A special tribute to Laufey’s world is coming to the Athenaeum on 23 August 2026. Laufey’s connection to Melbourne is not just a standard tour stop—it’s a local love affair. If you have been following her cinematic, cello-laced music, you probably remember when the city was swaying shoulder to shoulder in the cosy confines of Brunswick’s Howler back in 2023 and at her 2024 residency at St Kilda’s Palais Theatre. Not to mention her recent visit.
Laufey brings an irresistible, virtuosic blend of golden-age jazz and classical pop that acts as a portal to another era. We have essentially watched her graduate from our favourite indie haunts to absolute global superstardom, now a dual GRAMMY winner.
The Athenaeum in Melbourne: a dreamy venue
The Athenaeum has been part of Melbourne since 1839, and it comes with the kind of backstory that feels almost suspiciously well matched to Laufey. A historic subscription library containing 30,000 books sits beneath the same roof, while velvet seats bring the theatre’s literary, old-world character into full view.
Add candlelight and the whole room changes register. The glow settles over the velvet, strings ripple through the theatre, and the space starts to feel like a reading room, an old cinema and an orchestral love song all at once. Bookish, dramatic and quietly romantic.
Candlelight: A Very Laufey Day in Melbourne?
Candlelight x Laufey: A Very Laufey Day closes the celebration on 23 August 2026 with an intimate acoustic concert surrounded by thousands of flickering candles. Laufey’s jazz-pop warmth, classical detail and cinematic longing meet a setting designed to make every pause, swell and confession feel just a little closer.
Laufey will not perform live at the show. Local classical musicians will instead play orchestral string-quartet arrangements of her songs, drawing out the melodies, tensions and tiny emotional turns that make them so addictive. One moment may feel playful and lovestruck; the next, suddenly devastating. Very dramatic. Very Laufey.
‘From the Start’ you’ll hear orchestral versions of some of Laufey’s most popular songs. ‘Falling Behind’, ‘Let You Break My Heart Again’, ‘Promise’, ‘Valentine’, ‘Lover Girl’ and more will ring out in an atmospheric arrangement that’s perfectly poised to stir your soul.
What is ‘A Very Laufey Day’ and why is it such a culture hub?
A very Laufey day lands on 23 August 2026, bringing Laufeyland into cities around the world for a full day of music, books, vintage style and beautifully plotted detours. It began in 2023 around the release of Bewitched, when fans followed curated scavenger hunts through cultural neighbourhoods before Laufey performed an acoustic set in Los Angeles.
The idea caught on fast. By later editions, the celebration had expanded through Melbourne, Boston and dozens of other cities.
You might find Lauvers swapping books, browsing independent shops, joining a listening session or stopping for matcha between one city clue and the next. Vintage thrift takeovers, library gatherings and acoustic moments have all joined the mix.
What you need to know about Candlelight x Laufey: A Very Laufey Day
📍Location: 188 Collins St, Melbourne, 43215
📍Venue: The Athenaeum Theatre
📅 Date: August 23
🎶 Plan name: Candlelight: A Very Laufey Day
♿ Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
🎟️ Ticket price: From $40.00
