BREAK THE TOWER: LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR DAYFEST (EARLY ARVO)

In Tarot, the Tower card is one that is greatly misunderstood; it calls for action to let change happen and to embrace it. When it is pulled in a reading, it symbolises that some sort of rapid, sometimes chaotic and disruptive change needs to happen to reinvent yourself, the environment along with destroying and creating new foundations, mindsets, viewpoints and structures. The change is needed and will happen to make a path for new stability, louder voices, growth and liberation. The Tower and its mystic promise of circumstances changing has two views: it will either happen to you or you take the reins and bring on the change. 

Sometimes, the Tower is built poorly and not maintained by those who own it but it does not reflect the people who live around it. When the Tower does not topple, we must BREAK THE TOWER and be the lightning strike of charged up revisioning. 

ABOUT: 

BREAK THE TOWER: LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR is dayfest fundraiser created by Tyra Baker generating proceeds to the U.S. based non-profit organisation: The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC). The NIJC provides critical legal representation and advocacy for immigrants across the United States, and supporting their work is one tangible way to resist state violence and defend human rights. Their mission, as from their website, is to establish and defend the legal rights of immigrants regardless of background and transform the immigration system to one that affords equal opportunity to all. 

The escalating anti-immigrant violence, discrimination and unchecked control and deportation practices carried out by I.C.E in the United States has caused immense pain, fear, and displacement. Creating distressing environments by targeting immigrants regardless of status and now non-immigrant citizens following the events in Minnesota. This normalizes a dangerous culture of dehumanization and fascism. Watching this unfold in her home country has been heartbreaking and has left her filled with anxiety and dread. Especially as communities like those in Minnesota are stepping up to protect and care for one another. 

Immigrant communities have shaped her life long before she became an immigrant herself - through friendships, former students and the cultures, creativity, and love they have shared with her currently and years ago. Now as an immigrant and a person of colour living in Australia, she is seeing how emboldened far-right rhetoric in the U.S. is echoing globally with other versions of anti-immigration sentiment fuelling division, racism and “us vs them” mentalities. This is not normal, not happy, not full of any positive look at the world and the people of the world. It cannot be normalised and it is not welcomed. Immigration is not a threat and is not an abstract issue. It is survival, family, culture, resilience and woven into the very fabric of the food we eat, the art we create, and the communities we cherish. It’s an inevitable part of human history. 

Rather than sit in grief and helplessness, she is choosing action. 

This live music fundraiser is a space to gather in solidarity, transform anger into hope, and materially support immigrants through donating to the National Immigrant Justice Center. Through music, community, and collective care, we stand firmly against ICE, fascism, and anti-immigrant hatred and for justice, protection, and dignity for all. 

100% of the ticket sales (and pay more at the door donations) will be donated to the organisation.

BREAK THE TOWER: LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR comprises 10 incredible local Melbourne artists across 2 lineups. One in the early arvo and the other in the early evening. 

Please see below for the information about the lineup for the early arvo portion:  
 

REX 

REX is an experimental pop artist out of Melbourne, with a professional dance background that sets her apart. Her music takes influences from r&b, metal, and electronic music alike, with consistent sparkling vocals and lush layering. Since releasing debut single “in my arms” in 2023, REX has carefully created her discography with consistent singles, while performing around Melbourne. 
 

MONET’S POND

Monet’s Pond is a Naarm/Melbourne-based indie alt-R&B artist blending neo-soul, hip hop, and psychedelic pop into immersive sonic worlds. Known for her surreal visuals and concept-driven storytelling, Monet’s Pond takes her name from the ethereal beauty of Monet’s Pond in Seki, Japan—a fitting reflection of the dreamlike artistry she brings to her music.

HEARTS AND ROCKETS 

Your favourite bratwave duo Hearts & Rockets are making dance music for punks, and punk for the dance floor. With a huge back catalogue of catchy tracks - touching on everything from post-punk, disco, indie and straight up punk - the band has 18 self-produced and visually stunning video clips, and a stack of stand alone and split singles.

Their latest - a double a-side 7” featuring singles Get Bored and Best Dressed - is out now. It follows their recent single, The Promise, which was released on a split 7” with sleazy crooner Cong Josie and his masterpiece Nocturne Baby (February 2024 Psychic Hysteria / It Records). Hearts and Rockets’ third LP is due out in 2026.

Hearts & Rockets are known for their tongue-in-cheek and not-so-subtle stabs at society, and their frequent pop culture references. The new sound of Hearts & Rockets is crisp and nostalgic at once. With their trademark delay-laden vocals, driving bass lines, post-punk guitar and poppy synth all present, Hearts & Rockets have found the perfect balance of having fun and taking what they do super seriously. 

THE RAYES 

Stay tuned! 

EMMA VOLARD 

Emma Volard is one of Narrm’s most enigmatic and staunchly authentic acts. Her music is entrenched in lavish harmonies, broken-beats and gut-wrenching lyricism, and has garnered attention from national and international tastemakers alike.

Having continued to evolve to greater heights in recent years, Em has landed festivals including Meadow, New Years Eve on the Hill and Brunswick Music Festival.