Some of Australia’s emerging new acts including Tired Lion, Ruby Fields, Polish Club and Didirri will play the stage at the 2018 Grampians Music Festival.
The festival which announced its lineup this week will feature 20 acts, focusing on up-and-coming Australian talent.
Festival director Carly Flecknoe said the second annual Grampians Music Festival (GMF) will start with a Friday night Best in the West program, headed by sombre folk dandy Didirri and featuring Melbourne-via-Ballarat retro-pop outfit Crepes and Bendigo’s Fountaineer.
“The 2017 festival brought music lovers from all corners of the country together for a beautiful weekend of musical discovery that included acts like Tigertown, Saskwatch, Clairy Browne and Alex Lahey,” she said.
“But 2018 is set to be much bigger with a number of artists making their summer festival debut at GMF.
“We’ve scoured iconic music venues and band rooms across the country to find the best new bands and solo artists, and we couldn’t be more excited about our year two lineup.”
Polish Club, Heaps Good Friends, Localles and SAATSUMA will headline the Saturday night, while Tired Lion, Ruby Fields and Jarrow will close the festival on Sunday.
Tickets are on sale now– visit Eventbrite.com and search Grampians Music Festival.
Accommodation packages, as well as travel options from Melbourne and regional cities will be on offer soon, and a range of other accommodation options will be outlined at grampiansmusicfestival.com.
The artists:
Tired Lion | Ruby Fields | Polish Club | Didirri | Heaps Good Friends | Localles | Fountaineer | SAATSUMA | Jarrow | IV League | ELKI | Greta Stanley | Crepes | The Scrims | Ro | Phia | Zac Saber | Jack the Fox Band | Opal Ocean | Angelo Migyi
POLISH CLUB:
Sydney’s Polish Club is David Novak and John-Henry- known for their loud soul outfit.
John-Henry is the dynamic drummer, incredible at hitting three separate things at once with great gravity.
Novak is the charismatic singer, who also plays a beautifully brash blues guitar.
Polish Club write soulful rock songs fifty years late and twice the speed. In any one of their energetic numbers, which barely nip at the three minute mark, the full-bodied howl of Motown’s finest frontmen is parsed through the garage rock scuzz of Detroit.
Polish Club released their debut album, ‘Alright Already’ in March this year and commanded stages across the country during a headline tour in June.
TIRED LION:
Tired Lion seized Australian rock fans by the scruff of their necks in 2015 by winning Triple J’s prestigious Unearthed Award; tearing down the main stage at Splendour In The Grass; claiming the WAMI for Best Rock Song; supporting the likes of The 1975, Kingswood and Luca Brasi, and this year their debut album 'Dumb Days' was Triple J's Feature Album of the Week.
Fronted by the enigmatic Sophie Hopes, Tired Lion's infections melodies are brought forth with raw honesty and intensity, calling back to the rich tradition of strong Australian front women.
Sophie is backed by Matt Tanner, Ethan Darnell and Nick Vasey who play with passion, precision and a 'take no prisoners' approach, making Tired Lion a powerful act worth keeping your eyes (and ears) on.
RUBY FIELDS:
Ruby Fields makes honest, hard-hitting, ‘90s inspired indie pop-rock and has a rad time doing her thing.
At 13 she snuck into venues and galleries in Cronulla to understand the vibrant music and art culture in her neighbourhood and began busking on the weekends. When she found substance and relatable qualities in the music she listened to, she found herself gradually writing and creating her own music.
Quickly taking the Aussie music scene by storm, Ruby Fields recently played a packed-out showcase at BIGSOUND ahead of her national tour this November.
HEAPS GOOD FRIENDS:
Heaps Good Friends met 10 years ago in the old Gladstone Gaol in South Australia where Nick recorded Emma’s first demo in the K wing.
They hit their stride with ‘Let’s Hug Longer’, which struck a chord with the Triple J clan.
SAATSUMA:
Melbourne’s SAATSUMA is the collaborative electronic project of Memphis Kelly and Cesar Rodrigues. A combination of soulful vocals, warped synthesisers and gritty textures, the duo produce an effortless blend of raw vulnerability and lucid darkness.
On stage SAATSUMA are a five-piece live act, fronted by Memphis Kelly and joined byCesar Rodrigues, Maddy Kelly, Lachlan Stuckey and Andrew Congues.
GRETA STANLEY:
Greta Stanley was announced as the winner of the Triple J Unearthed Groovin the Moo Townsville competition, alongside being selected as the Unearthed Feature Artist in the last week of April, 2017.
She followed that with a string of shows with the likes of Sarah Blasko and Didirri, and she was also recently announced to be a part of The Grass is Greener Festival line-up – all of this ahead of her debut album release later this year.
DIDIRRI:
Didirri creates music with a maturity well beyond his years- Performing songs constructed with soaring vocals and quietly strummed guitar, his sound is haunting sombre folk with infectious lyrical composition.
It’s been a whirlwind year for this self-described folk dandy, supporting artists such as Oh Pep!, Jack River, Tash Sultana, Pierce Brothers and The Jezabels, silencing the room at his BIGSOUND showcase appearance and selling out two debut headline shows last month.
