The Asia-Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts (Asia TOPA) is set to return to Melbourne for the first time in half a decade, from 20 February to 10 March 2025, unveiling a new programming stream titled Nightlife. Among the highlights taking place across the city is Club 8, a pop-up nightclub located in Arts Centre Melbourne’s Leaper Family Pavilion, aiming to blend contemporary performance art with vibrant club culture.
Asia TOPA celebrates arts, culture, and ideas from across the Asia-Pacific, with this edition’s Nightlife program offering events city-wide. From free concerts to after-dark gallery experiences, the program reimagines the intersections of performance and nightlife. For three weekends, Club 8 will transform its level 8 location into a cultural hub, hosting nine curated club nights. These evenings will feature performances from DJs, experimental artists, and musicians, all highlighting the diversity and innovation of the Asia-Pacific region.
Jeff Khan, Asia TOPA’s Creative Director, emphasised the importance of integrating nightlife into the cultural experience, sharing:
For next year’s Asia TOPA, we wanted to honour the energy and creativity of nightlife communities across the Asia-Pacific. So many people prefer to create and experience performance in nightlife settings and Club 8 and the wider Nightlife program challenges traditional notions of where and how culture is experienced. Clubs are made to be experienced communally: bring your crew and kick on with us.
Club 8 will also include curated food and beverage offerings to enhance the experience, alongside various other Nightlife events, including free concerts and collaborative performances across the city.
Some of the Club 8 event highlights include:
Opening Nightlife (20 February): Featuring drag artist Scarlett So Hung Son, musician Rainbow Chan, and performer Aurora Labeija.
INAMO Kiki Ball (21 February): Celebrating ballroom culture with curators Kianna Oricci and Mirasia Silky.
Shapeshifters (22 February): Headlined by performance artist Phasmahammer and electronic musician PANELIA.
Aari? Aray! (27 February): A hip-hop showcase featuring Fateeha, Miss A, and Réjizz.
乒乒乓乓 pin-pin-piàng-piàng (28 February): A genre-fluid rave curated by Harrison Hall and Cloudy Ku.
BLAX: ACT ONE (1 March): A First Nations-focused club night headlined by Soju Gang, Katayanagi Twins, and nudibranchia.
The Prey and The Ruler (6 March): An exploration of experimental sound practices.
Club 4A: Night Vision (7 March): Tracing South Asian musical lineages with innovative performances.
THE B_B (8 March): A transcendent dance ritual featuring Betty Apple and Betty Grumble.
Some of the other events taking place across Melbourne include:
Asia TOPA x Fed Square Live (21 February): A free all-ages concert showcasing Eastern-fusion contemporary music.
NGV Friday Nights: Asia TOPA (21 February): A Yayoi Kusama exhibition paired with music and refreshments.
Bunjil Place Welcome Gathering (22 February): A family-friendly event featuring music, food, and the performance commission Bunyi Bunyi Bumi.
NongKrong: Sarapan (23 February): A full day of Indonesian-inspired performances and community activities at Fed Square.
Tickets are now on sale, with a 15% discount available for those purchasing three or more events. For more information, visit the Asia TOPA website.
