Live music
It’ll be a packed house at Fortitude Music Hall on Friday night when lyrical legend Genesis Owusu headlines 2023’s first Red Bull Symphonic concert with Brisbane Symphony Orchestra. Joined by indie-art-pop artist Kirin J Callinan, dancehall rapper extraordinaire Gold Fang and his all-star band, Genesis will perform unique versions of his songs in an energising showcase of hip-hop and orchestra. This, folks, is a must-see! If you’re quick, you can grab last-minute tickets here.

South Bank’s Riverside Green is hosting a stellar series of live-music events this weekend, with the (now sold out!) Sunset Opera sending immersive live sounds sky-high on both Saturday and Sunday evenings. If you missed out on opera tickets, don’t fret. Opt for some sun-soaked fun and head to the grassy knoll between 10:00 am and 1:00 pm on both days for Riverside Melodies – a family-friendly daytime event where you can have a riverside dance-off to some of the greatest hits from your all-time favourite musicals from across the decades. Bonus – entry is free, and there will be plenty of pop-up food and drink vendors serving brunch snacks to keep you fuelled and ready for the next banger tune!

Beloved block party Nine Lives Festival is taking over The Tivoli for its third annual edition on Saturday, headlined by US singer-songwriter Angel Olsen alongside a curated lineup of international artists including New York’s Crumb, LA’s Drugdealer and Niger’s Mdou Moctar, and a selection of hand-picked homegrown favourites including No Zu, Bones & Jones, Folk Bitch Trio, Girl And Girl, FELIVAND and plenty more. You’ll be able to grab bites from food trucks and trawl through record crates at pop-up market stalls in between sets.

Brisbane Powerhouse’s pioneering festival of music, art and performance, ΩHM, continues throughout March, and this Saturday the spectacular program brings South African artist Nakhane to the theatre stage. Fusing orchestral grandeur with hyperkinetic rhythms, Nakhane will deliver a body of work soaked in electrifying vocals and stomping beats, creating a live show not to be missed – you can grab your tickets here.

Beloved Bon Iver is taking to Riverstage on Thursday night with a breathtaking live performance, while The Bennies’ tour of Australia and NZ hits The Triffid on Saturday night with a swag of new songs from the psychedelic-reggae-punk-rockers (grab tickets here). Those hunting for free beats with a side of beers, head to Felons Barrel Hall to catch local 70s-inspired blues super group The Honey Sliders recreate the sounds of Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles and more this Sunday.

Finally, monthly live-music event The Sound Society is returning to the subtropical surrounds of the Roma Street Parkland this Sunday (it’s held on the first Sunday of every month) with chilled live tunes by Crescent City Players at the Banyan Lawn from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Plus, Gelato a Go-Go will be on hand scooping treats in the sunshine from its super-cute vintage caravan. Yum!

Theatre and live shows
Straight from its reign of Melbourne, highly anticipated musical production tick, tick…BOOM! arrives at QPAC Theatre from Wednesday – and it’s only in town until this Sunday, so don’t miss it! Theatre icon Hugh Sheridan leads this adored autobiographical musical from the masterful mind of award-winning composer, the late Jonathan Larson. There are a handful of seats left to this musical love letter to both theatre and New York City– grab yours here.

Also kicking off this Wednesday is the vivaciously vibrant and moving Betwixt at Metro Arts – an explosive theatrical performance that highlights the evolving art form of street dance for the purpose of storytelling and artistic expression, through a beautiful blend of movement and poetry. The shows run nightly from Wednesday (March 1) until the finale on Saturday night (March 4), with tickets still available here.

Stirring new stage production Breaking the Castle, which brings to life a compelling and uplifting story of struggle and redemption, and a tale of human connection, continues at QPAC’s Cremorne Theatre this week with nightly shows from Wednesday to Saturday. Keen? Final tickets are selling via the QPAC website.

Sure, the summer heat it subsiding, but the weeks are still melting away before our eyes (how is it March?), which means there’s not long to experience the magic of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s much-loved musical, Hamilton, currently showing at QPAC. The iconic production bows out in late April – consider this a friendly nudge so you’re not that person who misses out.

Foodie fun
Brace yourself – Night Feast, Brisbane Powerhouse’s immersive art and market-style feasting experience, kicks off this Wednesday! The purpose-built Bladerunner-inspired village (designed by Bruce McKinven of Dark Mofo fame) will showcase more than 20 gourmet food stalls from some of Brisbane’s top restaurants, with an open-fire roasting pit, appearances from guest chefs, a dedicated dessert bar, and cocktail and wine-bar pop-ups delighting diners from Wednesday to Sunday (4:30–9:30pm) every week until March 26.

Following the successful debut of wine festival, Fresco, last November, the afternoon sipping-and-sampling session is back again this Sunday, this time with a French lean. Held at the Fish Lane Town Square from 12:00–3:00 pm, Fresco: French Touch will hero French wines with bottomless tastings of more than 60 different drops, joined by snacks from Southside, and cocktails and beers by Kiki. Get your tickets here.

Those keen on learning the art of curating the perfect sip can head along to the Brisbane Cocktail Expo this weekend and really get into the spirit(s). Held at Grand Chancellor across both Friday and Saturday, the expo will feature demonstrations and masterclasses, with flowing cocktails, snacks and more rolling out across the sessions.

Prefer poolside sipping? This is the final weekend to check out the Nautilus Beach Club at The Westin Brisbane, where for just $29, guests can enjoy the pool and swim-up bar for up to seven hours, with a welcome spritz on arrival. Go on, give summer a proper send-off.

Out-of-the-box activities
Need a little nudge to get moving? The Medibank Feel Good Program is back at South Bank Parklands from March to May with a stacked line-up of free outdoor wellness and fitness events – and this weekend, Luke Hines is in town to help! The personal trainer to the stars, best-selling author, nutritionist and all-round nice guy will host two back-to-back energy-packed sessions at South Bank (located at Flowstate, the Home of the Feel Good Program) starting with a very sweaty HIIT with Luke Hines class at 9:30 am. Stick around to learn about fuelling up with food at the Eating for Energy with Luke Hines event from 10:45 am, where Luke will prep his Sticky Strawberry Protein Pancakes, answer your burning questions and sign copies of his latest book. Scoot to the Medibank Feel Good Program website to view the full program.

Ocean lovers won’t want to miss the 2023 iteration of the Ocean Film Festival World Tour, which lands at Brisbane Powerhouse this week (Tuesday to Friday) showcasing sublime footage taken above and below the water’s surface across a unique collection of short films from around the globe. If you’re feeling extra adventurous this weekend, hit up Brisbane’s most ‘grammable experience – Imaginaria. The stunning immersive play experience combines audio-visual art, inflatable architecture, light installations and futuristic gamification suitable for all ages.

Exhibitions
QAGOMA’s summer blockbuster exhibition, Air, is showcasing immersive and large-scale works by leading international and Australian artists exploring the cultural, ecological and political dimensions of air. Courage and Beauty is also gracing the gallery and this spellbinding showcase celebrates the vision and generosity of Queensland art collector and philanthropist James C. Sourris AM. Giving us the perfect excuse to wander around the city is Brisbane City Council’s Outdoor Gallery exhibition, the play/ground showcase features a series of breathtaking artworks in light boxes, banners, vitrines, and evening projections in destinations including Howard Smith Wharves, Ann Street and Fish Lane. Museum of Brisbane is once again inviting art lovers to escape the world outside and enter a new, far more colourful one inside its fun-filled exhibition Play Moves. Sticking around until April 16, this immersive display brings together a bounty of local and national artists for a boundary-breaking art experience like no other. Gold Coast-bound this weekend? HOTA Gallery’s hyped pop-art exhibition, Pop Masters: Art from the Mugrabi Collection, New York, is in full swing. Well worth a trip down the M1, the world-first exhibition showcases works by iconic artists Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, with collections never before seen in Australia. You’ll find tickets over on the HOTA website.

Weekend markets
If you’re eager to stroll through some stalls and stock up on some fresh fruit and veg over the weekend, be sure 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 on for your snacking pleasure on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights or a hint of mystery, head to Westoria on Friday – a unique night market bringing a sense of wonder, excitement and sense-enlivening magic to West End. Hot margarita summer has arrived at The Boundary with the arrival of the Patrón Pop-Up. Head up to The Boundary rooftop and be transported to the beaches of Tulum, complete with margarita trees, bottomless nachos, tacos and all the good vibes you could ask for.

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.

This article was written by Janna Hrastovec from The Weekend Edition.