Motta Maadi Music Bring a Bit of Home to Manning Bar

There is a specific kind of joy in a room full of people singing songs from home in a language the bar staff do not speak. Motta Maadi Music, the Tamil band led by Badhri Seshadhri, are back in Sydney for the third time with their Breathless Tour, and that joy is the entire point: a big Tamil singalong at Manning Bar, a little bit of home a long way from it. It lands on Saturday 1 August 2026.

When, where and how to get in

The facts, up top:

• Who: Motta Maadi Music, the Tamil band led by Badhri Seshadhri.
• Where: Manning Bar, Sydney.
• When: Saturday 1 August 2026, from 7:30pm.
• Tickets: through Moshtix.

What to expect

Motta Maadi Music is an ensemble that takes a room on a journey through everyone's favourite Tamil songs, all of it sung together. This is their third visit to Sydney, and they are promising a bigger and better experience with newer songs and vibes. A couple of things worth knowing before you go: it is a standing concert, and it is performed in Tamil, so this is one for the people who already know the words (and the many more who will hum along and pretend they do).

There is no support act. Instead the band plays three separate sets of about 50 minutes each, which means you get Motta Maadi all night rather than an opener you did not ask for. You can get a feel for them on their YouTube channel before you commit.

Getting a ticket

Tickets are through Moshtix, and it is an 18-plus event, so bring photo ID. At the time of writing the Early Bird release was already exhausted, with Student tickets sitting at $44.91 and an Early Entry option at $95.83 that gets you in from 5pm plus an exclusive sound check experience. A transaction fee applies on top, and prices are in AUD including GST.

One important note straight from the venue: the Manning Bar lift is out of order for this show while it undergoes maintenance, so the venue cannot accommodate any bookings that need lift access. If that affects you, contact the box office at boxoffice@century.com.au before you buy rather than on the night.

If you want to build the rest of your weekend around it, have a look at what else is on in Sydney, or see what's happening more broadly.

Standing room, three sets, Tamil at full volume, and a crowd that knows every word. Bring your voice, and maybe warn the person next to you that you intend to use it. See you at Manning Bar.