Australian melodic tech death band Snake Mountain are set to release their latest single and …
It’s massive, it’s spectacular, it’s happening this September in The Valley: annual music industry festival BIGSOUND has dropped its first huge line-up and as always, heavy music is well represented.
The first round of announcements sees Gravemind, ARTERIES, Cast Down, Sleep Talk, Slowly Slowly, Wax Chattels, and Arse among the large vibration merchants.
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“In the first week of September, BIGSOUND Festival turns Fortitude Valley into a land of opportunity for artists and industry figures,” says BIGSOUND programmer Maggie Collins, via email to Hysteria. “We get to showcase the best, the most unique and the important up and coming acts that everyone needs to know about. A massive part of that is showcasing heavy music. Once again it’s our pleasure to ensure that the heavy music scene is being represented and respected at a market like BIGSOUND, where some of the world’s most sought after industry reps gather to make new partnerships happen.”
Organisers dropped a whopping 75 acts on us today, including The Chats, Eliott, Cable Ties, Asha Jefferies, yú yī, and many more (see below.) The three-day festival over 4th to the 7th of September in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley will feature industry seminars, panels, showcases, and of course, heaps of live bands and artists.
BIGSOUND is a big deal for bands, as it means they’ll be playing in front of labels, agents, festival bookers, and lowly journalists such as we. BIGSOUND is the place where “next big things” get the “next big thing” tag; WAAX and Pagan, anyone?
As with previous years, BIGSOUND Festival artists from 2018 become eligible for the Levi’s® Music Prize, which awards $25,000 in prize money, and $5,000 in travel from Stage and Screen to assist with breaking out internationally.
“The amount of BIGSOUND applications this year smashed last year’s record by another 70 to make up approximately 1,133 applications,” stated Collins. “That’s a lot of talent. Punters wanting to own the fact that ‘they discovered an artist first’, better get themselves across this massive list of acts, who are on the cusp of exploding worldwide.”
Applications for BIGSOUND’s tech showcase are still open, giving delegates opportunities to see the future of music technology. You can apply here.
The Queensland State Government is supporting BIGSOUND through Arts Queensland and Tourism and Events It’s Live! in Queensland calendar. Live music helps promote tourism, which is “worth $780 million to the state’s economy,” according to the Minister for Tourism Industry Development Kate Jones.
Passes for delegates and live music are on sale now.
FIRST BIGSOUND 2018 LINE-UP
A. Swayze & The Ghosts
Adrian Eagle
Alice Skye
ARSE
Arteries
Asha Jefferies
Bin Juice
Blank Realm
Bugs
Butterfingers
Cable Ties
Cast Down
CLYPSO
Cry Club
CXLOE
DEAN FOREVER
Dreller
Eat Your Heart Out
Eilish Gilligan
Eliott
Elizabeth
Ella Hooper
Emma Anglesey
Estère
Gabriella Cohen
Genesis Owusu
Georgia Mulligan
Good Doogs
GRAACE
Gravemind
Greta Stanley
Hachiku Hazlett
Hobsons BayCoast Guard
Imogen Clark
James Wright Trio
JEFFE
KAIIT
Kaitlin Keegan
Kian
Kota Banks
Kult Kyss
Kwame
MANE
Miss June
Moaning Lisa
MOOKHI
Oh Pep!
Olympia
Paces
Pink Matter
Pool Shop
Rachel Maria Cox
RAT!hammock
Riley Pearce
Ruby Gilbert
Samsaruh
Sleep Talk
Slowly Slowly
Stevie Jean
Sumner
Sunscreen
sweater curse SŸDE
T$oko
Tape/Off
The Chats
The Merindas
TOTTY
Triple One
Two People
Tyne-James Organ
Voiid
Wax Chattels
yú yī