SXSW Sydney presents
SXSW Sydney Unlocked
Seymour Nights
Free Event
A free taste of SXSW Sydney: Join us for the first SXSW Sydney Unlocked Seymour Nights.
On Wednesday 15 October and Thursday 16 October, SXSW Sydney takes over to present two special editions of Seymour Nights showcasing artists from the SXSW Sydney Music Festival line-up in the Seymour Centre courtyard from 7pm - 10pm.
Coinciding with the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival, with the program’s headliners screened at Seymour Centre during the week, these events bring the energy of SXSW Sydney’s citywide program to one of Sydney’s most dynamic cultural venues.
ANIESZKA
Fusing R&B, neo-soul and her Mauritian roots, ANIESZKA also provides introspection with her thought-provoking writing. Dubbed the ‘R&B Angel’, her sound championed by the likes of triple j, Bandcamp Daily, BBC Radio, Vogue France, RUSSH Magazine and a showcasing artist at BIGSOUND 2023, her performance is equally as soothing as it is vivacious.
Wednesday 15 October at 8pm - 8:30pm
花溪 FLOWERSTREAM
花溪 Flowerstream are a Genrefluid Chinese/Māori Guzheng and drums duo based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa New Zealand
Their versatile live performances implement endless exploration and frequent improvisation to create beautiful moments of structured chaos.
They seamlessly switch between genres, sometimes dream-pop, sometimes trip-hop, sometimes fevered intense guzheng-doom with Sonic Youth-esque passages of noise.
Huiming Wu uses a home-engineered electric guzheng to relentlessly pursue new sounds, and delivers ethereal (apart from the shouting songs) bilingual vocals.
Multi-instrumentalist Maxwell Brown explores the drums for their live performances, and handles production and various instrumentation in the studio.
This Taite Awards finalist duo has played shows intensely since their debut release in 2023, including festivals like Camp A Low Hum, Newtown festival, Auckland Fringe, CubaDupa and Going Global Showcase
Wednesday 15 October at 9pm - 9:30pm
ASHKAN SHAIFEI
Ashkan Shafiei is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and composer whose musical journey began in Iran and now flourishes in Sydney. His music, deeply rooted in Iranian folk traditions and the vibrant contemporary sounds of Tehran’s 60s and 70s—an era in Iranian music which silenced after the 1979 revolution.
Blending Eastern rich voice melodies with a groovy, funk-like style, Ashkan is currently performing in Australia with a 6-piece band, including himself on Rubab and vocals, presenting reimagined folk covers and original compositions. His work combines nostalgia with innovation, creating a unique and compelling sound.
Wednesday 15 October at 10pm - 10:30pm
Thursday 16 October at 8pm - 8:30pm
LUCY SUGERMAN
Hailing from Canberra, Australia, Lucy Sugerman has a sixth sense for storytelling. Her songwriting feels like cracking open the pages of a diary - relatable, gut wrenching, and beautifully unfiltered. With a gift for pairing vulnerable lyricism with sticky melodic hooks, the songwriter crafts soft folk-pop that balances sweetness with bite, charm with emotional depth.
Since first capturing attention through her collaboration with LANKS and early mentorships with APRA AMCOS, Lucy has steadily carved out her own lane - releasing two independent EPs and earning praise for her genre-blending sound and fearless self-expression. In 2025, she’s turning the page once more with her latest releases ‘crumb’, a quietly devastating track that reflects on the tendency to settle for less than we deserve and ‘like dad, like son’ written with the likes of acclaimed US-based writer-producers Drew Pearson (Kesha, Goo Goo Dolls) and Suzy Shinn (Panic! at the Disco, Alex Lahey, Dua Lipa).
A captivating live performer, Lucy has graced the stages of iconic Australian festivals including Groovin’ the Moo, Stonefest, Yours & Owls Festival, and SummerSalt. She has also showcased at BIGSOUND in 2024 and made her international debut at SXSW in Austin, Texas earlier this year. Most recently, Lucy was main support for Del Water Gap and joined Sons of the East on their 2025 Australian tour in August across venues including Enmore Theatre and Northcote Theatre.
Now working toward a larger collection of songs, Lucy’s writing has matured into something even more layered - each track a snapshot of transformation, heartbreak, and healing. The upcoming releases lean further into a folk soft-pop soundscape, inviting listeners into a more intimate, reflective space while still carrying her signature melodic confidence.
Thursday 16 October at 9pm - 9:30pm
RICEWINE
A solo musical project by Talae Rodden, a songwriter from a small town outside Melbourne. Though he frequently visited Thailand to see family, Rodden often felt like a stranger in his own hometown, a feeling that deeply influenced his music. With a consistent release schedule and a dreamy sound, RICEWINE has turned his lo-fi, DIY approach into globally adored tracks and sold-out shows across the region.
Thursday 16 October at 10pm - 10:30pm
This is a free event. No tickets or registration are required.
Seymour Nights is an outdoor music event in the Seymour Centre Courtyard.
Click here to learn more about Location & Transport at Seymour Centre.
Seymour Centre is a licensed venue and the bar will be open for this event. Pleae note BYO alcohol is not permitted.
Click here to learn more about Food & Drink at Seymour Centre.
Seymour Centre is an accessible venue.
ANIESZKA
Fusing R&B, neo-soul and her Mauritian roots, ANIESZKA also provides introspection with her thought-provoking writing. Dubbed the ‘R&B Angel’, her sound championed by the likes of triple j, Bandcamp Daily, BBC Radio, Vogue France, RUSSH Magazine and a showcasing artist at BIGSOUND 2023, her performance is equally as soothing as it is vivacious.
Wednesday 15 October at 8pm - 8:30pm
花溪 FLOWERSTREAM
花溪 Flowerstream are a Genrefluid Chinese/Māori Guzheng and drums duo based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa New Zealand
Their versatile live performances implement endless exploration and frequent improvisation to create beautiful moments of structured chaos.
They seamlessly switch between genres, sometimes dream-pop, sometimes trip-hop, sometimes fevered intense guzheng-doom with Sonic Youth-esque passages of noise.
Huiming Wu uses a home-engineered electric guzheng to relentlessly pursue new sounds, and delivers ethereal (apart from the shouting songs) bilingual vocals.
Multi-instrumentalist Maxwell Brown explores the drums for their live performances, and handles production and various instrumentation in the studio.
This Taite Awards finalist duo has played shows intensely since their debut release in 2023, including festivals like Camp A Low Hum, Newtown festival, Auckland Fringe, CubaDupa and Going Global Showcase
Wednesday 15 October at 9pm - 9:30pm
ASHKAN SHAIFEI
Ashkan Shafiei is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and composer whose musical journey began in Iran and now flourishes in Sydney. His music, deeply rooted in Iranian folk traditions and the vibrant contemporary sounds of Tehran’s 60s and 70s—an era in Iranian music which silenced after the 1979 revolution.
Blending Eastern rich voice melodies with a groovy, funk-like style, Ashkan is currently performing in Australia with a 6-piece band, including himself on Rubab and vocals, presenting reimagined folk covers and original compositions. His work combines nostalgia with innovation, creating a unique and compelling sound.
Wednesday 15 October at 10pm - 10:30pm
Thursday 16 October at 8pm - 8:30pm
LUCY SUGERMAN
Hailing from Canberra, Australia, Lucy Sugerman has a sixth sense for storytelling. Her songwriting feels like cracking open the pages of a diary - relatable, gut wrenching, and beautifully unfiltered. With a gift for pairing vulnerable lyricism with sticky melodic hooks, the songwriter crafts soft folk-pop that balances sweetness with bite, charm with emotional depth.
Since first capturing attention through her collaboration with LANKS and early mentorships with APRA AMCOS, Lucy has steadily carved out her own lane - releasing two independent EPs and earning praise for her genre-blending sound and fearless self-expression. In 2025, she’s turning the page once more with her latest releases ‘crumb’, a quietly devastating track that reflects on the tendency to settle for less than we deserve and ‘like dad, like son’ written with the likes of acclaimed US-based writer-producers Drew Pearson (Kesha, Goo Goo Dolls) and Suzy Shinn (Panic! at the Disco, Alex Lahey, Dua Lipa).
A captivating live performer, Lucy has graced the stages of iconic Australian festivals including Groovin’ the Moo, Stonefest, Yours & Owls Festival, and SummerSalt. She has also showcased at BIGSOUND in 2024 and made her international debut at SXSW in Austin, Texas earlier this year. Most recently, Lucy was main support for Del Water Gap and joined Sons of the East on their 2025 Australian tour in August across venues including Enmore Theatre and Northcote Theatre.
Now working toward a larger collection of songs, Lucy’s writing has matured into something even more layered - each track a snapshot of transformation, heartbreak, and healing. The upcoming releases lean further into a folk soft-pop soundscape, inviting listeners into a more intimate, reflective space while still carrying her signature melodic confidence.
Thursday 16 October at 9pm - 9:30pm
RICEWINE
A solo musical project by Talae Rodden, a songwriter from a small town outside Melbourne. Though he frequently visited Thailand to see family, Rodden often felt like a stranger in his own hometown, a feeling that deeply influenced his music. With a consistent release schedule and a dreamy sound, RICEWINE has turned his lo-fi, DIY approach into globally adored tracks and sold-out shows across the region.
Thursday 16 October at 10pm - 10:30pm
This is a free event. No tickets or registration are required.
Seymour Nights is an outdoor music event in the Seymour Centre Courtyard.
Click here to learn more about Location & Transport at Seymour Centre.
Seymour Centre is a licensed venue and the bar will be open for this event. Pleae note BYO alcohol is not permitted.
Click here to learn more about Food & Drink at Seymour Centre.
Seymour Centre is an accessible venue.