Nocturnal

Melbourne Museum takes inspiration from all things Japanese for the September edition of Nocturnal, with Penny Ikinger & The Silver Bells, Taipan Tiger Girls, The Pink Tiles and Adalita DJ Set.

Melbourne Museum’s Nocturnal has packed its bags and departed Harlem for Tokyo as the monthly late night party turns to Japan for the launch of Melbourne musician Penny Ikinger's third studio album, Tokyo.

Guitarist for Australian psychedelic rock bands Wet Taxis and Sacred Cowboys and established solo artist in her own right, Ikinger's latest offering is a cross ocean collaboration with musicians from the Tokyo psychedelic rock underground, playing as The Silver Bells, who will join her in Melbourne for this very special album launch show. The Silver Bells features members from some of Tokyo's greatest  psychedelic and free jazz experimental bands, including Miminokoto (with Acid Mothers Temple alumni),  Aihiyo (Keiji Haino), Los Doroncos, LSD March, New Rock Syndicate, Derakushi and Aural Fit.

To celebrate this intercultural project, funded with assistance from the Australia-Japan Foundation, Ikinger will be joined by an exciting lineup of both Japanese and local performers with Japanese inspired films, food and drinks on offer, a collaboration between local musicians and Japanese noise artists involving feedback loops and synths, and of course Karaoke!

The always unexpected Taipan Tiger Girls have been electrifying audiences in Melbourne and Sydney over the last few years and were a highlight of Dark Mofo in June this year. Three exceptional musicians united by love, mutual respect, and a relentless drive to experiment, Taipan Tiger Girls bring to the Nocturnal stage long and beautiful walls of noise that are intricate and psychedelic; delicate and tough. 

The Pink Tiles formed in the haze of the Melbourne music scene, influenced by the likes of The Deal Sisters, King Louie and The Archies, The Pink Tiles are equal parts Girl Group, Bubblegum and Garage. Catch this band perform a rare set.

Beloved Australian rock icon Adalita will be behind the decks between sets ensuring the night is jam packed with tasty tunes and giving revelers plenty of reasons to keep the dance floor warm.

Inspired by the underground theater and punk music scene in 1980's Tokyo, dancers Tomo and Frank Inc will shake the main stage with a performance exploring the beauty of physical darkness and cultural confusion, and the relationship between emotions.

For those who want to explore, of course the Museum's team of experts will be on hand as usual to give insight into the weird and wonderful world in which we live via a series of talks exploring Japanese crafts and culture, Japanese connections in understanding our amazing fish diversity and plenty more. Talk with curators and conservators about Japanese scroll-mounting, printmaking and lacquerware (urushi), and learn how examples of these beautiful, traditional crafts have found their way into our collections and museum practice. Discover the mysteries of our marine biodiversity through Japan-Australia collaborations that have revealed the presence of half a dozen new species of fish previously unknown to science.

Host your next event at Nocturnal

Hospitality lounges and tailored event packages are on sale now. Contact Alex Fisher at [email protected] to find out more.

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