Yours & Owls Announce Huge 2019 Line Up
From a backyard gathering to a local institution, Yours & Owls Festival has escalated into a must-attend event on the national festival calendar.
An event that showcases Wollongong at its finest, the beautiful beach side location, the wildly-diverse line-up, close to 70 acts, across four stages, the celebration of local talent and that unshakeable feeling that you are part of something bigger.
Set to take place Saturday and Sunday of the October long weekend, everything you’ve come to love and expect from the Yours & Owls is on offer across the green, green grass of Stuart Park for the sixth consecutive year.
Feast your eyes on what’s on offer for this year’s edition of what’s become affectionately known as “the Fezzie.”
AMY SHARK | COURTNEY BARNETT | GOLDEN FEATURES | HOTDUB TIME MACHINE | ANGIE MCMAHON | LOVE FAME TRAGEDY | MEG MAC | RUEL | SKEGGS | SLUMBERJACK | SNEAKY SOUND SYSTEM | THUNDAMENTALS | VERA BLUE | BAD//DREEMS | BAKER BOY | BASS DRUMS OF DEATH | EVES KARYDAS | FRENZAL RHOMB | FUCKED UP | KWAME | NO MONO | ODETTE | WAAX | YUMI ZOUMA | THE BETHS | BLANK REALM |CERES | THE DELTA RIGGS | DIE! DIE! DIE! | GENESIS OWUSU | THE GOOCH PALMS | GOOD DOOGS | HATCHIE | KIRA PURU | OCEAN GROVE | THE PINHEADS | TOTALLY UNICORN | WEST THEBARTON | A.SWAYZE & THE GHOSTS | BUGS | CROCODYLUS | ELIZA & THE DELUSIONALS | GEORGIA JUNE | THE LAZY SUZANS | LOW LIFE | MURMURMUR | THE NIGHTS | PACIFIC AVENUE | SAN MEI
Special local guests:
BURN IN HELL | CHUPAROSA | DRIBS | DUCY MUNCS | FAIT ACCOMPLI | FIKA | FRIDAY PARK | HOPETOWN | HUSBAND WANTS A WIFE | IVORI | LEGAL ALIENS | LEMON ROW | RUKUS | SAM ALLEN | TAPESTRY | TEX | THE BUNGALOWS | THE FANGIN’ FELINES | THE HINTS | TUFF MUSTARD | UNDERPLAY | 99SCAPEGOATS
Apple Pay presale tickets on Sale Wednesday 29th May 9am till 9m (12 hours or until allocation is exhausted)
Yours & Owls subscriber Yours and Owls Tickets On Sale Thursday 30th May 9am till Monday 3rd 8am (available to Y&O mailing list subscribers – subscribe here)
GA Tickets On Sale Monday 3rd June 9am
Fresh from a completely sold-out national tour in support of her ARIA-winning smash debut Love Monster, the one and only Amy Shark will be bringing her slew of pop anthems to Wollongong for the first time since 2016. Of course, a lot’s changed for the Gold Coast native since then – she’s hit the top 5 of the Triple J Hottest 100 twice, scored four platinum singles on the Australian charts, performed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and even closed out the Commonwealth Games. An adoring audience awaits her – and Shark can’t wait to come and say hi.
One of the most distinctive performers in Australian music, Courtney Barnett‘s reputation precedes her. With her trusty backing band in tow, Barnett has taken her latest album (last year’s Tell Me How You Really Feel) all over the globe with blistering live shows everywhere from Sydney to São Paolo. Throw in a slew of awards, multiple TV appearances and the fact she’s done all of this while remaining completely independent… well, it’s no surprise that she’s ascended to the level of national treasure.
Sydney dance music producer Tom Stell chose the artist name Golden Features in 2014, around the same time he started to DJ and play live sets wearing a gilded mask. For Stell, anonymity was a means of deflecting attention from himself and having his art appreciated for art’s sake, values that were instilled in him as a teenage graffiti artist. Ironically, the mask has only attracted more interest in the mystery man behind it. Still, there’s no doubt that Stell’s music has spoken for itself – and loudly, too.
A dance through the decades. An audio-visual sensory experience. A certified festival giant. Welcome to the world of Hot Dub Time Machine – the brainchild of Sydney DJ Tom Loud, which has expanded into a show like no other since its 2011 inception. Mixing a slew of beloved hits from era to era, along with wild visuals and plenty of on-stage antics, the joy of a Hot Dub Time Machine show has been felt by audiences all over the globe. Now, it’s Wollongong’s turn.
Without even so much as an EP to her name, Angie McMahon has been the exact opposite of a “Slow Mover” in the Australian music scene. She’s opened for the likes of Paul Kelly and Alanis Morrissette, scored over 15 million streams on Spotify alone and has already made major inroads internationally. 2019 sees McMahon release her long-awaited debut album, Salt – and we can’t wait to get a taste.
Love Fame Tragedy. You don’t know the name, but you know the voice. That’s Matthew Murphy – better known as Murph, the leader of UK indie-pop darlings/honorary Australian citizens The Wombats. Australia will be among the first places in the world to experience Murphy’s mysterious new project live, as we jump into the fog with our old mate Murph on a brand-new musical adventure.
One of Australia’s most celebrated contemporary singers, Meg Mac has a reputation that speaks for itself. The soulful, stylish singer recently completed a sold-out national tour in support of her most recent single, “Give Me My Name Back.” She’s not done yet, either – this June sees the release of Hope, her hotly-anticipated second studio album. Expect plenty of tracks from it, as well as all her classics, when she and her full band roll into the festival.
At the ripe old age of 16, Ruel is 2019’s global pop heartthrob with a homegrown back-story. A cult following has quickly escalated into one of the most dedicated fan-bases in the world, with the singer promptly selling out everywhere from New York City to the Sydney Opera House. That’s all on the back of one EP, too – imagine where this kid will go when his second one drops.
What kind of year has it been for Skegss since the release of their debut album, My Own Mess? One of sold-out shows in every city, two spots in the Triple J Hottest 100, a #2 debut on the ARIA album charts and en-masse sing-alongs at every festival under the sun. Skegss return to Wollongong as heroes – at least, bigger heroes than they already were. Welcome to the party.
Stars of the EDM world, Perth duo Slumberjack have made quick work of their rise to the top. They’ve been signed to Diplo’s label, reworked M.I.A. for triple j’s Like a Version, gone gold twice on the ARIA charts and even unexpectedly teamed up with Silverchair’s Daniel Johns. With their current live show, the duo insist on taking their crowd on a journey with them. If you’re game, get on board.
Let’s take it back. Back to electro-pop summers, high-school anthems and Saturday mornings watching Video Hits. For thousands of Aussie millennials, Sneaky Sound System were the soundtrack to their lives. Now, they’re back on the festival circuit – and they’re ready to bring their feel-good nostalgic hits to a whole new generation. Not that they’ve been twiddling their thumbs, mind you – their most recent single, “Can’t Help The Way That I Feel,” went all guns blazing on the UK club chart and has not left it after six whole months.
A decade-plus of respect from the Australian hip-hop scene and wider music community. Five acclaimed albums, the last three of which have all debuted in the ARIA top 10. Countless shows around the country punctuated, by smiling faces (because “Smiles Don’t Lie”) and sweat-soaked dancing shoes. You don’t get these sort of things without looking at a bigger picture, and Thundamentals are definitely a crew that are all about using broad brush-strokes on their ever-widening sonic canvas.
With the release of her album, 2017’s Perennial, Vera Blue debuted at #6 on the ARIA Album Chart and amassed 6 ARIA platinum singles, a J Award nomination, and an ARIA Award nomination for Best Pop Release. Since then, Vera has played five completely sold out Australian tours, as well as festivals such as Lollapalooza and Splendour in the Grass. She backed it all up in 2018 with “All the Pretty Girls,” the most added track to Australian radio in its debut week. With more new music to come, Vera Blue is one of a kind.
The latest addition to the Farmer & Owl family are Adelaide’s own Bad//Dreems. After a bit of well-deserved time off, the newly-expanded five-piece are set to release their third studio album later this year – another slab of brawling, boisterous pub rock with a unabashed political bent to it, featuring contributions from the likes of Jack Ladder and You Am I’s Tim Rogers. Make no mistake about it – when Bad//Dreems return to their new second home of Wollongong this October, they’re coming locked and loaded.
Since dropping the irresistible “Cloud 9” and “Marryuna” in 2017, Baker Boy has had all of Australia dancing to his beat. The fresh prince of Arnhem Land had a massive 2018, including shows with childhood heroes like Dizzee Rascal, Yothu Yindi and 50 Cent, as well as releasing killer singles like “Mr. La Di Da Di” and “Black Magic.” He then proceeded to kick off 2019 with a prime spot on the Laneway line-up and a groovy new tune, the aptly-titled “Cool as Hell.” What’s next for this multilingual legend? You’ll have to come along and see for yourself.
Hailing from Oxford, Mississippi, bluesy garage-rock duo Bass Drum of Death are finally coming back to Australia. Last seen in 2015 as the main support for DZ Deathrays, which included an appearance at that year’s Farmer & The Owl festival, the lo-fi rockers are set to crank up the amps once again on the back of their new album Just Business. Expect it to come loud, live and heavy.
Eves Karydas has been on her best behaviour recently. The Brisbane electro-pop singer-songwriter dropped her debut album, Summerskin, in September of 2018. She’s also toured nationally in support of pop giants like Dua Lipa, Cub Sport and George Ezra, honing her stagecraft along the way. With a headlining tour of her own in the can from February, Karydas is certifiably festival-ready.
Back in the mire of the early 90s, from somewhere beneath a pile of wallet chains and cut-off army pants, Frenzal Rhomb emerged – their white suburban fingers clutching onto goon caskets, bucket bongs and other appropriate paraphernalia. Nine LPs and countless sweaty shows later, Frenzal are an institution of Australian punk. They’ve also garnered a reputation as the most hospitalised band in the world – seriously, everything from broken drumming arms and detached guitar-playing retinas to an actual pig-borne tapeworm in Jay Whalley’s brain. Fingers crossed they slide through the long weekend in the Gong with no band-aids needed!
Making their long-awaited return to Australia, Canadian punk weirdos Fucked Up are coming in hot on the back of their most out-there album to date, 2018’s Dose Your Dreams. Centred around unpredictable vocalist Damian Abraham, a Fucked Up live show is a full-body experience – especially when Abraham is given the wide open space of a festival to go exploring in. Raise your voice and celebrate with the inimitable Fucked Up.
Here comes that boy Kwame, just off an extensive national jaunt with Peking Duk. The Western Sydney hip-hop star has been bubbling under for awhile now, but he broke through in a major way in 2018 thanks to an all-killer EP in Endless Conversations and a show-stopping Kendrick Lamar cover on Triple J’s Like a Version. In 2019, there’s plenty more where that came from.
Following their heart-stopping collaborations and record-breaking performances via #1 Dads, Tom Snowdon and Tom Iansek formed the sonically immersive project No Mono. Having released debut album Islands Part 1 in 2018, they played Splendour In The Grass and the Sydney Opera House in their first 12 months as a band. Armed with Snowdon’s idiosyncratic vocals, the two Toms are set to release follow-up Islands Part 2 in June 2019. It’s full of mountainous synthesizers, contortionist melodies and overwrought beats, acting to complement and expand on their haunting debut.
Sydney singer Odette has been in hot demand as a live act since the release of her debut album, To a Stranger, in 2018. Not only was she specially enlisted as support act for The Cat Empire on their national tour, she also sold out a whopping three nights at Melbourne’s Corner Hotel and wowed audiences at this year’s SXSW with her alluring, soulful take on pop. This October, Wollongong will get its chance to see why crowds just can’t get enough of this prodigious performer.
No-one could stop WAAX in 2018. They took on arenas supporting Fall Out Boy, took on theatres supporting Biffy Clyro and dominated a sold-out national tour in support of their mane-thrashing, Hottest 100-placing anthem “Labrador.” That momentum has not slowed for a second in 2019 – with their debut album looming, they’ve already served up the defiant “FU” and the introspective “I Am” from it. Get ready for one of the strongest forces in Australian live music.
Yumi Zouma have been described as “impossible dreamers.” They came together under unlikely circumstances – four New Zealanders making music via email correspondence across three separate continents – and have continued to thrive in this peculiar musical environment. Their lush, dreamy take on indie-pop is certain to fit the festival’s sunny vibe just right.
Auckland’s premier power-pop performers, The Beths have won over the hearts of audiences globally with their entirely charming debut album, Future Me Hates Me. The harmonious trio have spent 2019 touring internationally, including a run of support slots with indie giants Death Cab for Cutie. With a headlining tour of Australia already booked for October, these endearing Kiwis will be making an extra stop in the ‘Gong for the first time ever.
For years, Brisbane’s Blank Realm have been something like an underground secret. Their angular and unrelenting brand of post-punk has received glowing reviews from Pitchfork and won them a Queensland Music Award back in 2015, but they’re not your average festival band by any stretch of the imagination. For those seeking a taste of outsider rock & roll in the throes of their festival weekend, Blank Realm have you covered.
“I think something good’s gonna happen.” With this promise, Melbourne indie rockers Ceres introduced their bright, beautiful third album We Are a Team. Sporting triple j staples like “Viv in the Front Seat” and “Kiss Me Crying,” the emo-tinged quintet are currently in the midst of their biggest headlining Australian tour to date. By the time they roll into the ‘Gong this October, they’ll be in the best shape of their career as a live band. Join the team – and sing along if you know the words.
With the rock of the Rolling Stones and the roll of Primal Scream, The Delta Riggs have dedicated the last six or so years of their lives to one cause and one cause only: Having a damn good time. They’ve just dropped a brand-new single, the hip-shaking “Don’t You Worry,” and there’s still more to come in the not-too-distant future. If you haven’t already caught the Riggs live – either in a packed club or opening for the likes of Kasabian and the Foo Fighters – make sure you rectify it come the October long weekend.
Die! Die! Die! were at the forefront of the burgeoning Auckland post-punk scene of the early 2000s, along with the Mint Chicks and the Coolies. What started with their Steve Albini-recorded debut album took this band from the humble surrounds of Dunedin to the world at large. 14 years and six albums later, Die! Die! Die! are back. Having returned to their classic line up of Andrew Wilson, Michael Prain and Lachlan Anderson, the trio recently announced their soon-to-be-released EP, O. The band that meant so much to so many people is back, doing what they do best: minimal post-punk, with everyone invited.
Since being uncovered as a finalist in triple j’s Unearthed High at 17, Genesis Owusu has continued to capture the attention of the nation, one release at a time. His most recent was a double A-side single, “WUTD / Vultures,” which captures his perfect fusion of modern rnb and hip-hop. Following on from a packed national headlining tour, the Canberra native is keen to keep the momentum going for the rest of 2019. Having already rocked Wollongong back in March as a part of UOW’s Garden Party, Owusu returns as an even hotter commodity.
Leeroy McQueen and Kat Friend are The Gooch Palms. They hail from the self-proclaimed “greatest city in the world,” Newcastle. They have a lot of songs about Newcastle, but also songs about periods, aliens, staying indoors and burning out. They’ve rocked nearly every pub, club and theatre across Australia and North America that you can think of – and now, with their imaginatively-titled third album III out, they’re gonna chuck a Bachelor Girl and do it again. Support your local Goochy gang today.
Succinctly describing themselves as “three groms from Mandurah,” Good Doogs have come a long way from the sleepy seaside of Western Australia. They spent 2018 selling out shows and ranking third overall in the most-played artists on triple j Unearthed. They kicked off 2019 with a brand-new single, “Nobody/Alone,” and head out on the road in support of it this coming June. The Doogs are shaping up to be a major player in Australia’s surf-rock revival, so jump aboard the groundswell of fun that seems to be following them. Don’t kook it!
After serving as a key member of beloved Brisbane bands like Babaganouj and Go Violets, Harriette Pilbeam – AKA Hatchie – broke out as a solo act back in 2017.
It was this that ended up bringing her the greatest success of her still-blossoming career, including a national tour with Ball Park Music, sold-out headliners and even a chance to support the one and only Kylie Minogue. Her debut album Keepsake is set for release in June, which means this indie queen is just getting started.
With a funky bass-line and a sharp array of vocal hooks, Kira Puru unexpectedly and excitingly reinvented herself in late 2017 with the release of certified banger “Tension.” A year later, a self-titled EP (featuring the hit “Molotov”) backed up all of the hype. Six months after that, a national tour with Peking Duk and a sassy new single, “Everything is Better Without You,” sealed the deal. Puru is not your average pop princess – she commands movement and suffers no fools. Get down or get lost.
It’s been a transitional period for Melbourne heavy rockers Ocean Grove. Former bassist Dale Tanner has now stepped up to the mantle as the band’s new frontman, following the departure of vocalist Luke Holmes. Alongside new guy Twiggy Hunter, the new-look quartet unleashed “Ask for the Anthem” back in February and recently wrapped a national tour. Don’t be fooled by the changes – Ocean Grove still have plenty in the tank.
If you’ve ever asked a mate who’s been who their highlight of Yours & Owls was, there’s a good chance they’ve said The Pinheads without hesitation. The wild-eyed hometown heroes have always brought their particular brand of garage-dwelling chaos to every live show, least of all local ones. With the release of their psychedelic and daring new album, Is This Real, the band affectionately known as the Pinnies are ready to bring their brand-new show to a hungry and waiting audience.
No-one’s ever quite sure what to make of Totally Unicorn the first time they see them play. Only one thing is for sure: You’ve never seen anything quite like it. Part math-metal cabaret, part sweaty tie-dye adventure, the Sydney-based four-piece are a force to be reckoned with – particularly on the back of their darkest, weirdest and most ambitious release to date in second album Sorry. Originally formed in Austinmer, Yours & Owls is a homecoming of sorts for Totally Unicorn – one that’s expected to be their most triumphant yet.
Well, well, well… if it isn’t West Thebarton, the magnificent seven themselves. Literally the biggest band in Adelaide right now, the rambunctious rockers are riding high on the back of new single “Tops” and a hugely-anticipated national tour this June. Fronted by the electric Rev Ray and backed by a menacing quadruple-guitar attack, theirs is a live show that needs to be experienced in the flesh in order to be truly comprehended.
Hobart’s A. Swayze & the Ghosts don’t do things by halves. Hell, their debut single was over 10 minutes long – and they still play it every single night. Having supported the likes of Jet and The Murlocs in their travels, the Tassie-born four-piece know a thing or two about converting a big crowd and indoctrinating them into their cult. Raw, energetic, enigmatic – meet your new favourite band.
Hailing from Brisbane, Bugs are a light-hearted group of mates who find joy in crafting infectiously happy pop music, packaging it up with a dose of honest, relatable songwriting. 2018 served as their most jam-packed year to date, with the band scoring an opening slot at Falls Festival, as well as supporting Cloud Nothings, British India, The Hard Aches and Alex Lahey. With an ever-growing slew of supporters in tow, Bugs are quickly establishingthemselves as one of the most exciting up-and-coming bands the country has to offer.
Look! Up on the stage! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s Crocodylus – a hybrid beast of garage rock and vintage pop, guaranteed to get you moving. The word has well and truly spread, and over the course of two short years (and about a thousand gigs), Crocodylus have rapidly become one of Sydney’s most in-demand bands. Having dropped new single “Ghosts” just this week, the trio will arrive in the Gong with a claw full of ripping new tunes to boot.
One of the most exciting bands to emerge from the Gold Coast in recent memory, Eliza & The Delusionals have been building momentum over the course of the last two years. Supporting everyone from Killing Heidi to Luca Brasi, their bubbly and bright take on pop-rock has quickly turned the band into a drawcard in their own right. With the brand-new single “Just Exist” hitting the airwaves last week, there’s never been a better time to get around these promising upstarts.
Sydney outfit Georgia June are an infectious force of guitar-pop energy. They formed in mid-2017, and haven’t stopped playing shows since. With a blend of charging guitars, exciting melodies and a relentless rhythm section, this band is fuelled with stories of both vulnerability and strength. Having spent the most part of 2018 recording their debut EP, they are excited to have established a sonic that encapsulates their experiences and will undoubtedly steal your heart.
Originally born out of the serene surrounds of the Blue Mountains and now based in the big smoke of Melbourne, The Lazy Susans know all about small-town dreaming and big-city isolation. They hold nothing back in their earnest, unadulterated take on indie-rock. 2019 has seen the band sign to Resist Records and release their second EP R U OK?, as well as touring nationally with UK band Muncie Girls. Their heartfelt and inherently relatable songs are a lifeline to those who need it most.
Low Life are more than just a band. They’re the sound of the Sydney underground, much like Royal Headache were in their prime. The noise-rock heavyweights recently dropped their second LP, Downer Edn, which manages to come harder and faster than its cult-classic predecessor. If you’re not paying attention by now, Low Life are gonna make you – simple as that.
“Murmur” is supposedly one of the easiest words in the English dictionary to say. Murmurmur, however, doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as easily. Luckily, their brand of psychedelic pop is much more digestible – a blend of idiosyncratic guitar riffs and urgent soundscapes that has won them fans such as Holy Holy and City Calm Down. Making their debut appearance at the festival, allow Murmurmur to get you acquainted with their other-worldly grooves.
Residing somewhere between ambient electronica, techno and emotive house music, you’ll find The Nights. They’ve topped the charts on triple j Unearthed and gone viral on Spotify in the past, and it’s something they hope to repeat with new music to come. In the meantime, the trio have honed their live set across some huge shows, including a support slot for Willaris K. that sold out two nights at Sydney’s Oxford Art Factory.
If you search hard enough through the streets of sunny Kiama on the south coast of New South Wales, you’ll find Pacific Avenue. It was on that very street where four mates took a punt and formed the rock band they’d always talked about making. Little did they know, within two years, they’d have played with the likes of The Wombats, Tash Sultana and San Cisco. All before even releasing their debut EP, too – they’ve shot up quicker than the water down at the Blowhole.
Emily Hamilton – AKA San Mei – began her musical journey at the keys of her family piano; a consequence of a love ingrained and inherited from her dad’s favourite Beatles records and penchant for classic 60’s pop. Taking inspiration everywhere from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club to Feist, Mei’s EPs have received critical acclaim from the likes of triple j, Nylon Mag and the NME.
Yours & Owls Festival is an 18+ event
Stuart Park North Wollongong NSW
Apple Pay presale tickets on Sale Wednesday 29th May 9am till 9m (12 hours or until allocation is exhausted)
Yours & Owls subscriber Yours and Owls Tickets On Sale Thursday 30th May 9am till Monday 3rd 8am (available to Y&O mailing list subscribers – subscribe here)
GA Tickets On Sale Monday 3rd June 9am
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