Blinding lights illuminate Melbourne as THE WEEKND announces return to Australia in new installation powered by INVNT for Live Nation

A stunning guerrilla light installation, powered by INVNT for Live Nation Australia, has taken over Melbourne’s historic and iconic Nylex Plastics Factory, illuminating the iconic clock and factory buildings at dusk to announce The Weeknd’s ‘After Hours Til Dawn’ global stadium tour in Australia, which will land in Sydney and Melbourne this October.

On Sunday night, the experience began at twilight with cryptic messages like “Everything Will Fade” and “The End Is Near” appearing through 3D mapped projections. These mysterious hints soon revealed themselves as part of the artist’s global tour announcement. On Monday night, a further series of roaming guerilla projections followed in celebration, culminating in a grand reveal of the Australian tour dates and locations, along with details for exclusive content and ticket information.

On the innovative marketing strategy, Nathan Thompson, VP of marketing for Live Nation Australia and New Zealand said: “By casting a larger-than-life projection onto one of Melbourne’s most iconic buildings, we aimed to ignite curiosity and anticipation, setting the stage for a tour announcement that would reverberate far beyond traditional channels. Through strategic partnerships with Pedestrian TV and fan communities, we’ve amplified the buzz, creating a groundswell of excitement for the tour.”

Adds Adam Harriden, group executive creative director, INVNT GROUP APAC: “Culture defining moments are created when you bring together two elements of the opposite kind, something we’re big on at INVNT. In this case, it’s projecting one of the world’s biggest pop icons on a heritage listed infrastructure such as the Nylex Clock. We’re blending the old with the new, the traditional with the upcoming to create that spark and creative rebellion that we’re excited to bring to life with Live Nation Australia.”

Live Nation Australia has previously partnered with INVNT on tour announcements.

Says Thompson: “We chose to partner with INVNT again because they understand what we do. They’re not just marketers, they’re music people, and that shared passion translates into campaigns that resonate deeply with fans. Our previous Push for Pearl Jam campaign was a huge success, and we were excited to see what we could achieve together this time around.”

The Weeknd’s 2024 dates in Australia as an extension of his record-breaking 2022/2023 After Hours Til Dawn Tour are:

• • Sat Oct 5 – Melbourne, AUS – Marvel Stadium
• • Sun Oct 6 – Melbourne, AUS – Marvel Stadium
• • Tue Oct 22 – Sydney, AUS – Accor Stadium
• • Wed Oct 23 – Sydney, AUS – Accor Stadium

Says The Weeknd: “I feel a strong pull to perform in Australia before moving on to the next chapter and want to make sure you all know I hadn’t forgotten about you. When I return now, it will be the right time, and I promise it will be such a special experience. I can’t wait to see you all!”

Agency: INVNT
Client: Live Nation Australia
Creative Lead: Adam Harriden, INVNT
Partnerships Lead: Heath Mawson, INVNT
Marketing Lead: Nathan Thompson, Live Nation