MUSIC

JAZZ

The Fabulous Maude exhibition celebrates Maude Glover Fleay, a pioneering Creswick artist of the late-1800s.

Eclectic jazz pianist Henry Butler is fluent in genres as diverse as jazz, funk, Caribbean, classical, pop, blues and R&B. Blinded by glaucoma at birth, his musical talent reflects the musical melting pot that is New Orleans, the city he left when Hurricane Katrina devastated his house.

Today and tomorrow, 7.30pm, Bird's Basement, 11 Singers Lane, city, $45-$75, 1300 225 299, birdsbasement.com

The plight of gay asylum seekers and refugees is explored in John Kachoyan's
Elegy.

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FOLK

How I Met Your Mother star Josh Radnor and acclaimed Sydney singer-songwriter Ben Lee form the unlikely folk duo Radnor and Lee, in town for a gig following their sell-out Brazilian tour. The duo's self-titled debut record is a largely acoustic affair that mixes beguiling lyrics with percussion.

Today, 7pm, Athenaeum Theatre, 188 Collins Street, city, $60-$70, 132 849, ticketek.com.au

ROCK

Eclectic jazz pianist Henry Butler plays Bird's Basement.

Swedish rockers Europe, best known for worldwide hit The Final Countdown, are touring Australia for the first time since they formed in the outskirts of Stockholm in 1979. The band will play a set that features tracks from the album of the same name, along with a career-spanning selection of singles.

Today, 7pm, Palais Theatre, Lower Esplanade, St Kilda, $102-$123, 136 100, ticketmaster.com.au

The High Country Harvest delivers more culinary fun.

Photo: Simon Dallinger

SOUL

Rising contemporary soul singer Rita Satch has briefly returned to Melbourne for a run of shows at Brunswick venue the Jazz Lab. Satch relocated to Britain in 2016 and has since steadily risen up the jazz ranks, with appearances at Glastonbury and even Kensington Palace.

The 22nd Buddha's Day and Multicultural Festival at Federation Square commemorates the Buddha's birthday.

Today, 8pm, The Jazz Lab, 27 Leslie Street, Brunswick, $25-$30, 9388 1999, jazzlab.club

LIVE

Rising contemporary soul singer Rita Satch.

Photo: BILL BRADSHAW

CABARET

Two marquee names in the world of the Australian theatre, Nancye Hayes and Todd McKenney, unite for Bosom Buddies. The show features the performers' reflections on their stage careers and lives in the world of show business. Expect song, dance, reminiscing and exclusive video footage.

The Australian Centre for the Moving Image is hosting the Wonderland Family Night.

Photo: Phoebe Powell

Today, 2pm and 8pm, Clocktower Centre, 750 Mt Alexander Road, Moonee Ponds, $32-$64, 9243 9191, clocktowercentre.com.au

THEATRE

Celebrate all things Indian with this weekend's Curry and Tap takeover.

ELEGY

The plight of gay asylum seekers and refugees forms the basis for John Kachoyan's take on Douglas Rintoul's stage show Elegy. Based on interviews with queer refugees and inspired by photojournalist Bradley Secker's images, Elegy combines performance, soundscape and visual poetry to explore the lives of those fleeing extreme homophobia.

Paula Arundell stars in The Bleeding Tree.

Photo: Brett Boardman Photography

Today, 2pm and 7pm, tomorrow, 4pm, Theatre Works, 14 Acland Street, St Kilda East, $37-$45, 9534 3388, theatreworks.org.au

THE BLEEDING TREE

Nancye Hayes and Todd McKenney unite for Bosom Buddies.

Victorian playwright Angus Cerini's The Bleeding Tree is a murder and revenge ballad, situated firmly within the Australian gothic tradition. In a dusty regional town a mother and her daughters kill their abusive father and husband, setting off the events of the play. This Griffin Theatre production won three Helpmann awards.

Today, 2pm and 8pm, Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne, 100 St Kilda Road, city, $30-$55, 1300 182 183, artscentremelbourne.com.au

Playwright Martyna Majok's Ironbound is set entirely in a bus stop at various points over the course of 22 years.

IRONBOUND

Playwright Martyna Majok's Ironbound is set entirely in a bus stop at various points over the course of 22 years. The events of the play focus on Darja, a Polish immigrant negotiating three successive relationships and changing fortunes. Q44 Theatre founder Gabriella Rose-Carter performs the lead role.

Today, 8pm, tomorrow, 6pm, Sacred Heart Building, Abbotsford Convent, 1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford, $34-$40, q44.com.au

FOOD

BEER

The GABS (Great Australian Bear SpecTAPular) festival is a major highlight of the Good Beer Week program. The event showcases hundreds of beers and ciders that have been created specifically to debut at the festival. Festival attendees can download the official app, choose what takes their fancy then create a tasting paddle of brews from participating breweries. Live music and street food will also be on offer.

Today and tomorrow, various times, Royal Exhibition Building, 9 Nicholson Street, Carlton, $40-$50, gabsfestival.com

INDIAN

Footscray's Plough Hotel celebrates all things Indian with this weekend's Curry and Tap takeover. Indian restaurants from the west including Dosa Hut, Swadesh, Diners Indian and YoIndia are teaming up to create a four-course, Indian-inspired menu, with Mountain Goat providing matching beers. Entry includes the meal, your first pint of beer, entry to a spice contest and live music from Bollywood DJ Sandy.

Today, noon-4pm, The Plough Hotel, corner of Barkly Street and Princes Highway, Footscray, $48, 9687 2878, goodbeerweek.com.au

WHISKY

Starward Distillery flings open its doors for World Whisky Day for a program of tastings, masterclasses and live music. With their team of brewers exploring tastes from tropical fruit through to cereal and caramel, the centre of events will be a tasting trail around the distillery made up of nine tasting stations. Sausages from South Melbourne's Wvrst will be on offer, plus cocktail demonstrations, live discussions and music from DJs.

Today, noon-8pm, Starward Distillery, 50 Bertie Street, Port Melbourne, $110, 9005 4420, starward.com.au

ELSEWHERE

MARKET

RIDDELLS CREEK

Travel through the autumn colours of the Macedon Ranges this weekend to visit the small, well-stocked Riddells Creek Farmers' Market. A favourite with locals, this is the place to buy free range chicken from Hand to Ground, taste the range of local wineries such as Rowanston on the Track and Mount Charlie, and to stock up on fresh local produce. There's ample parking or it is just a short walk from the train station.

Today, 9am-1pm, Riddells Creek Primary School, 77/69 Main Road, Riddells Creek, vfma.org.au

OUT OF TOWN

Maude Glover Fleay was a pioneering Creswick artist of the late-1800s, a botanical artist and environmentalist known for her paintings of Australian marsupials. Inspired by her life and works, the Fabulous Maude exhibition at Ballarat's Lost Ones gallery collects the works of a group of contemporary female artists in Ballarat whose work spans mediums from fine art to abstract contemporary art and ceramics. Runs until June 3.

Today and tomorrow, 11am-4pm, The Lost Ones, 14 Camp Street, Ballarat, free, thelostones.com.au

FAMILY

The Australian Centre for the Moving Image's Wonderland exhibition celebrates both Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland and the breakthroughs in art and technology leading to her many depictions on screen. The Wonderland Family Night is a special twilight tour of the exhibition, followed by pizza for dinner and a cinema screening of the Disney animation. Children will also learn how to make their own animations using techniques explored in the exhibition.

Today, 5pm, Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Federation Square, Flinders Street, city, $50-$75, 8663 2200, acmi.net.au

FESTIVAL

The 22nd Buddha's Day and Multicultural Festival commemorates the Buddha's birthday and celebrates Melbourne's multicultural and multi-faith society. The non-profit festival features nearly 40 events including a guided tea meditation led by renowned Taiwanese tea master April Jin and a variety of wellness talks including techniques for practising self-care in chaotic modern life, and the art of letting go. There's also a dragon boat race and vegetarian food fair.

Today, 10am-7pm, and tomorrow, 10am-5pm, Federation Square, Flinders Street, city, free, buddhaday.org.au

WORKSHOP

Notable ceramic artist Phil Elson is known for his intimate knowledge of porcelain, which he shows off for participants in the Cone11 Ceramics and Marcator Ceramics School Porcelain Masterclass. Elson will deliver a talk on his practice and methodology, followed by a morning tea and then throwing demonstrations involving a step-by-step overview of the process. Elson's work reflects his strong focus on the purity of the bowl form.

Tomorrow, 10am-12.30pm, Abbotsford Convent, 1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford, $65, mercatorceramicsschool.com.au

OUT OF TOWN

The High Country Harvest concludes its program of local culinary events this weekend. Tomorrow's Pick, Pickle, Wine and Dine event does what it says on the tin: participants head to the foothills of Mt Buffalo to pick olives and learn about pickling, then take a short drive to Feathertop winery for a wine tasting and harvest lunch. Tonight sees a community bonfire lit under the stars in the Kiewa Valley.

Today and tomorrow, various times, locations and prices, highcountryharvest.com.au

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