Melbourne weekend forecasting: It's a big one

This being Friday afternoon, it’s time to autopilot through the rest of the working day and turn our attention to more important matters: what’s on this weekend. True to form, it’s a big weekend for Melbourne, with events ranging from big club shows to intimate bar gigs and even a boutique festival.

Tonight, Tree of Life festival is has its Australian debut, hosting three days of international and local psytrance (and more) artists at a secret Victorian location. At the heavier end of the spectrum, hardstyle favourites Showtek are stopping by Chasers Nightclub for an all-night event and if our reviewers take on the Sydney Showtek show is anything to go by, hard dance fans are in for a big one.

Meanwhile, New Guernica is hosting recent ITM Honour Roll-inductee Dave Pham for a 4+ hour set as part of the Darkbeat Local Sessions series. Pham told us this week that he’s got a big plan for the night: “People in Melbourne the last five years have got really serious with music and sort of forgotten how to just be loose,” he began. “People have been too analytical and whinging about this and that. We just need more positivity and proactivity, and some of these crews are really exciting to see. It’s going back to its roots in a way, but with new music and often acts who haven’t been here before.”

Then come Saturday, Menno De Jong is bringing some trance to Room 680, and The Mercat is throwing butter_party2 with an impressive all-local line-up. Of course, that’s only the tip of the weekend-iceberg – head to the What’s On guide for the full story.