YIRRAMBOI ANNOUNCES LINEUP FOR BARRING YANABUL AND THE UNCLE ARCHIE ROACH BLOCK PARTY
YIRRAMBOI is set to close out their 2025 festival with Barring Yanabul (‘We all walk the path’) and The Uncle Archie Roach Block Party, transforming the heart of narrm/Melbourne with live music, DJs, voguing, performance art and installation - breaking away from colonial spaces and returning stories to Country that have held them for over 80,000 years.
“We are incredibly excited to bring Barring Yanabul and The Uncle Archie Roach block party to life again as the official closing party of YIRRAMBOI 2025. This activation is more than just an artistic showcase; it is a powerful expression of evolutionary First Nations creativity. Set against the vibrant streets, music venues and laneways of narrm, we’re inviting people to something truly unexpected—where visual art, installation, performance and music come together to create a one-of-a-kind experience. It’s an honour to witness the incredible talent of local and international First Nations artists coming together in this one-night city-wide blakout.” - J-Maine Beezley Co-Lead, YIRRAMBOI.
"We are continuing to push boundaries and redefining what it means to celebrate First Nations creativity in the heart of narrm. Barring Yanabul and Uncle Archie Roach Block Party is a testament to the incredible talent and creativity of our communities, whilst also highlighting the global unity of First Nations voices.”- Sherene Stewart Co-Lead, YIRRAMBOI
THE UNCLE ARCHIE ROACH BLOCK PARTY
Sat 10 May 1pm–3am
DROP HOUSE @ Section 8, 1pm–1am
AUNTY RUBY HUNTER STAGE @ Golden Square Car Park, 5pm–12am
LUBLY LOUNGE @ The Toff, 6pm–3am
BLAX: ACT 2 @ Golden Square Car Park, 9pm–3am
The Uncle Archie Roach Block Party is a 14-hour BLAK OUT in narrm, bringing together over 40 First Nations artists including 10 international artists and over 30 local First Nations acts, producers and DJs across four iconic venues. Honouring the legacy of Uncle Archie Roach and Aunty Ruby Hunter, The Uncle Archie Roach Block Party celebrates their profound influence on our nation's soundscape, inspiring generations of artists and activists.
Amos Roach, a Ngarrandjerri, Djab Wurrung, and Gunditj Mara artist, weaves traditional Indigenous culture with contemporary sounds. His work spans from didgeridoo to flamenco rap, and his music celebrates cultural resurgence and healing.
Blackfire, a pioneering Indigenous rock band, has earned international acclaim with their fusion of rock and soul. The band has toured internationally with legends like Carlos Santana and received the 2024 Best Film Clip award at the First Nations Media Awards for their powerful video “Talkin’ Treaty.”
Kutcha Edwards uses music to create connections across cultures, generations, and spaces. With an innate ability to communicate, he uses his unique, diverse talents to nurture understanding and self-knowledge amongst all those with whom he has contact. Kutcha is a Songman, not simply a songwriter.
Miss Kaninna, a proud Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung, Kalkadoon, and Yirendali woman, has been on a meteoric rise, emerging as a potent voice of punk and power in so-called Australia. Raised on the shores of Bruny Island, Miss Kaninna has been commanding stages from a young age, carrying forward the storytelling of her ancestors and fearlessly bringing them into the present.
Jem Cassar-Daley, a Gumbaynggirr/Bundjalung artist with a familiar last name, has been recognised as the 2024 Queensland Music Awards Best Pop Artist and won Song of the Year for her track “King of Disappointment.” Known for her celestial vocals and compelling stage presence, she bridges traditional storytelling with modern music.
Madi Colville-Walker, a Yorta Yorta artist, was awarded the 2023 NIMA Uncle Archie Roach Foundation Award, and her performances continue to inspire with their deep connection to community and culture.
Meanjin based band, DancingWater bring a new wave of neo soul/punk mixed with blak rage. Inspired by societal injustices and the drive for global equity DancingWater tells stories through spoken word and antiquated melodies.
Becca Hatch, Kamilaroi / Samoan is just getting started. Her sound blends hip hop and R&B vibes with more dance-oriented tracks fusing club influences with a splash of amapiano.
As a believer of everything happening in due time, Jada Weazel has long been preparing for her moment of arrival. Developing a love of music from a young age, the foundation for Jada's artistry was built on exposure to music through her family who have deep ties in songwriting and performing.
Kai Clancy and Gusta Silky who brought you Indigenous All Stahz Ball in Sydney are now bringing you the YIRRAMBOI Vogue Night. Are you ready to tap in, sis?
INTERNATIONAL
Snotty Nose Rez Kids (CAD), hailing from the Haisla Nation in Kitimat, BC, have been making waves since their explosive debut in 2016. The duo—Yung Trybez and Young D—blend razor-sharp lyricism with a natural gift for storytelling, carving out a bold and distinctive space in the hip-hop scene.
PIQSIQ (CAD) is the duo of Tiffany Ayalik and Inuksuk Mackay, Inuit throat singers from the Arctic regions of Kitikmeot and Kivalliq (Nunavut, Canada). Their unique vocal sound world combines Kattajaq (Inuit throat singing) with modern sounds and techniques.
Anishinaabe MC/Singer/Songwriter Leonard Sumner's (CAD) storytelling flows directly from the shores of Little Saskatchewan First Nation, located in the heart of the Interlake of Manitoba, Canada. Sumner's self-determined sound is evidence of his ability to simultaneously occupy landscapes of multiple musical genres including; Hip-Hop, Spoken Word, Country, and Rhythm and Blues.
TALON (CAD) Straight from Vancouver, British Columbia on Turtle Island, TALON brings hard-hitting bars, loose-flowing verses, and powerful storytelling, taking listeners on a journey with every track. His music isn’t just about beats; it’s about real stories, raw emotions, and the kind of lyricism that hits deep.
To fully immerse in the multitudes of Indigenous rising star Nimkish (CAD) is to honour the past, look ahead to the future, and bask in the resplendent present all at once. The Vancouver-based marvel-in-the-making is fearless in her lyricism, confronting anti-Indigenous racism and colonial violence alongside other hard subjects like anxiety, grief and heartache.
Auckland City’s fast rising Sammy V (NZ) has become the poster boy of Pacific R&B. Supported by the Astronauts, YIRRAMBOI marks Sammy V’s first ever performance in narrm.
After a breakout set during BLAX: ACT 1, YIRRAMBOI’s Club Night at AsiaTOPA, Aotearoa’s Katayanagi Twins (NZ) are back,bringing their high-energy sound, blending tribal house, Jersey club, amapiano, and hip-hop-infused beats.
DROP HOUSE DJs curated by Soju Gang and Kidd Benny
The Uncle Archie Roach Block Party on sale now: yirramboi.com.auyirramboi.com.au
BARRING YANABUL
Saturday 10 May 6 - 9pm
Various CBD locations
Barring Yanabul cracks open the heart of narrm, setting streets and laneways alight with installations, visual art, music, drag, and dance. As the sun sets, First Nations creatives move through the city, breaking away from colonial constructs of performing in ‘designated spaces,’ returning the stories of now to Country—the lands that have held them for over 80,000 years.
In 2025, this free event expands YIRRAMBOI’s reach, showcasing international First Nations creatives alongside local and national artists in unexpected locations beyond traditional venues.
Ngargee (Ceremony) by Ngargee Dance Group, Boonwurrung, explores themes of home & Country through the stories of Barraeemal (Emu Dreaming) and the Rain Dance.
Already Occupied by Libby Harward, Ngugi of the Quandamooka - Guwar/Jandai, is an ongoing contemporary art project exploring Aboriginal sovereignty through everyday signage.
Ama Algorithmus by Axel Garay, Meriam/Puerto Rican/Malaysian. A visual artist bringing the story of Mother Algorithm to life in a Window gallery installation.
Bakiamu by Peta Duncan, Meriam, meaning 'gone' in Meriam mir, is a multimedia installation of stills and audio/visual projections with live dance and song performance captured from the edges of the remote community of Murray Island (Mer) in the Torres Strait.
Chloe’s Creations, Bundjalung/Gumbaynggirr/Kamilaroi, a selection of digital AI works in Connection to Country, brings First Nations people a sense of belonging, connection to culture, country and native animals, touching the hearts and souls of First Nations people.
Wind by Patrick William Carter, Noongar, is a video work involving painting, dance, song, and animation, exploring themes of love, family, and paying attention to Country.
Through digital, movement and dance, international work from Kwakwaka'wakw man Gwagwadaxla (Rayn Cook-Thomas) (CAD). Dzunuḵ̓wa reveals the cross-hatching of Dzunuḵ̓wa and urban life.
Mullyanne Nîmito by Nehiyaw Isko artist Cheyenne Rain LeGrande (CAD) is a dance and projection work exploring ideas around Nehiyaw alien, protection, movement as healing, ancestral knowledge, traditional practice, Nehiyawewin, and Nehiyaw fashion. It is a celebration of Indigenous Futurism.
IOKOS CADERE by Kathleen Gonzalez Villamizar, a new-generation Motilon and Muisca artist from Colombia, explores movement as a dance remedy—an expression of biological identity deeply rooted in cultural diversity.
Nyribillyln (Cleansing in Ngarrindjeri) by Kenneth Johnson, Ngarrindjeri/Kokatha/Vanuatu/South Sea Islander, explores traditional customs and relationship to the rivers and sea surrounding the Ngarrindjeri Nations through ceremonial practices.
IBIS: Movement into the City is an immersive experience inviting the audience to be an ever-changing landscape as artists tell the story of the subjectively beautiful Ibis, by Aroha Pehi, Darriebullum-Bunda, Kuku-Yalanji, and Amy Flannery, Wiradjuri.
Garret Lyon, Darumbal/Wulli-Wulli, brings his family backyard jam nights to narrm through Songs That Raised Me, a love letter to the music that formed who he is today.
Textured beats, raw vocals, and field recordings pulse through striking projection art and a 2-hour DJ set in VERVE as SKNOW,Wiradjuri, crafts a shapeshifting world of voice and visual.
Through the acoustic folk/singer-songwriter music of John James, Wiradjuri, audiences will be taken on an introspective journey through nostalgia, grief, and love.
Barring Yanabul will also feature healing art through Jackie's Psychic Readings, Channelings & Healing. Jackie Sheppard, Tagalaka, will be bringing their practice to offer psychic and channelled readings as well as embodied healing sessions.
Bringing Barring Yanabul to a close with the backdrop of urban city trams and creating synthy soundscapes, Williby, Kabi Kabi,will play a set of instrumental hard-ambient music in the heart of Bourke Street Mall.
View the full program: yirramboi.com.au
Additional information
The Uncle Archie Roach Block Party and Barring Yanabul have been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body, Creative New Zealand, RMIT Design Archives, Federation Square and Section 8. We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts. https://canadacouncil.ca
Media Contact: Zilla & Brook Publicity
Fiona Brook 0407 900 840 Fiona@zillaaandbrook.com.au
Emma Christie 0432 567 112 Emma@zillaandbrook.com.au
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