Sydney Festival First Night

Sat 07 Jan ,

Theatre

Critics' choice

Manu Chao, Washington and Gurrumul will play the Domain for free on 7 January

First published on 12 Nov 2010. Updated on 8 Jan 2012.

This event has finished

Three internationally renowned musicians – Manu Chao La Ventura, Megan Washington and Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu – are performing for free in the Domain to kick-start the epic Sydney Festival on Saturday 7 January.

In its fifth year, Festival First Night transforms Sydney into a free open arena, brimming with live music and arts performances – and the whole city’s invited. Opening the event on the Domain Stage, one of Australia’s greatest music talents Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu will be giving a special performance as he sings the stories of his Gumatj clan of Arnhem Land, in a mix of Yolngu and English.

He’ll be followed by ARIA Award-winning singer-songwriter Megan Washington, one of the most exciting performers on the local scene, who has just released new album Insomnia.

And headlining the event in his first Australian performance is world music phenomenon Manu Chao La Ventura. Playing exclusively for the Sydney Festival, Chao is still holds the title for the second biggest-selling world music album of all time for his first solo album Clandestino (1998).

Enjoy kids fun in the afternoon with songstress Holly Throsby as she debuts her children's album See!, plus Caspar Babypants with his very cool rockin' sing-a-long. Share the shade with Earth's giant puppets (if you dare) or get all tangled up in Polyglot's jungle sculpture. Hosted by Melbourne's madcap Listies (The List Operators).

The good times will roll on with Norman Jay parking his double-decker bus in Hyde Park and getting Sydney dancing from 3pm with a marathon eight hour set of summer tunes. Meanwhile, visual artist Brook Andrew will bring the buildings and streets around Hyde Park alive with massive projections and street performances amid a bevy of customised caravans.

Also playing on the night are Jamaica's original cool cats of the 1950s, The Jolly Boys; New Orleans street band, Tuba Skinny, and the soul sounds of the trombone with Salvation Street Shout. If you want to get a little more active, swing and jive along to the Trocadero Dance Palace with all-girl big band, The Sirens.

As the sun sets get ready for Nigel Jamieson's aerial performance As The World Tipped on College Street, telling a powerful tale of eco-crisis. Combining dramatic film and visuals with aerial performance, the stage literally tips skywards as performers cling on for dear life.

More on Sydney Festival.

Subscribe to our Spotify playlists