Solange was the big headline act for the Art Gallery of New South Wales’s inaugural music series in 2023. She performed three sold-out shows of “experimental vignettes” in the repurposed WWII-era oil tank in AGNSW’s north building.

This year, Volume returns with four headliners – André 3000’s experimental jazz project, Sonic Youth’s founding member Kim Gordon, and Australian acts Genesis Owusu and Tkay Maidza – who’ll all perform in the underground exhibition space.

Opening the festival, Canberra-based Genesis Owusu will do two shows – on July 5 and 6 – with new music and a new visual arts-inspired performance, accompanied by his Black Dog Band featuring Kirin J Callinan, Touch Sensitive and drummer Timothy Commandeur.

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André 3000’s live version of his 2023 solo album New Blue Sun will be an Australian exclusive. He’s performing two dates – July 20 and 21 – and it’s the first time the Outkast singer has visited Australia in a decade. He’s bringing with him a cohort of American jazz and new-age musicians, including Californian producer and percussionist Carlos Niño.

Kim Gordon, whose shows are on July 18 and 19, will be performing her solo work, including songs from her half-spoken half-sung album The Collective, released in March 2024.

And Tkay Maidza returns to Sydney from her home in LA to perform tracks from her recent album Sweet Justice. Unlike the other headliners, Maidza is here for one show only – on July 13 – before heading off to Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago.

The whole idea behind Volume is to experience music and art from local and international visionaries in unusual spaces. This year’s festival runs for 16 days, and shows will take place in AGNSW’s north and south buildings, recently named Naala Badu and Naala Nura, respectively.

Keep an eye out for more shows yet to be announced, including Volume’s free program.

Volume runs from July 5 to 21. Pre-sale tickets are available from 11am, Tuesday May 21. General tickets are available from 11am, Wednesday May 22. $80 to $150.

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