It's a very multi-cultural money-less weekend on the cards - with cultural hijinks from Nepal, Africa, Brighton, Ireland and Brazil all coming to a pub, club or gallery near you. There's also rooftop raps, you dinner sorted in Sydney care of free BBQ and in Perth thanks to free fried chicken...plus all of the lights and all of the musics. 

NO MONEY WEEKEND STATE EXPERTS NEEDED! We're on the hunt for enthusiastic, reliable writers in Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra and Tasmania to pen a round-up of the best cheap stuff in their cities on the weekends - if you're able to contribute a write-up of three great cultural / music events in your city each week, please send a sample (100 word max) event write up to dani@pilerats.com

(Cover: ChihHsien Chen)

PERTH 

CREATIVITY FOR THE QUAKE 

You might have minimal funds this weekend but you if you can gather a few coins together head down to Little Wing Corner Gallery for I HeArt Nepal. In support of the victims of Nepal’s devastating earthquakes this year, this group exhibition will feature a number of fantastic Perth artists including Jarrad Seng, Han Solo and Amok Island. There will also be a few bands to swoon your ears while your browse the visuals, including MUGWUMP and Segue Safari. 50% of art sales will be donated to Nepal, so you can show your synchronous support of local WA artists and the people of Nepal. – Charles Douglas

When & Where: Fri May 29, 8pm, Little Wing Corner Gallery, 263 Hay St, Subiaco. $10.

Image: Alex Miller

ALL HIGHS, NO LOWS

Here we have a proper, $0, walk-in-with-no-wallet free gig. Rising Perth emcee Coin Banks - whose recently returned from national tours supporting big-guns 360 and Seth Sentry - is letting loose with his ridiculously good raps on the Avairy Rooftop. His recent track Highs & Lows, off his Tails EP, has been a favourite at Pilerats - an upbeat, soulful/jazzy affair perfectly complemented by Coin's laidback flow - can't wait to get our groove on to it live this Sunday. Adding even more value is local legend Mathas, whose track with Mei Saraswati, Free Shit, has been a hot ticket of late. Rounding it out are the indelible Marksman Lloyd and NDORSE. - Dani Marsland

When & Where: Sun May 31, 4pm - 10pm. Aviary Rooftop, 140 William St, Perth. Free. 

Image: Rachael Barrett

SOTA SPECTACULAR

The biggest celebration of our State’s favourite musicians and producers is this weekend, and the festival is behemoth this year! SOTA is ticketed this year if you want to see the more formidable acts, BUT, never fear, if you don’t have that kind of cashola, there are tonnes of seriously underrated bands and acoustic acts to check out on the Free SOTA Surrounds stages. At the PICA Stage, you can dance away to the mystical rhythms of Moana, punk-pop queens Boys! Boys! Boys! and pop maestro David Craft. Simmer down at PICA Bar courtyard round the corner with the Rough Love Sessions, or head to the Wetland Stage to catch the likes of Dream Rimmy and Maurice Flavel’s Intensive Care. – Charles Douglas

When & Where: Sat May 30, 2pm-late, Perth Cultural Centre, Northbridge. Free.

Above: Evanda

OJ, TRAP AND K-FRY

Friday sees Mojos Bar host PULP, a hip hop and trap night featuring Evanda and Michael Kamara. Evanda Gree Chong and his Home Baked crew are making waves in Perth at the moment – recently the young Perth MC had his track nominated for a WAM Award. Pretty decent for a 17 year old right? Cheap beers and PULP screwdrivers make this gig pretty attractive, and you know what’s better – FREE KFC. Yep. Free KFC. Wassup Dog will also be serving up the dawgs out the front as usual, ensuring that comfort food options are a plenty. – Charles Douglas

When & Where: Fri May 29, 9pm, Mojos Fremantle, 237 Queen Victoria St, North Fremantle. $10 entry before 10pm.

SYDNEY

SHOPLIFTERS UNITE

Morrissey is in town and he’s been spitting out his trademark brad of wankerness for the last week now. Naturally, every indie rock fan is rejoicing, and none more so than the lads at Fool’s Gold, who have taken the golden opportunity to turn the Brighton Bar into a Smiths tribute the likes of which Sydney has never seen (with a few indie and Britpop anthems thrown in of course).  – Brad

When & Where: Fri May 22, 5pm – Sun May 24, 4pm. MCA, Circular Quay, Sydney. Free.

Above: Morrisey

 PARTY LIKE ITS '94

I love when people get truly passionate about a theme for their parties, and the homies at Café Lounge have nailed it this Saturday, with their 90s house party. The tunes are strictly 90s hip hop, new jack swing, and that extra soulful early 90s RnB which no one has been able to top ever since. Happy hour from 5pm, free BBQ, hair braiding, and Free entry. What more could you want? – Brad

When & Where: Sat May 30, 5pm. The Café Lounge, 27 Goulburn St, Surry Hills. Free.

GROOVE FOR A CAUSE

We all know just how shit everything is in Nepal right now, and there’s far more you can do than just putting your coffee change in the tip jar which the barista has converted into a Nepal fund. Sunday’s REBUILD is just one of those ways, and it only involve getting down to some of the finest beats, afro, soul, hip-hop, disco and house, lovingly dished up by the likes of Kate Doherty, Mike Who and Yelo Magic. Just chuck in a tenner donation on the door. It might be a NMW, but you know the folks in Nepal need it more. – Brad

When & where: Sun May 31, 2pm. The Lansdowne Hotel, 2 City Road, Sydney. $10

LAST OF VIVID

This weekend is your last chance to catch Vivid 2015 at Sydney University. The historic sandstone of USYD will become a glittering canvas of light. Live performances and inspiring ideas during Vivid Path to the Future will hopefully inspire you to actually study for your finals or at the very least, encourage you to experiment with trippier psychedelics. There will be 3D-mapped projections on the buildings surrounding the main quad, as well as along the main promenade. A few drinks beforehand and you’ll not only come out inspired but also having inspired some fairly shielded IT undergraduates. – Sam Garcia 

When & Where: Mon 25 May – Sun 31 May, from 6pm – 11pm, the University of Sydney, Camperdown. Free entry. For more info, head here.

FANCY FOOD FROM FARMS 

With soup-weather on its way and Masterchef making everyone a hungry food snob, now is the perfect time to get fancy about food. Eveleigh Farmers’ Market every Saturday brings local produce and artisan food to Sydney’s iconic Carriageworks. Although you won’t find Mi Goreng here, you might be able to snag the last watermelon before winter, making Saturday night’s vodka-watermelon all the more special. The legends behind the market also run a free park ‘n’ ride service every Saturday morning from Australia Technology Park to the markets via Redfern station and Erskineville. Details on transport here.  – Sam Garcia 

When & Where: Every Saturday from 8am, Carriageworks, 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh. Free entry.

CHIP IN FOR CHARITY

The Lord Gladstone in Chippendale is not even three months old and has already done more good than I have in my 21 years of life. These champs have brought us the Vic, LOFI and the Toxteth and are really proving themselves as Sydney’s pub royalty. Every Friday arvo #goodkeg allows patrons to pay what they feel; with the proceeds going to a charity of the Chippo’s choosing. Donations have already been made to the relief efforts in Nepal and Paws and Hooves Inc. This week will be in support of Weave Youth & Community Services. Pay as much as you can afford and know it’s going to an incredibly worthy cause. – Sam Garcia 

When & Where: Every Friday from 5pm, the Lord Gladstone, 115 Regent St, Chippendale. Free entry. 

MELBOURNE 

CAN’T SAY NO

Friday night at Platform One features Can’t Say, a sizeable night of amazing DJs and cheap drinks, for which you cannot say no. The night will feature the bass quirks of TERACE (Syd), who has remixed the likes of Rufus, Flume, Miami Horror and Peking Duk. Also in attendance at this night of dance will be the I OH YOU DJ’s and Modest Movement members to sort all your banger craves. With all manner of eccentric colourful people and $5 drink specials this could be a real lovely night on the town. – Charles Douglas

When & Where: Fri May 29, 9pm – very late. Platform One, Banana Alley, Melbourne. $10 entry before 10pm, cheaper entry with password. 

DIVAS N HUSTLAS

Apparently a Diva is a female version of a hustler. As a result, Big Dancing Saturdays and Laundry Bar hosts a Diva Tribute Night this Saturday with all night raps, hip-hop and party feels as part of their weekly Big Dancing Saturdays. Booty down with bae and get on the cheap dranks over multiple levels, featuring tunes from Stephelles, Get Bu$y, Jade Zoe, Tranter, Mafia and Larrie. This is always a huge dance night – a huge dance night that is 100% free entry. – Charles Douglas

When & Where: Sat May 30, 9 – late. Laundry Bar, 48-50 Johnston Street, Fitzroy. Free entry. 

SHEBEEN FEELING GOOD

Lovers of singer-songwriters like Jeff Buckley and City & Colour look no further, local Melbournian Harrison Storm is putting a show on for you. Hailing Mornington Peninsula, the 22-year-old has put on inspiring performances in 2015. After releasing his EP at the Evelyn Hotel a few weeks ago, Storm has decided to headline a little show at Shebeen this Saturday. Joining him on this late-autumn night will be Amistat (shortly to leave the country) and Gena Bruce. Joining Harrison on the stage as a band will be his crew from the Evelyn Show, Justin Lewis, Hayden Calnin, Jared Hatton and Ruby Whiting. Toasty music in a toasty venue. – Charles Douglas

When and Where: Sat May 30, 8.30pm-late. Shebeen, 36 Manchester Lane, Melbourne. $10 online, $15 on the door.

Image: Harrison Storm

SATURDAY’S YOUR OYSTER 

While Guinness and oysters are both delicious, they’re probably not a part of everyone’s regular fridge inventory. Real talk: not really a combination many would immediately think of. The Irish though, have apparently long considered Guinness and oysters a legendary combo. Saturday will see well-loved Irish pub The Last Jar host a celebration of Guinness and oysters, together 4eva. Complete with an oyster shooter bar. Pints for $6, those slimy little sea-critters (from Tasmanian, South Australian or Sydney) for $2. They’ll be served natural, Kilpatrick, or Guinness beer-battered (duh). – Reb Mery

When & Where: Sat May 30, 2pm. The Last Jar, 616 Elizabeth St, Melbourne. Free. 

VAMOS FESTEJAR

Belleville is joining forces with cultural project Casa de Reboco on Saturday to bring us a Brazilian forró party. Makes sense; Casa de Reboco is dedicated to sharing Brazilian music and dancing with the people of Melbourne. Forró is a folkloric, percussion-filled dancing rhythm featuring best enjoyed with many servings of quentão, a Brazilian drink similar to mulled wine. So, aside from an endless supply of quentão and endless vibrant Brazilian vibes, there’ll be a forró dance lesson at 9pm to sufficiently prepare crowds for the hours of DJs and dancing ahead. – Reb Mery

When & Where: Sat May 30, 8pm. Belleville, Globe Alley, Melbourne. Free. 

A MORE CONSCIOUS CLOSET 

The Conscious Closet and not-for-profit organisation Fitted For Work come together to present a clothing market on the last weekend of the month at the Queen Victoria Women’s Centre. You probably know the drill, after years of frequenting similar second-hand, upcycled, vintage designer markets – hidden gems and treasures for the price of that second latte and croissant you were going to buy. Instead you’ll know those dollars of yours are heading off into the world to contribute to a worthy cause; Fitted For Work helps women experiencing disadvantage to find work and keep it. – Reb Mery

 When & Where: Fri 29 – Sat 30 May, 11am. Queen Victoria Women’s Centre Basement, 210 Lonsdale St, Melbourne. Free.

BRISBANE

Six visual artists have created specially-comissioned installations set to light up the heritage listed architecture of Brisbane Powerhouse. Made with Light looks to be a beautiful exhibition - visitors can interact and play with the light installations and experience the morphic nature of illuminaton. - Dani

When & Where: Daily, 9am - 9pm. Brisbane Powerhouse, 119 Lamington St, New Farm. Free. 

OKAY, AFRICA!

Dancehall music's been making a real comeback of late, and what better place to get loose to some genuine Caribbean rhythms than Brisbane's Africa Day Festival? Hosted at the grounds of the African House in Morningside, there's food, performances, art, music and community vibes aplenty.  There will also be a fashion parade of African fashions. There's even an African fash-parade, so feel free to whip out your best Kaftan and get involved. - Dani

When & Where: Sun May 31, 10am - 5pm. African House, Jean Howie Drive, Morningside. Free. 

NITE MUSIC

Brisbane-bred band Nite Fields make moody, lo-fi, shoegazey post-punk tunes, mixing electronics with hazy guitars. They're at an exciting point in their career, having late last year signed to US-based label felte (PVT, Standish/Carlyon) and recently returning from a European tour. They launch their album Depersonalisation - out on Felte - at Trainspotters, with the help of Sydney via Berlin post-punk duo/sometimes trio Ill WInds, Brisbane post-punk duo Pleasure Symbols, and Multiple Man DJs. - Dani

When & Where: Sat May 30, 8pm. 470 Ann St, Brisbane. $10.

 If you've got some great ideas for free things to do on the weekend, we'd love to include them in our No Money Guide. Just let dani@pilerats.com know the details.