8 Apr 2025
Great Southern Nights sparks a revival of live music across NSW
MEDIA RELEASE: For immediate release
Great Southern Nights sparks a revival of live music across NSW
Music lovers across New South Wales are revelling after an incredible 2025 edition of Great Southern Nights. With more than 85,000 fans filling 185 venues across the state, audiences enjoyed more than 320 gigs in various Sydney and NSW locations, celebrating the state’s live music culture.
Sparking a revival in live music across the state, Great Southern Nights took place in venues across Sydney, Western Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong and the Central Coast region, along with Bathurst, Broken Hill, Byron Bay, the Hunter Valley, Orange, Tamworth and Tilba.
Australia’s biggest names in music including Hoodoo Gurus, Peking Duk, Marcia Hines, Missy Higgins and Lime Cordiale were amongst the 443 acts to take to venue stages.
The initiative was delivered by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW, in partnership with the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and provided audiences with a diverse range of Australian live music over three memorable weekends.
Aligning with the NSW Government’s vibrancy reforms, Great Southern Nights also lined the streets, delivering another year of rich cultural experiences and free events, with two outdoor program highlights - cultivating lively entertainment zones in Midtown Newcastle, and a walkable, free gig trail experience for music and food loving patrons in Sydney’s vibrant Hollywood Quarter.
Accommodation providers, restaurants and cafes across all seven locations also stepped into the spotlight as Great Southern Nights provided a boon to local businesses who capitalised on increased foot traffic, signifying a boost to the state’s creative, night-time and visitor economies.
The NSW Government has committed to delivering Great Southern Nights next year with dates for the 2026 event to be announced later this year.
Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said: “Great Southern Nights is a shining example of how we’re bringing entertainment precincts back to life and this year’s event has created unforgettable live music experiences for local and visiting music fans in these communities. Events like Great Southern Nights energise the nightlife of our cities and regions. I congratulate the team at ARIA for delivering another incredible event, and all the artists, venues and fans who created such a memorable experience for NSW.”
CEO of ARIA Annabelle Herd said: “Great Southern Nights 2025 turned up the volume on just how vibrant and resilient our local music scene is - with thousands of music lovers filling venues from Sydney to the far corners of regional NSW. We saw new artists break through and iconic stars pack venues full of people enjoying live music together. ARIA is proud to deliver a program that supports live music and lifts Aussie artists."
Great Southern Nights’ performing artist Kobie Dee said:"The South East Block Party has become one of the most powerful events for our community here in Lexo, Bidjigal land, South Maroubra. Seeing everyone come together for something so positive is incredibly special. It’s the kind of experience we didn’t have growing up as kids, so being able to create this for the next generation means everything to me and I’m so grateful that Great Southern Nights backed and sponsored this important community initiative “
Great Southern Nights 2025 line up featuring;
ALEKSIAH | ALICE IVY | ALISON WONDERLAND | BABE RAINBOW | BABY ANIMALS
BAG RAIDERS | BEC SANDRIDGE | BEN LEE | BIRDS OF TOKYO | BOO SEEKA
BOOTLEG RASCAL | BOY & BEAR | BUDJERAH | CARAVANA SUN
CHARLEY | CROOKED COLOURS | CYRIL | DEVAURA | DJANABA
EMILY WURRAMARA | EMMA PASK | FANNING DEMPSEY NATIONAL PARK
FULL FLOWER MOON BAND | GUT HEALTH | HAVANA BROWN | HOLLY HEBE
HOODOO GURUS | KAIIT | KATE MILLER-HEIDKE | KILLING HEIDI | KINDER
KING STINGRAY | LIME CORDIALE | LYRIC | MALLRAT
MARCIA HINES | MATT CORBY | MEG WASHINGTON | miss kaninna | MISSY HIGGINS
MO’JU | NAI PALM | NGAIIRE | NOISEWORKS | NORTHEAST PARTY HOUSE
OFFBEAT COLLECTIVE SHOWCASE | PEKING DUK | RUNNING TOUCH | SAFIA
SARAH BLASKO | SATIN CALI SESAME GIRL | SHOCKONE | SIX60 | SLOWLY SLOWLY
SONS OF THE EAST | SOUTH EAST BLOCK PARTY | SLUMBERJACK
TASH | TEENAGE DADS | TEENAGE JOANS | TELENOVA | THE BELAIR LIP BOMBS | THE BETHS THE CAT EMPIRE | THE CRUEL SEA | THE GROGANS | THE PAPER KITES | THE PRESETS
THE RIONS | THE SCREAMING JETS | THE WESTERN DISTRIBUTORS | THELMA PLUM
THIRSTY MERC | TOTAL TOMMY | TROY CASSAR-DALEY | WAAX | WINSTON SURFSHIRT
XAVIER RUDD | YOU AM I | ZIGGY ALBERTS
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For further enquiries, please contact
Janelle Morse | janelle@morsecodepr.com.au | jmorse@aria.com.au | +61 450 221 647
Great Southern Nights is a NSW Government initiative delivered via its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW in partnership with the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).
About Destination NSW
Destination NSW is the lead agency, champion and voice for the visitor economy within the NSW Government. Destination NSW influences and shapes the visitor economy through strategic research, policy and thought leadership, stakeholder engagement and consultation, commercial partnerships and investment in visitor experiences, business support, marketing and events. Destination NSW is also the major investor in Business Events Sydney (BESydney) for the purpose of securing more international and domestic conventions, incentive travel reward programs, corporate events and exhibitions for Sydney and regional NSW.
About ARIA
The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a national industry association with more than 190 members representing major and independent record producers, manufacturers, and distributors. ARIA acts as an advocate for the Australian music industry, administers the labelling code of practice, and compiles industry information and research. It also produces the ARIA Charts every week and the annual ARIA Awards. Most importantly, ARIA supports Australian music and creates opportunities for it to be heard.
About Great Southern Nights
The inaugural Great Southern Nights was launched in November 2020 by the NSW Government, through Destination NSW and in partnership with ARIA. Returning in March 2022, the event played a vital role in supporting the live music, entertainment, and hospitality sectors as they recovered from pandemic impacts.
Great Southern Nights continues to build on its success, providing a strong platform to collaborate with venues, artists, and music organisations. Together, we’re championing the importance of live performances as a key driver of the creative industries. As noted in A New State of Night, the NSW 24-Hour Economy Strategy, “live music, venues and events make communities more creative and connected, providing valuable employment opportunities and a more diverse night-time offering.”
We acknowledge First Nations People as the Traditional Owners and sovereign custodians of the lands on which we work, live and where our event takes place. We recognise their continued connection to Country and their respective nations across this continent and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. We also celebrate the unique and inspiring creativity and Songlines of the world’s oldest living culture and give thanks for the immeasurable influence First Nations People continue to have over the music and art we enjoy.