December's best live music events in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs
Read about upcoming shows featuring local and legendary acts across Ringwood East, Mitcham, Belgrave, Eltham and Upwey.
Matthew Sims & Lissie Shaw
December 03, 2024
Coco Jumbo’s Nullabor Crank album tour at Sooki Lounge
When: Friday 6th December from 7.00PM
Where: Sooki Lounge, 1648 Burwood Hwy, Belgrave
Cost: $20
Brimming with tropical plants, eclectic furnishings and witches converging with musos in fur hats, Sooki Lounge is the kind of place that makes locals feel like travellers and travellers feel like locals. In usual fashion, Sooki has orchestrated a plethora of gigs to get you moving this month with acts including Ben Lee, Grand Baxter and Duxie Franklin.
Amid this busy schedule will be one of the many stops for eastern suburbs band Coco Jumbo on their tour promoting their sophomore album Nullabor Crank. A live act which needs to be seen to be believed, this five-piece literally jumps off the stage with energy and personality. With tracks ranging from ‘Threeway on the Freeway’ to ‘Rock and Roll Crazy (Party All the Time)’, this punk band is sure to get your head banging.
Play It Martha at Victorian Folk Music Club
When: Tuesday 10th December, 7.45PM
Where: Ringwood East Senior Citizens Hall, 6 Laurence Gr, Ringwood East, Melbourne
Cost: Members: $11 each. General: $15 each.
After many years of working with each other, Play It Martha is the newest creative incarnation of Patrick Evans and Cora Browne. As veterans of the Victorian folk scene they have come together to share their love of harmony, well-crafted song and the odd rollicking chorus. The vibe is playful, yet sincere, honouring the folk tradition with new interpretations of the classics, old and new, while adding to the genre with fresh original songs. If you love soaring voice, lush harmony and skilful musicianship, come along to the Victorian Folk Music Club’s next concert at the Ringwood East Senior Citizens Hall.
The Absolutely 80s Xmas Show at the Missing Gorilla
When: Saturday 14th December, 9PM -11PM
Where: 70 Commercial Place 1, Eltham, VIC 3095
Cost: $54.26
This show will be a must-visit for lovers of all 80s Australian music, with Scott Carne (Kids in The Kitchen), Ally Fowler (Chantoozies) and Brian Mannix (Uncanny X-Men) churning out their hits. The Missing Gorilla is no stranger to beloved names in local music including the Black Sorrows, Gold Chisel and The Chantoozies and the Badloves, as well as stand up comedy, hosting comedy nights with the likes of David Hughes, Dave O’Neil and Bron Lewis.
Local musicians are showcased routinely between 7:30 PM and 9:30 PM on Friday evenings and 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM on Sunday, leaving the afternoons free to romp around Nillumbik Aqueduct Trail or any of Eltham’s lush natural spaces and take in the suburb’s native flora and fauna abundance.
When: Friday 13th December and Friday 20th December, 6PM to 9PM
Where: Mitcham Social, 1 Thornton Crescent, Mitcham
Cost: FREE
Mitcham Social is hosting its Summer Series live music performances from 6PM to 9PM on Fridays and Saturdays and from 1PM to 5PM on Sundays. Round About Amy is the headline act on Friday 13th December and Friday 20th December.
Round About Amy is a Melbourne-born singer-songwriter who draws inspiration from artists like Alanis Morissette, Missy Higgins, Ed Sheeran, and Natalie Imbruglia. Known for her powerful, introspective lyrics, Amy blends elements of pop rock, indie, and folk to keep listeners on their toes. Performing alongside Alex Welch on guitar, Celeste Amber on backing vocals, and Georgia Minahan on keys, Amy builds songs that invite listeners into an emotionally rich landscape. With expertise in looping guitars and vocals, she combines a raw, dynamic energy with layered soundscapes.
Tim Rogers at Burrinja Cultural Centre
When: Saturday 14th December, 8:00PM
Where: Cnr Glenfern Road and Matson Drive, Upwey VIC 3158
Cost: $59 ~ $64
One of Australia’s greatest songwriters will be gracing the stage at Burrinja Cultural Centre later this month for a special Christmas show. Dealing with the personal struggles, the birthdays missed, the long days far from home, as well as the triumphs, the hits, and the encores, the show will jump around across the past 31 years after first setting off on the great rock’n’roll adventure with You Am I. Tim is still operating at the top of his game writing songs as rich and memorable and as heart-breaking as any he has ever written.
Don’t miss this special Christmas show with Tim in an intimate, raw and live performance to remember all summer long and probably for years to come.
The Vocal Legends - Engelbert & Tom Jones
When: Sunday 15th December, 2PM
Where: Karralyka Centre, 22A Mines Road, Ringwood East
Cost: $55 full price, $45 concession and $20 child
Engelbert Humperdinck, and Tom Jones are considered two of the best voices to come out of the 60s, both with a career spanning over 50 years, and combined record sales of over 240 million. Singer, songwriter and recording artist Earl J. Dennis is bringing his 25 years of experience bringing these two baritone icons to life at the Karralyka Centre.