Genrecon, Fontaines D.C. and The Kooks – what’s on in Brisbane this weekend
Another month ticks over this weekend. How does the time fly so fast? Well it doesn’t hurt when the calendar is stacked with social events and fun things to do. With music festivals from avant-garde to new-wave RnB, genre writing conferences and university block parties, there’s plenty going down in Brisbane this weekend. It’s all here in our guide to the very best of what’s happening in Brisbane from February 27 to March 2.
Concerts on in Brisbane this weekend
Brisbane Powerhouse’s ΩHM Festival of Other Music returns, running from February 28 to March 22, 2025. This genre-defying festival showcases a diverse line-up of artists who explore the fringes of sound and performance. This weekend you can catch Grammy-nominated folk supergroup Bonny Light Horseman, Queensland chamber orchestra Camerata’s concert-meditation experience and Sound-Space’s silent disco.
Beloved UK band The Kooks is hitting The Fortitude Music Hall this Saturday. Move in your own way to the Brighton band’s catalogue of cherished sing-a-longs.
Riverstage is hosting the highly anticipated return of Fontaines D.C. on Saturday March 1. Fontaines D.C.’s newly released album Romance interrogates amorphous concepts of love and relationships, alienation and identity, fantasy and reality.
Celebrated German musician, composer and producer Nils Frahm brings his captivating neo-classical and electronic live show to QPAC this Sunday March 2. A celebrated trailblazer, Nils comes to Brisbane as part of his global Music For tour, where each performance is a one-of-a-kind experience, uniquely tailored to the city.
Souled Out, Australia’s first and only new-wave RnB music festival is taking over the Brisbane Showgrounds on Friday February 28. The festival boasts headliners including Don Toliver, Jhene Aiko and powerhouse music talent and now renowned actor Vince Staples. Performing alongside them are Mariah The Scientist, 6LACK, BLXST and Kaash Paige.
Theatre and live events on in Brisbane this weekend
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Ooh, Mr Darcy! Queensland Theatre’s vibrant adaptation of Pride & Prejudice will hit QPAC’s Playhouse stage from February 20 to March 9. Featuring a talented all-Queensland cast, this contemporary retelling of the classic love story is brimming with wit, passion and social satire.
Say Hallelujah! The smash-hit musical sent from above, Sister Act is in Brisbane. Based on the film, Sister Act is set to light up QPAC and lift your spirits with its irresistible energy from February 8. Starring Casey Donovan as Deloris Van Cartier, Genevieve Lemon as Mother Superior and Rhonda Burchmore as Sister Mary Lazarus, the award-winning musical features original music by eight-time Oscar award-winner Alan Menken.
If you’re feeling spicy this weekend, Blanc de Blanc Encore promises a night of laughs and lots of skin. Performing at Brisbane’s latest theatre and bar The West End Electric, this riotous revue of acrobatic talent and great tunes has been choreographed by Kevin Maher (whose past clients include Madonna and Britney Spears) and scored by Danish electronic artist Kenneth Bager. Running into the new year, Blanc de Blanc Encore invites you to escape the ordinary for a captivating night of circus cabaret.
Art and exhibitions on in Brisbane this weekend
Catch three exhibitions at IMA in Fortitude Valley. The gallery is currently hosting a number of engrossing exhibitions, starting with Archie Moore: Comic Paintings – a collection of large works that emphasise the difference of his childhood experiences — experiencing bullying and abuse; poverty, shame, and low self-esteem — with those of the American white middle-class teen whose name Archie shares.
Get insight into a massive viral sensation Skibidi Toilet with IMA’s new exhibition, Boom, which is running from Saturday January 18 to Thursday April 10. IMA’s screening room will host the first institutional display of the YouTube video series, which has become a Gen Alpha cultural touchstone.
Platform 2025 is the second iteration of IMA’s annual Queensland new-artists project. This year, the exhibition is showcasing work from three artists – Shannon Toth, Jarrod van der Ryken, and Keemon Williams. The exhibition is running until Sunday March 30.
QAGOMA’s fiercely anticipated flagship event The Asia Pacific Triennial continues for its 11th year with more than 500 artworks by artists from over 30 countries. Exhibition attendees can expect to discover a vibrant multi-part project from Haus Yuriyal (a collective of 28 artists from Papua New Guinea), a three-dimensional installation of suspended tunnels, cascading curtains and towering scrolls from leading Thai artist Mit Jai Inn, portraits of everyday life in Hong Kong by senior painter Yeung Tong Lung as well as plenty more installations, paintings, sculptures and multi-disciplinary projects.
Museum of Brisbane’s New Light: Photography Now + Then continues into the new year. Stroll your way through a mesmerising display of photographs spanning from 1890 to 2024. The collection features the remarkable tale of amateur Brisbane photographer Alfred Henrie Elliott (1870-1954), whose extraordinary images lay dormant for decades until they were discovered in 1983, stored in cedar cigar boxes beneath a home in Red Hill.
Art appreciation takes to the streets with Museum of Brisbane’s newly-curated immersive walking tour through The Star Brisbane and Queen’s Wharf Brisbane. Explore the art, history, and architecture within Brisbane’s visionary new lifestyle and cultural precinct. This bespoke 45-minute walking tour is free for a limited time, giving you a rare opportunity to explore Brisbane’s newest multi-million-dollar public outdoor art gallery as well as visit key heritage sites in the precinct.
Catch Japanese-Australian artist Elysha Rei’s 静寂 (Seijaku): Serenity art installation at Brisbane Quarter. Part of the 11th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art at QAGOMA the installation is a 25m-long, hand-cut, paper Australian tree snake embodying the Wood Snake Lunar New Year. 静寂 (Seijaku): Serenity will be on display at Brisbane Quarter from January 24 to March 8 2025.
Photo: Joe Ruckli
Fun events in Brisbane this weekend
Head over to St Lucia for UQ Arts’ inaugural BLOCK PARTY. This free community day is filled with art, workshops, talks, tours and more across some of UQ St Lucia’s most fascinating museums. Join the UQ Art Museum, UQ Anthropology Museum, RD Milns Antiquities Museum and the Fryer Library as they open their doors for the public on Saturday March 1.
Get ready to let your imagination run free with GenreCon, Australia’s largest conference dedicated to genre fiction writers. The theme for 2025’s conference is Alchemy – and its focus is turning art into business; discussing the sustainability of being a writer in Australia, ways to carve out a career in the market, looking to international and overseas opportunities, independent publishing and more.
Break out the salt, limes and tequila – International Margarita Week is here. Howard Smith Wharves is getting in on the action in a big way, hosting an 11-day celebration of the famous cocktail in partnership with iconic tequila brand Patrón. From Thursday February 20, guests can head to HSW for a range of margarita interpretations alongside Mexican-inspired food and entertainment.
Need a hit of dopamine? Dopamine Land: A Multisensory Experience is running at Uptown until Friday February 28. Combining media, technology and play, the event features a series of spaces designed to stimulate touch, sight, smell and even memory.
Step inside Bluey’s World – for real life! Bluey’s iconic Queenslander is calling Northshore Hamilton home until September 2025, allowing fans of the show to immerse themselves in the Heeler home they know and love. With innovative set designs, interactive games, and activities for children and adults alike, Bluey’s World has been carefully curated to mirror the spirit of the series, encouraging creative play and connection. A must visit for the young and young at heart!
Celebrate Margarita Month at Poca Madre in Brisbane. The team is rolling out an unmissable series of Cointreau-fuelled Margarita Masterclasses every Thursday this month. Guests will be guided through the art of making the perfect Margarita by tequila aficionado Carlos Hurworth of Church of Agave. The night kicks off with a classic Cointreau Margarita, followed by a hands-on guacamole-making session, a guided tasting of The Rock’s Teremana tequila range and the chance to shake up your own signature creation.
Markets on in Brisbane this weekend
Tote bag at the ready – fresh-local produce, bespoke goodies and street food snacks all await at Brisbane’s weekly markets as well. Kelvin Grove Village Market, Jan Powers Farmers Markets, Nundah Farmers Markets, West End Markets, Riverside Markets and the Redcliffe Markets are open and trading this weekend.