Journey to the Soleil Pool Bar website to book a booth.

This weekend, gather the gang and indulge in two hours of flowing drinks and a three-course, six-dish dining experience at Riverland’s boozy bottomless brunch. Happening every Saturday and Sunday, guests can dig into serves of reef-fish tostadas, Urban Valley mushroom tacos, French onion toasties and fried-chicken tenders, as well as sweet eats such as strawberries-and-cream waffles, and Mars Bar tarts. For $79 per person, you and the crew can enjoy sun-soaked sips on the waterfront deck while a DJ fills the air with tunes. The sitting times available for this bottomless brunch are 11:00 am to 1:00 pm and 1:30–3:30 pm. Book your seat here.

If you’ve got a winter wardrobe that you’re itching to make the most of, head to Lina Rooftop and nestle up by the fire pit or in custom-made private igloos at its Winter Wonderland. Until August 27, you and your pals can nibble on a delectable charcuterie spread washed down with an array of sips. Opt for The Igloo Fondue Package for $79 per person and you will be handed a warming mulled wine on arrival, followed by a primo platter featuring cheese fondue, a cured-meat selection, porcini mushroom and truffle arancini, and more. Alternatively, go for The Igloo Wonderland Package for $99 per person, where you can choose between a glass of bubbly or a warm mulled wine on arrival, before grazing on garlic and rosemary potatoes, Swiss brown mushrooms, and melted raclette on crusty baguettes. Of course, a winter wonderland isn’t complete until the chocolate fondue starts flowing – Lina’s boasts strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, marshmallows, apple, chocolate and brioche to dip. Fire up the group chat and book your igloo here.

Whether you top your scone with jam then cream or the other way around, you’re going to want a seat inside the historical surrounds of Brisbane’s Treasury Hotel for The Lab’s The Height of High Tea. This weekend, choose between a bottomless flow of La Maison Du Thé French hand-crafted teas or free-flowing Domaine Chandon brut rosé, sparkling pinot shiraz and sparkling Chandon brut, and enjoy a procession of classic high-tea nibbles including gourmet ribbon sandwiches, petite quiches and frittatas, traditional scones with jam and cream, and more! Pinkies up – book your sweet spot here.

Shake off the seasonal scaries and snack and sip instead at Will & Flow’s SUNDAZE Sessions. Every Sunday, journey to the overwater bar and eatery and sample its grazing offering, where you and a pal can enjoy a charcuterie platter for two while sipping on premium AIX rosé – all for $50! Book a seat here.

Exhibitions, Arts and Culture
There’s no doubt Paddington has a certain charm to it, it’s traditional yet modern and boasts an honourable host of shops, restaurants, bars and cafes. This Saturday August 5, stroll the character-lined streets of Latrobe and Given Terrace as they come alive for the Paddington Now and Then Festival. Across the day, more than 50 terrace traders will mark their entrances with vibrant orange bows, inviting festival-goers to explore what Paddington has to offer. Discover the built history of one of Brisbane’s oldest suburbs with a series of self-guided tours and talks, scavenger hunts and edible experiences. The first event of the day kicks off at 9:00 am – visit the Paddington Terraces website to view the full program.

The Brisbane Powerhouse’s Exhibition Space continues to be dressed with the best and most important images from around the globe. Returning for its 2023 worldwide tour, the highly-anticipated World Press Photo Exhibition presents courageous stories, invaluable insights and a diversity of interpretations from the world of journalism. Featured this year is devastating documentation of the war in Ukraine and historic protests in Iran, to the realities in a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and the many faces of the worldwide climate-change crisis. You’re invited to step outside of the news cycle and into the photo-clad surroundings of Brisbane Powerhouse until August 20 – meaning you can visit more than once!

The Indigenous Arts Program is back and is turning Brisbane City’s Outdoor Gallery into a homage to our city’s waterways until October 2. This year’s exhibition, Reflection: A reflection of Brisbane’s waterways, boasts a program jam-packed with a selection of activities – from a lesson in the art of weaving and interactive drawing workshops to Howard Smith Wharves night visits and artist-led workshops with the curators. Meander the streets of Brisbane City and you will stumble upon imaginative, curious and engaging spectacles comprising large-scale banners, light boxes, vitrines and projections. As the town becomes a canvas, you’ll be able to find the beauty on every corner.

The State Library of Queensland is uncovering the role Aboriginal people played in establishing our pastoral industry in its latest collection, Working Country. Peruse the halls of First Nations community space – kuril dhagun – and you will be transported to a time of colonial invasion where, amid upheaval and devastation, working Country became a means of survival. Step inside the iconic library as it pays tribute to Aboriginal stockmen and women through personal stories, historical photographs and individual profiles. Its aim? To acknowledge the common oppressive practices of indentured servitude, resulting in Aboriginal people working in extremely harsh conditions with little to no wages. This exhibition is free for perusal until January 2024.

If you haven’t already wandered around the French Impressionist painting-clad surrounds of Le Grand Palais, then you know where to be this weekend. Until August 27, Monet In Paris is presenting the masterful works of French Impressionists – from Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro to Edgar Degas and Pierre-Auguste Renoir – like never before. Expect to step inside a multi-sensory experience of light, colour, sound and fragrance as art meets technology and the Impressionist’s works are adapted into crystal-clear projections. If you’re a sucker for a French delight, head over to Le Bistro Delight located in the exhibition’s Artist’s Square of Montmartre. Tickets for Monet In Paris are $29 for kids, $39 for concession and $44 for adults – purchase yours here. To become further immersed in the Monet experience, opt for the High Tea in Paree, which will have you grazing on French delights and sipping tea or bubbles, let your inner Monet out at Paint Like Monet, or party like a Parisian at Monet by Moonlight.

GOMA’s two new major exhibitions from artists Michael Zavros and eX de Medici are on show until October 2, where you’ll have a chance to witness a rare contemporary art experience featuring two major retrospectives from leading Australian artists for the price of one. Presented side by side are eX de Medici: Beautiful Wickedness and Michael Zavros: The Favourite. Be enthralled by the works of eX de Medici in a 40-year career retrospective of the artist and tattooist that showcases more than 100 of the artist’s works, providing a window into their soul with attention paid to long-standing global issues. The Favourite surveys 25 years of painting, sculpture, photography and video by leading contemporary Queensland artist Michael Zavros, profiling his significant thematic explorations, including fashion magazines, European palaces, luxury cars, his children, Narcissus and still life, in addition to his self-portraits and reflections upon his heritage.

You’ll be caught hook, line and sinker for QAGOMA’s other major exhibition, Gone Fishing, which showcases a collection of Indigenous Australian artists’ works affirming the activity’s cultural, social and recreational importance. The works also touch on the threat of Traditional Owners’ struggle to have the power to care for Sea Country under Native Title law, and topical issues threatening to destroy our environment. Each of the exhibition’s installations – ‘Traps, tackle and gear’, ‘Sea rights: Politics, lore and custom’ and ‘Along the shoreline’, allow a peek into the community’s response to issues including rising and warming seas, contamination of waters, and the destruction of cultural sites. This exhibition will be anchored down at the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art until January 21, 2024. While you’re there, take a journey via Queensland Art Gallery’s Looking Out, Looking In – on display until August 6. This exhibition explores the various approaches humankind takes when envisaging oneself, whether with a self-effacing approach or one with flamboyancy. Peruse the halls and take sight of a collection of self-portraits from an array of esteemed artists.

The Museum of Brisbane’s latest exhibition, Clay: Collected Ceramics, is a celebration of the hand-crafted endeavour, combining works from the Museum of Brisbane’s collection of ceramics, a myriad of pieces from acclaimed author, poet and traveller Kylie Johnson’s personal collection, plus works from more than 300 external makers lending their individual pieces in celebration of the art that beholds them. The works on display span a 60-year timeline, from seasoned ceramists to modern-day iconoclastic makers, with a noticeable transition of clay’s shift from functional ware of the past to the conceptual creations we see today. You can delve a little deeper into the processes undergone and the relationships formed between a maker and their vision, through personal ruminations of how they lost their hearts to this most elementary and seductive material. This collection of clay will be sticking around until October 22 – meaning you can visit more than once. Even better, it’s free to attend.

While you’re at the Museum of Brisbane, make sure you peep MoB’s largest community project to date, Commune. As part of Clay: Collected Ceramics, Brisbane region’s ceramics community was invited to submit an original ‘memory vessel’ to showcase the diversity and vigour of current Brisbane ceramic practice. From veteran ceramists to those that are finding their footing, each vessel fosters the artist’s individual interpretation of a vessel, and therefore, a unique range of bespoke pieces dress the Commune shelves with moving and inspiring statements.

Heading to Surfers Paradise this weekend? Perfect timing for you to catch HOTA Gallery’s Archie 100: A Century of the Archibald Prize exhibition, which will be on display until Monday October 2. In celebration of Australia’s oldest and most-loved portrait award, The Archibald Prize, Archie 100 delves into the controversies and the commonplace, the triumphant and the thwarted, and honours the artists who’ve made the Archibald Prize the most sought-after accolade in Australian art today. The milestone exhibition will be showcased until Monday October 2.

Markets
The weird and wonderful world of roving entertainment, bonfires, artisan wares and tasty eats is back as Westoria returns for its winter edition. Open every Friday from 4:00–10:00 pm and Sunday 2:00–8:00 pm, wander into West End’s Jane Street (located next to Davies Park – the home of the Saturday West End markets) and be greeted by Southeast Queensland’s most finger-licking street food, as well as refreshing tipples from the market’s very own pop-up bar. On Friday, guests can lay out a blanket and devour freshly shucked oysters at the City Winery pop-up. See the weekend out at the ultimate Sunday sesh in Davies Park, where the bespoke market comes to life with activities from rollerskating, giant Jenga and giant connect four, to croquet, bocce and jumping castle fun. Both days will feature a host of musicians on the outdoor stage, curating your evening soundtrack of sweet sounds as the sun goes down.

On Sunday August 5, the BrisStyle Handmade Markets are setting up shop, offering marketgoers the chance to trawl for treasure as Brisbane’s favourite handmade designers and artists gather at the Whale Mall. From 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, enjoy the best that Brisbane’s cultural community has to offer from a market filled with plants, jewellery, candles, fashion and much more. Make a day of it with the family and explore South Bank’s cultural precinct starting with a bite to eat from the onsite cafe. If you’re feeling creative, join in on the free craft workshops running all day!

If you’re eager to stroll through some stalls and stock up on some fresh fruit and veg over the weekend, be sure to check out these markets happening – Saturday Fresh Market, Riverside Markets, Kelvin Grove Village Market, Jan Powers Farmers Markets, Davies Park Market, Carseldine Markets, Nundah Farmers Markets and the Redcliffe Markets. For delicious dinnertime eats, Eat Street Northshore is open for your snacking pleasure on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

Events may be subject to be postponed or cancelled at the last minute. We do our best to remove cancelled events but be sure to check the organiser’s own event page for the most current updates.

Want more? Head to our comprehensive Event Guide for all of the fun around town where you can search by category, date, location and more!

This article was written by Stamatina Notaras from The Weekend Edition.