May gig guide: the best live music events on the North Shore this month

May is (already) here.

As we move into late-autumn and out of an intense election season, the North Shore Lorikeet is here to provide your gig guide for the month. Be sure to check out these music events this month with friends or family. 

Have we missed something? Send us an email and let us know: [email protected] 

Frankie Valli & Four Seasons + Beach Boys Show — Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace

If you’re looking for something a little fun and silly to expunge the election season from your mind, head down to the Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace to catch this tribute band, taking you back through musical history. On Friday the 2nd, you can see a two part show at the Orpheum, with Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons transforming into The Beach Boys during the intermission. 

Frankie Valli & Four Seasons + Beach Boys Show play on May 2nd, 8:00pm. Tickets are priced at $50.

Trevor Gascoigne — Limelight Cafe & Restaurant

Gascoigne is a local guitarist who performs a range of jazz and bossa nova standards, while also incorporating a variety of popular modern music — such as The Beatles and Amy Winehouse — into his repertoire. Grab a coffee and enjoy his music this Sunday at Limelight Cafe & Restaurant in North Sydney. 

Gascoigne will be performing from 10:30 – 1:30 on the 4th of May.

BYU Chamber Orchestra — Chatswood Concourse

Hailing all the way from Utah, the Brigham Young University Chamber Orchestra will be performing at the Chatswood Concourse concert hall on Monday the 5th. 

Entry is free, but seats are limited to 1000, so get your tickets ahead of time!

Sunset Series — St Leonards Park

Continuing on from April, the North Sydney Sunset Series will conclude on Mothers Day with a final show at St Leonards Park. The concert will be headlined by Thando, a Melbourne based singer/songwriter known for her experimentation with the genres of soul, R&B, and funk. Opening for Thando will be local R&B vocalist Natalie Slade. 

The event is free, kids friendly, and goes from 1pm - 5pm on Sunday 11 May. 

All you need to bring is a picnic rug to sit down in front of the St Leonards park amphitheatre. 

Rebecca Harkin Band — Hornsby Railway Hotel

Put on your best boots and tighten your bolo tie: on May 24th, Hornsby Railway Hotel is hosting its country music night! The Rebecca Harkin Band, fronted by an Irish singer/songwriter now based in Sydney will be playing, with a house DJ taking over from 11pm–3am. 

Entry is free and the band starts at 8pm.

Live Music Sundays — Flat Rock Brew Cafe 

Each Sunday, local brewery Flat Rock Brew Cafe — located along Willoughby road in the Naremburn shops area — hosts musicians to perform out front. Swing by to catch performances from young local artists, bluegrass quartets, jazz duos and much more, all with a pint of cask ale to accompany. 

Vince Jones Quintet — Chatswood Concourse 

To close out the month, on the 31st of May, Australian jazz musician Vince Jones will be playing at the Chatswood Concourse’s new ‘The Lounge’ venue. 

Cabaret seating is priced at $58.65 per ticket. 

Saturday Jazz — Freeway Hotel

On the first and third week of each month, the Freeway Hotel hosts jazz musicians from 2pm to 5pm. 

Entry is free.

Image credit: City of Sydney Website