It’s hard to name a more iconic Australian live music venue than the Sydney Opera House. In fact, I dare you. And while the Concert Hall, Utzon Room and other architecturally stunning indoor spaces have their merits, a show on the Opera House forecourt – out in the air, with views across the harbour – is beyond special.
Last year, the Sydney Opera House On The Steps series brought some of Australia’s most beloved musicians to the Opera House forecourt, with Crowded House, Troye Sivan, Missy Higgins and Tina Arena performing outside of the country’s most famous building, as well as global acts including Two Door Cinema Club, Declan McKenna and Glass Animals.
For anyone lucky enough to attend, the On The Steps shows were a highlight of Sydney summer 2024 – gorgeous amber sunsets and joyful crowds gathered on the Mayan-temple-inspired steps to see their favourite artist perform in front of one of the world’s most beautiful city skylines. Now, the organisers have confirmed that On The Steps is coming back for 2025, with this year’s line-up looking better than ever.
So far, only four acts have been announced, with more due to drop over the next few weeks and months.
The first act confirmed to light up the steps for the 2025 summer season will be the iconic Scottish rock band Franz Ferdinand, who will be performing a one-off show on Wednesday, December 3. Franz Ferdinand’s forecourt show will be the first time they’ve performed in Australia since 2018, when they brought their distinct breed of post-punk indie rock on a tour around the country. Next up, the hugely talented British songwriter/ hip-hop artist/ lyrical genius Loyle Carner will bring his poetic brilliance to the forecourt on Thursday, December 4 – his first Sydney show since his 2023 tour. A personal favourite, Byron-born alt-pop angels Parcels will perform two huge forecourt shows on Saturday, December 6 and Sunday, December 7. Rounding out the line-up, comedy star Urzila Carlson will be bringing big giggles to the forecourt on Saturday, December 13.
These four acts are the first drop from the program, which will see a series of international acts perform in front of the steps over two magical weeks this summer – with 50,000 music lovers set to descend on the Opera House forecourt over the 15-day period.
We’ll announce more acts when they’re released. You can stay up-to-date and book tickets over here.
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