We’re at the cusp of the Summer festival onslaught where we begin reaching deep into our pockets to fund ticket purchases and sulk about splurging on unnecessary shit during winter like warm clothes and electricity bills. Things are starting to pick up with festivals like Sounds of The Suburbs and Young Henry’s Small World getting us all lubed and ready for the arduous months head. This weekend marks the 5th annual Yours & Owls Festival, which has grown from its humble beginnings into a full-blown, three day party. Boasting its biggest lineup so far, the good folk have enlisted some seriously good bands to play across the weekend. Here are our picks for those you can’t afford to miss.
Photo credit: Ted’s Records
Smell that? That’s Summer, baby. Meaning it’s festival season. If Yours and Owls Festival is going to pop your Summer festival cherry this season, do it right. Here are 5 bands you really have to see.
The Pinheads
Fast-becoming notorious for putting on an absolute rip-snorter of a bash when they get on stage, Wollongong’s favourite garage freaks The Pinheads really, really know how to put on a show. Tracks like I Wanna Be a Girl and If I Have To Wait absolutely go off live, but it will be interesting to see how they handle a bigger stage with minimal rafters for frontman Jez Player to hang from and limited access to sweaty dancefloors to writhe on. Knowing them they’ll find a way.
Shining Bird
Another of Wollongong’s shimmering alumni, Shining Bird will be absolutely spectacular in their mid-Sunday arvo slot. Their new single Rivermouth flows beautifully from their mind-expanding, psychedelic Australiana debut Leisure Coast. Armed with a set brimming with all the Nick Cave baritone, glistening guitars, and ethereal chimes you could ever ask for, Shining Bird will be an experience.
Happy Hour
Happy Hour hail from a little town called Nowra – a little South of Wollongong. The young four-piece won the Student Band Competition to open up proceedings on Sunday, impressing Yours & Owls folk with their groove-laced rock chops. The band are a bunch of year eleven students who have already amassed 15 tracks in less than six months, an impressive feat for a group so fresh.
Bec Sandridge
Australia’s newest quirk trailblazer Bec Sandridge has been whirring around the office all week. Another on the bill from the outer reaches of Sydney, Sandridge has been turning heads recently with her manically catchy 80s peroxide pop track In The Fog, In The Flame. She’ll be kicking things off on the Saturday, so get down nice and early for a solid dose of weird pop goodness.
Gang Of Youths
GOY have had a blinder of a year. By far the biggest breakthrough artist of 2015, tracks like Magnolia and Radioface still have plenty of life in them, getting their fair share of radio play on stations like FBi and triple J. They’ve been touring like crazy this year in a giant 70s-style legit rockstar bus, have been nominated for a bunch of ARIAs and even got a nod from NME in their ‘Finding The Next Tame Impala at Bigsound’ list.
Oh, and they fucking tear it live.
