Aaron Lee

FTC THIS WEEKEND! In my opinion, one of the most refreshingly curated lineups and well-facilitated festivals around! Really shows how far community and connection through music can take you :) Feat some homies from @forthecause___ Some f&f tix available! Msg if keen <3

Makoyana & PYMMS - @intangiblethings_ & @pymms__ For The Cause Festival 2026 27 - 29 March 2026. Boonwurrung Country.

Sunday Best?!?! @pitchmusicandarts this weekend 12PM - 2PM (Sunday) at Pitch Black :) Followed by the one and only @dj____alan See y'all there 🤘

Introducing Makoyana who will be kicking off our Valentine’s Day special this Saturday 💘 Head of South East Asian event series @thread._____ and eclectic digger Makoyana has held a quiet and steady presence in the Naarm scene. Known for honing into an array of sounds, particular in all things slow, off-kilter and sentimental. The perfect start to the weekend 🫦 Have you got your tickets yet?! Join Makoyana plus our stunning line up of talented cuties. Link in bio xx

Kicking off the weekend, we are back this Friday with a stellar lineup, good weather, and tunes ready to roll us into the long weekend. Resident lineup: @justshanithings Front bar: @tareeq.musafer (SL) @acamhi___ (QLD) @dexciya_ b2b @intangiblethings_ Back bar: @_24739273 (+SIX12) @tejavu4you @justshanithings b2b @_its_aliche_ Guests Birdyard @_24739273 DJ and organiser from Australia, founder of @six12.naarm @tareeq.musafer (SL) Tareeq has been a DJ for a few decades since somewhere in the mid 1980’s 😊 He has just moved to Melbourne from Sri Lanka, where he owns and operates @vinylcafelk in Sri Lanka. Tareeq is an old-fashioned DJ who still lugs his Turntables and Vinyl records whenever he plays out. He has played at almost every iconic club & bar in Sri Lanka, dishing out his skillfully mixed, signature Soul, Funk & Disco grooves. @tejavu4you Tejavu is the moniker of James Teja Halstead — an artist, producer, and DJ exploring the wide spread of electronic music. His sets and productions move fluidly between dub-infused minimal techno, deep tech-house, IDM, hypnotic rhythms and ambient soundscapes. Grooves shift and flow on the top of dubby textures, a sonic reminder of the natural essence of being, allowing the space in between to be received. Tejavu just released independently Kanneliya [DS01] the first part to a three part dub summer series - highlighting is clear, clean and dubby minimal production. Tunes all delivered with precision on Turbosound and Funktion One systems. Free entry. Extended sets. Sunny courtyard 🦦

First time playing at Thread this Friday. Finally feels right to do so. I've always felt conflicted booking myself as I didn't want to take space that others could've benefited more from, but for an event that reflects how we've come, it felt right to share my own thoughts on it too :) I'll be opening so come early, have a lovely cocktail and listen in!

Last one from us and the artists! As things come to a close, what will you take with you into the new year? “What’s a takeaway for 2025?” Bayu - Beyond the countless lessons from the Gaza genocide, intention is what gives our actions meaning—so I’m learning to take my time in forming it carefully. Hannah - There is a Chinese proverb, 心想事成 (xīn xiǎng shì chéng) which translates to “your heart becomes your reality. It’s used to wish someone well, and to say “may all your dreams come true”. Panda - Pronoia (the belief that the world is conspiring to do me good) has been a really good headspace to exist in this year. I intend to be just as delusional in 2026. Rah - I’ve been enjoying and learning a lot from collaborative projects, it’s been helping with the growth of my creative pursuits. I’ve been writing more, travelling to Asia more, and working together with peers on events (like Akoma Bumi) and through my radio show residencies on Skylab and Worldwide FM. I get into a flow state and want to continue on that journey. Makoyana - Everything is in flux, always. To not get lost in that I’ve found I’ve really had to be honest with myself and my feelings, sticking to that, or at least trying to, keeps me on the right track. Stay tuned - special cocktails and more incoming! Link in bio :) Bayu photo credit @painted.sun.in.abstract Hannah photo credit @0ojin_ Panda photo credit @georgedowning_

One week to go! Things are starting to wrap up at Thread HQ, so we asked the artists when they start feeling the same way too :) “When does the year end for you?” Makoyana - When the feeling of burnout and warmer weather hits me! I’m not usually conscious about specific dates, but consistently there comes a point where I’m wanting to make time for others as opposed to my own goals per say. It’s these feelings that usually signal that a year has come to an end. Rah - It continues till early Jan, my birthday is a week after the new year and after that that’s when I (kinda?) wind down. Even then it’s peak summer here in Naarm so the party continues and never stops! Hannah - End of the year is generally marked by the Lunar New Year in February. It is accompanied by celebrations with friends, family and community, just eating and being together. I love wrapping up the past year with gratitude prayers, setting guiding goals, intentions and dreams for the upcoming year. Panda has a really beautiful tradition of setting 3 different words to aspire to for your upcoming year, which we do together! Panda - The Gregorian year is not my (president) year!! So I don’t feel like the end of the year is coming just yet. I observe Lunar New Year (which helps to delay the end of year existentialism a little). Bayu - New Year isn’t exactly something I celebrate, so it doesn’t really matter. However, I still like to take the time to reflect on the past year whenever it comes to mind and to feel grateful for it. 30 spots left and it's the last event at Tender for the year! Tix in bio don’t miss out :) Rah photo credit @coveredbyab Hannah photo credit @evrywherebutnowhere Bayu photo credit @painted.sun.in.abstract

Summer is here and now for our last lot of questions for the (Gregorian) calendar! Circling back to music, always, we’ve asked the artists what sounds resonate with them at a year’s end. Is there an album you’re drawn to at the end of the year? Hannah - Choke Enough - Oklou. In one of her interviews with A.G Cook, Oklou describes music by saying “It feels like the ultimate goal is this quest for the most sincere thing you could ever do” Bayu - No, but if I had to choose an album, I’m attached to Fennesz’s Endless Summer. I’ve always felt it would be the ideal soundtrack to bid the year—or even an era—farewell. Rah - Air - Moon Safari, clear path ensemble - black sand. Panda - This year, I’ve been listening to Beverly Glenn-Copeland ‘Keyboard Fantasies Reimagined’ and Addison Rae ‘Addison’ (one of the most fun shows I have ever been to) a lot, almost on rotation. Interpret that combination however you will! Makoyana - In previous years I tended to listen to Love Trip - Takako Mamiya, the syrupy sweet nature of city pop really brought home the summer weather and festivities for me. More recently though I’ve wanted take this time feeling content with where I am and I think Constantine Weir’s work, especially his Batin EP hits that note. Hannah photo credit @joeyknoxy Bayu photo credit @painted.sun.in.abstract Rah photo credit @coveredbyab Panda photo credit @thymcqueen Makoyana photo credit @jiadunjiadun

Weekend Runs !! First club set in a minute this Saturday for @melbournedeepcast at the freshly renoed Angel Music Bar A B2B with @mishlxy (who's also deepcastin on Sat) for @chrome.sack 's sold out EP Launch on Friday + silly hours at the Toff with @ikigai.xyz

First up in our series of recordings from the last Hot Plate at @solace.bar is none other than @intangiblethings_ Head over to our SoundCloud to dive into two hours of deep, blissful chuggers from Makoyana’s set last month

First slide is in Naarm but I’ll get to that in a second* Earlier this year I got to play at OIL Shenzhen for Steve and Peko’s party. Luckily enough, I was able to make this into a trip through Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Shanghai. Other than that gig, the rest wasn’t meant to be music related, I was just excited to revisit places I haven’t been since I was a kid. Walking through those cities and seeing familiar places (especially a park I went to when I was 5) definitely reawakened old feelings. Looking back, I feel really privileged to be able to feel ‘at home’ outside Naarm. This wasn’t meant to be a music trip, but I guess the beauty of music (and partying) is that no matter where you go there’s that universal connection with like-minded people. Perhaps the biggest takeaway (not a surprise though) was how great Asian parties are, and how great Asians can party - fridge full of chrysanthemum tea at the afters, anyone? Partying had inadvertently led me to meet Sarayu, someone I’ve followed for years, which led to us hosting his first show down under, something I’m really proud to have done. Seeing him at Miscellania with all the smiling faces and dancers, it really is a reminder (not proof as plenty of others have done so already) for how relevant the Asian scenes are to our own. That night felt innately tied to this trip, looking forward to many more nights and trips like it :) Thanks @dj_stevepan and @anormalturtle300 for letting me play OIL and @m.axlim for your couch and mahjong hustle, big ups to the HK crew (@distrikt_hk , @liminalspace.hk ,@goldway.ind , @cipher_hk ) for all the fun and after hours you could ever need and thank you @echocatcher for the shenanigans in Shanghai! Forever grateful to you all <3 And ofc, massive props to everyone for our last party. @jay_sarayu @stepcountevents @jiadunjiadun @maskato__ @justshanithings