Nocturnal at Melbourne Museum – NO ZU, Mildlife + Adriana

By Kasia Kosidlo | @kasiakosidlo

Cover image credit | Cesur Sanli

Although not delivering on the Night At The Museum type action I was expecting, Nocturnal at Melbourne Museum didn’t disappoint. The combination of local live music, thought-provoking exhibits, and LEARNING, made for a quality Friday night.

Mildlife kicked off the night right, their slow-building psychedelic tunes spreading throughout the museum entrance and getting heads nodding. DJ Adriana/Opalakia did a sublime job of keeping the  vibe for such a unique gig spot going, blending beats from around the world with a pure dance-worthy performance.

The kind of band that lists each member’s zodiac sign alongside their name is definitely one I can get behind, so expectations were high for NO ZU‘s “heat beat” percussive dance music. The energy emanating from the stage enthused the crowd, who madly boogied away to the jangly and upbeat 8-piece band. Every single member of NO ZU did their best to command the audience’s attention: jumping, switching instruments and visibly having fun on the stage.

Beyond the music, experts were available on topics for all sorts of interests, ranging from marine biology to pop culture design and electronics. Props to the museum staff that dealt with the tipsy adults, who probably behaved worse than the school children visitors. One of the museum experts had to assure a disgruntled man that no, the stingray on display wasn’t “the one that killed Steve Irwin”.

You too, can pretend to be stuck in the ant enclosure

The chance to wander around the exhibits at night, soundtracked by a stellar lineup to boot, is definitely a special way to experience the museum.

Don’t miss Nocturnal at Melbourne Museum on the first Friday of every month. For the lineups, tickets and more info about the events, visit museumsvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/whats-on/nocturnal/.

Catalyst has been the student publication of RMIT University since 1944. We may be older than your parents but we’re still going strong!

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