Inspired by the palm trees and open space of Chifley Square, Australia’s masters of global urban sounds transform the Square presenting neo-tropical beats to launch Sydney Festival in style.

Ghislain Poirier featuring MC Zulu
From Montreal via the influences of the Caribbean, Poirier combines the calypso melodies and percussion of Soca with his trademark infectious bass and love for dancehall and electro. Joining Poirier onstage we also welcome Panamanian-born, Chicago based MC Zulu. With his deep, melodic voice Zulu delivers a rhythmic, reggae inspired flowing style.

DJ Chucuchu
DJ, filmmaker & video artist Chucuchu hails from Tijuana, Mexico. Combining beautiful imagery with his live set, Chucuchu’s style is full of infectious Cumbia rhythms. Expect a fun-filled and colourful performance from this exciting and multi-talented artist.

Diafrix
From Footscray in Melbourne’s inner west, Diafrix presents an iconic concoction of African rhythms, dance hall, funk, Australian hip hop, soul and reggae. Tropical East African born frontmen Momo and Azmarino present positive hip hop with a cultural bent, with lyrics drawn from their experience as refugees.

Prince V
Prince V has deep crates of global hip hop, dub and reggae, spiritual jazz, Hindi film music and electronica. One of the crew behind long-running Sydney electronic night Frigid, his sets are eclectic, unorthodox and truly international.

Uber Lingua Sound System
The Uber Lingua Sound System is back, presenting a concoction of music, visuals, MCs and dance to round out the Uber experience! Featuring beats from bP, multi-lingual vocalists Australian Sri Lankan Sri Pataphysics, Cuban Reggaeton swooner Pochoman and Malaysian WeiZen; VJs Mik la Vage & Siadatz projecting on to a seven-storey high canvas, and dancers Andrea Makris, Etoile Marley, Claudia Sangiorgi-Dalimore and Malia Walsh.

For more information on Uber Lingua click here.

To view the Festival First Night 2010 Minisite, click here