Due to popular demand, MusiKfest Kew is back for it’s fifth year!
This is a community festival designed to offer music lovers the opportunity to experience a huge range of musical acts in Kew’s many and varied venues.
With 20 acts scheduled in various venues over the month of May, attendance at most events involves only booking a table or turning up! There is something for everyone – from kids to families to adults to seniors.
Read on for information on all events and we hope to see you at many!
Australiana/Alternative - Fri, May 3
- Steven Reinhardt
- Friday, May 3, 4pm – 6pm
- Postmaster Hotel, 186 High Street, Kew
Bursting back into the live music circuit in 2022, Melbourne based singer-songwriter Steven Reinhardt has gained a reputation as one of the hardest working soloists in the local scene.
Accumulating over 200 gigs since then, he has performed residencies across the city with his signature Australiana/Alternative style, mixing elements from the 90/00’s, pop and country, his repertoire is expansive and caters for any event, whether it be a private function, a pub, a festival or concert.
No booking necessary
No entry charge, no booking – just pop on in and enjoy!
Bollywood unplugged - Sat, May 4
- String Singh
- Saturday, May 4, 7.30pm – 9.30pm
- Mirchi Indian, 186 High Street, Kew
Introducing the dynamic duo of musical brilliance, String Singh and Manmit! Together, they form an electrifying unplugged Bollywood (Hindi/Punjabi) live band.
With their soulful melodies and captivating performances, they create an unforgettable musical experience for their audience. String Singh’s enchanting vocals and Manmit’s mesmerizing guitar skills blend seamlessly, transporting listeners to a world of pure musical bliss.
Book a table for dinner
No entry charge, simply book a table below
Kids enviro beats - Sun, May 5
- Junkyard Beats
- Sunday, May 5, 11am – 1pm
- Kew Court House, 188 High Street, Kew
Dive into the captivating world of rhythm and sustainability with our ENVIRO-Beats Workshop at Kew Junction, presented by Junkyard Beats.
In this unique 2-hour experience, participants will embark on a rhythmic journey exploring body percussion, and rhythms with recycled materials like plastic bags and buckets. Expect an immersive blend of dance, laughter, and interactive drumming that promises fun for all ages.
Let your imagination soar as we orchestrate a symphony of music and sustainability, creating lasting memories in this unforgettable workshop.
Tickets
This is a ticketed event. Tickets are $5 for adults and kids. Non-walkers free. Doors open 10.45am and Junkyard Beats start at 11am.
Melodies from all corners of the world - Sun, May 5
- The Great Chefs of Europe
- Sunday, May 5, 2pm – 4pm
- Buoy Pizza, 7/14 Walpole Street, Kew
The Great Chefs of Europe cook up a storm. Playing a set of traditional Django Reinhardt tunes, french chanson, original flamenco-inspired melodies and middle eastern grooves, the Great Chefs cover a world of music in the course of one performance.
Driven along by the rhythm section of Jen Hawley on guitar, and Rob Mahoney on double bass, the Great Chefs feature the brilliant guitar of Martin Elepans and the beautiful soaring violin of Mathew Arnold. Main features of every Great Chefs gig are Jen and Martin’s fine singing of standards and original songs, hauntingly atmospheric mood pieces as well as fiery up-tempo instrumental passages.
No booking necessary
No entry charge, no booking – just pop on in and enjoy!
Songs to sing-a-long to! - Fri, May 10
- Gary Eastwood
- Friday, May 10, 4.50pm – 7.50pm
- Skinny Dog Hotel, 155 High Street, Kew
With 30 years of experience playing over 8,500 shows locally and internationally Gary is known for his upbeat, high-energy performances and dedication to his craft. Gary is followed by a DJ from 9pm – 1am.
No booking necessary
No entry charge, no booking – just pop on in and enjoy!
Soul and RnB - Fri, May 10
- Vikaye
- Friday, May 10, 7.30pm – 9.30pm
- Baraonda 321, 321 High Street, Kew
Vikaye is an up-and-coming local Naarm artist who loves to connect with people through song. She sings soul and rnb and performs unreleased originals at gigs when she is not singing jazz covers. In the near future she hopes to release her own music for the world to hear.
Book a table for dinner
No entry charge, simply book a table below
ABBA café choir - Sat, May 11
- ABBA Cafe Choir
- Saturday, May 11, 2.30pm – 4.30pm
- Via Verona, 193 High Street, Kew
Come along to our pop up ABBA-tastic Cafe Choir! Join us for a Mamma Mia inspired experience singing along to some iconic ABBA songs with your friends.
The session will include learning some simple harmonies to songs you know and love, a sprinkle of ABBA trivia, a chance for some karaoke, and letting you embrace your inner pop star but without any of the pressure of being on stage.
No singing experience necessary, just some enthusiasm! We’ll see you Dancing Queens and Kings there!
Tickets
This is a ticketed event. Tickets are $5 for adults and free for kids 16 and under. Feel free to arrive earlier if you’d like to grab some lunch before event.
Musical alchemy - Sat, May 11
- Emily Soon with Invictus Quartet
- Saturday, May 11, 8pm – 9.50pm
- Kew Court House, 188 High Street, Kew
Emily Soon is an Australian-born, Malaysian-Chinese singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. Armed with a soul-shaking voice, her contemplative and introspective writing holds a magnifying glass up to feelings and moments past, present and yet to come.
Together with frequent collaborators Invictus Quartet, Emily Soon’s folk-pop music melds beautifully with their luminous sounds and the result is a musical alchemy that is bound to captivate and linger in your heart.
Tickets
This is a ticketed event hosted by Boroondara Arts. Tickets are $25 and $20 for concession.
RnB, reggae, gospel & soul - Wed, May 15
- Nevermind
- Wednesday, May 15, 7pm – 9pm
- Wokaholic, 8 Parkhill Road, Kew
Book a table for dinner
No entry charge, simply book a table below.
Harmonies and clever arrangements - Fri, May 17
- ADAM 2
- Friday, May 17, 5pm – 8pm
- Skinny Dog Hotel, 155 High Street, Kew
ADAM 2 is Kristin Holland and Andrew Gatenby – founding members of legendary Melbourne cover band ADAM 12. The duo plays a big selection of your favourite songs from the glory days of ADAM 12 and much, much more.
Their extensive repertoire (from relaxing background tunes to thumping dance floor anthems) and highly developed musicianship allows them to create whatever type of atmosphere a venue or event needs. ADAM 2 are followed by a DJ from 9pm – 1am.
No booking necessary
No entry charge, no booking – just pop on in and enjoy!
Three-piece acoustic goodness - Sat, May 18
- Macs Dan and Wilk
- Saturday, May 18, 7pm – 10pm
- Fly Lie, 309 High Street, Kew
A lil three-piece acoustic band with Macs on guitar, Wilk on cello and Dan on percussion and vocals.
No booking necessary
No entry charge, no booking – just pop on in and enjoy!
Dixieland - Sun, May 19
- Shirazz
- Sunday, May 19, 2pm – 4pm
- Now & Then Cafe, 204 High Street, Kew
For over a decade Shirazz has held a reputation as one of Melbourne’s most exciting dixieland bands, playing to packed houses and standing ovations across Australia and New Zealand.
Shirazz’s irreverent take on trad jazz classics, combined with their inventive reworking of pop tunes, saucy low down blues dirges and cheeky original material gives the band their unique appeal – jazz, but not quite jazz.
In Melbourne, they perform regularly at bars, pubs and parties. They have released five albums, including one nominated for an Australian Jazz Bell Award.
“A lively dance set with a sense of fun… they delivered in spades – with some mischief, humour and a couple of singalongs!” – Michael Stewart, Director, Newport Folk Festival
Book a table for lunch
No entry charge, call 9853 8306 to book a table. Booking a table is recommended as this event has been hugely popular the last two years!
Electrifying talent - Thu, May 23
- Rubita
- Thu, May 23, 7pm – 9pm
- Dawson Kew, 241 High Street, Kew
Discover the electrifying talent of Rubita, a groundbreaking electric guitarist and songwriter inspired by the iconic guitar scene in ‘Back to the Future.’ From her early days in Argentina to becoming the first female graduate with a Bachelor in Music, Rubita’s music is a fusion of Latin rhythms and soulful melodies.
Book a table for dinner or drinks
No entry charge, simply book a table below or walk-in on the day.
Vibrant Vocals - Fri, May 24
- Nenah Jones
- Friday, May 24, 5pm – 8pm
- Skinny Dog Hotel, 155 High Street, Kew
Nenah Jones, a talented 19-year-old, has been rocking the entertainment industry since the age of four. She has wowed audiences at renowned venues like John Caine Arena and Hamer Hall and you might recognize her from her impressive run on The Voice Australia season 12, where she made it to the top 24 on Team Jess Mauboy. Nenah also specialises in songwriting, with over 30 original songs under her belt, with her specialisation in rock and pop genres.
No booking necessary
No entry charge, no booking – just pop on in and enjoy!
Rock n Roll - Sat, May 25
- The Vincents
- Saturday, May 25, 8pm – 10pm
- Postmaster Hotel, 186 High Street, Kew
The Vincents have been entertaining the Melbourne music scene since the 1980s and have been considered one of the best rock ‘n’ roll bands around. With that level of experience, they have learnt how to keep the dancefloor full playing classics from The Shadows to Roy Orbison; The Beatles, Beach Boys, Elvis, Carl Perkins, Everly Brothers, and many others, including beautiful harmonies and the guitar/sax sounds of the 50s 60s that are etched in our memories forever…
Book a table for dinner or drinks
No entry charge, simply book a table below or walk-in on the day.
Swing, bossa nova and blues - Sat, May 25
- Jackie Bornstein's Screen Song
- Saturday, May 25, 8.00pm – 9.50pm
- Kew Court House, 188 High St, Kew
Boroondara artist Jackie Bornstein presents her newest show, Screen Song. Performing her favourite songs from iconic television and movie soundtracks, Jackie performs a mix of swing, bossa nova and blues singing in English, French, Italian, Spanish, Yiddish and Portuguese.
Featuring the rich vocals of Jackie Bornstein, rising jazz star and flautist Yael Zamir, the hard swinging Philip Rex on bass and virtuosic guitarists Nathan Slater and James Sherlock, this fabulous jazz combo will delight audiences.
Tickets
This is a ticketed event hosted by Boroondara Arts. Tickets are $30 and $25 for concession.
Kids Glee Club – sing-a-long to Tay Tay - Sun, May 26
- Sing-a-Long
- Sun, May 26, 10am - 11.30am (5 - 9 years), 12 - 1.30pm (10 years plus)
- Kew Court House, 188 High Street, Kew
Welcome to our pop-up Taylor Swift Glee Club for kids! Get ready to shake it off, sing along, and have a Swift-tastic time as we dance to the beat of Taylor’s greatest hits.
We’ll be teaching you some easy choreography and giving everyone a chance to sing some karaoke alongside fellow supportive Swifties! So put on your sparkliest outfit, grab your friendship bracelets, and join us for an unforgettable Taylor Swiftperience!
Tickets
New Orleans Brass Band - Sun, May 26
- Brooklyn '86
- Sunday, May 26, 2pm – 4pm
- Buoy Pizza, 7/14 Walpole Street, Kew
Brooklyn ‘86 are a New Orleans style brass band, inspired by the traditions of the famous city. With modern influences including The Rebirth Brass Band, The Hot 8 Brass Band and The Hackney Colliery Band, Brooklyn ’86 brings elements of trad, jazz, hip-hop and funk to their take on the brass band tradition. Brooklyn ‘86 have been regularly entertaining crowds around Melbourne since 2015 and are a band dedicated to playing the NOLA sound the Melbourne way.
No booking necessary
No entry charge, no booking – just pop on in and enjoy!