Find out who’s taking the stage at Day by the Bay

We’re very excited to announce the lineup for Day by the Bay: two festivals taking place in Summer 2019 which celebrate Melbourne and Victoria’s connection to Port Phillip Bay. We’ve been waiting a long time to release the program our team has worked hard to curate over the past few months, and the moment has finally arrived.

Reaching out to local musical legends and telling them all about our aim to draw attention to the wonders of Port Phillip Bay has been extremely rewarding. We’ve enjoyed projecting ourselves into the future and imagining the kind of vibe we want to create for punters, as well as taking the time to chat with the booked musicians on why they want to play Day by the Bay.

Below, we detail the exciting lineups for both our Mornington and Point Cook festivals, as well as why some of the musicians involved feel their own special connection to the Bay. It’s clear that many of the artists who’ll be taking the stage realise the importance of joining forces to protect this wonderful marine ecosystem and its connected waterways.

Mildlife headlining Day by the Bay in Mornington on Saturday 23rd February 2019

The festivals will kick off in Mornington on Saturday 23rd February with Melbourne four-piece Mildlife pushing musical boundaries for fans and new listeners alike.

Sultry indie pop band Ferla join Mildlife in Mornington, with vocalist Giuliano Ferla remembering an encounter with wild dolphins in the Bay.

‘I think [the dolphins] could tell we were friendly because they came up to us and started swimming around the wake of the boat, popping in and out of the water and having a play.’

Bojan Stojanov, guitarist and vocalist for Baptism of Uzi who will also be playing Mornington, has fond memories of Port Phillip Bay, expressing his thoughts on the St Kilda Pier as an ideal habitat for the iconic Little Penguins that call the Bay home.

‘I was thinking about the special places on the Bay and I remembered one right near to me: the penguin colony at the end of St Kilda Pier. It’s really cool and I’m glad that it’s still a habitat for these creatures. I hope that it’s still there for future generations to see. I’m very worried that it won’t be.’

Beat-garage trio Empat Lima will also be taking to the Mornington stage in February. Like Stojanov of Baptism of Uzi, Empat Lima bassist Sooji Kim admits a particular fondness for the bayside suburb of St Kilda.

‘When I was young and getting music lessons around St Kilda, I was totally taken by the alternative and colourful world that was culturally miles away from where I lived out in the ‘burbs. Although much has changed out that way now, there are so many places that I feel fond of and have this kind of golden glow in my mind.’

Four-piece Melbourne band Jaala and award-winning singer-songwriter Jess Ribeiro will also join this sensational lineup in Mornington.

Mojo Juju headlining Day by the Bay in Point Cook on Saturday 23rd March 2019

Killer vocalist and songwriter Mojo Juju will headline the second festival in Point Cook on Saturday 23rd of March.

Folk musician Leah Senior will also play at the Point Cook festival and admits feeling a special affinity for the ocean and its power to connect us with the natural world.

‘Many of us live disconnected from nature but a view of the ocean reminds us that we are just a part of a miraculous natural world. We live in a time where it is more important than ever to remember this and act in ways to protect and cherish it.’

Luckily for Point Cook festivalgoers, Jess Ribeiro will also be gracing the stage here as well as in Mornington. She, too, comments on the importance of conserving the Bay and its surrounding environments.

‘I love the water… We gotta keep it clean and care for the land and sea around there.’

Inspired by history and science, award-winning Melbourne band The Orbweavers  recognise the importance of the wetlands in the Point Cook area as crucial habitat for migratory birds, whose journeys along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway are described by them as ‘remarkable feats of endurance’. In fact, the Cheetham Wetlands inspired them to write their song “Saltworks”.

‘The tidal mudflats and saltmarsh landscape of Cheetham is breathtaking: brachs of jewel like samphire in red and green, golden fringes of sedge and silvery saltbush. Vast expanses of low land and sky. Wind, bird calls and sun. Black Swans and pelicans float offshore like guardian ships. The city – a faint shape in the distance, across the salt pans, linked by the West Gate Bridge.’

Another fantastic local act, Melbourne rockers Way Dynamic will also take to the stage in Point Cook alongside this memorable lineup of Aussie musicians.

As these exciting lineups show, the team behind Day by the Bay wanted a diverse group of artists displaying different talents and sounds to join our cause and help make these festivals as memorable as possible. Whether you’re coming for the music or because you agree that Port Phillip Bay is worth celebrating, we hope you’ll enjoy all that’s on offer in both Mornington and Point Cook and take a moment to better connect with this special place that’s so central to our city and state.

Full lineup

Mornington (Saturday 23rd February)

Mildlife

Baptism of Uzi

Empat Lima

Jess Ribeiro

Jaala

Ferla

Point Cook (Saturday 23rd March)

Mojo Juju

The Orbweavers

Jess Ribeiro

HEXDEBT

Leah Senior

Way Dynamic

For more information on Day by the Bay, head to our Festivals page or read an interview with Chris McCormack, Managing Director of Remember The Wild, in Beat Magazine.