THE HYST LIST // 10 Highlights From Yours & Owls Huge Lineup

The Yours & Owls festival has long reflected the incredible artistic community of Wollongong and the Illawarra region, mixing the DIY ethos of local bands with international heavyweights.

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Now in its 5th year, Triple J this morning unveiled an incredible 2018 edition, headlined by the likes of Angus & Julia Stone & Peking Duk.

Despite these radio-friendly headliners, the festival has long prided itself on its musical (and gender) diversity, and this year’s edition is no exception. Here are our 10 highlights from the monstrous lineup, one which proves that Wollongong deserves every bit of artistic credit that it receives.

1) Jack R Reilly

A Wollongong local, you might be familiar with this shoegaze troubadour from seeing him open for the likes of Endless Heights & Jess Locke at some small east coast venues. The solo artist, often backed by a sizeable backing band (including 2 keys players!) mixes folky roots with the rhythmic drive of Placebo and dynamic awareness of Fugazi, resulting in emotive and thoughtful music that immerses those lucky enough to be present. A true gem of the local scene, he is one not to be missed.

2) Middle Kids

It’s hard to find a band in the world, let alone Australia that has more buzz than this loveable trio right now. From multiple American TV performances, including Jimmy Kimmel, to supports alongside the likes of Paul Kelly, War On Drugs and casually selling out the Sydney Opera House for their album launch, this paragraph alone is testament to the incredible waves they’re making. With an undeniable live chemistry, this is a major score for the Yours & Owls crew.

3) Methyl Ethyl

It seems that this group get bigger and bigger, with next to no fanfare. With a string of sold out national and international tours supporting their latest LP Everything Is Forgotten, the group bring a silky wash of psych rock and bohemian class to the floor. Only this band could pull off blowing up an amp whilst knocking back a glass of white, a phenomena this journalist witnessed a few years back.

4) Psychedelic Porn Crumpets

You know you’ve got something special going on when you are handpicked to support Royal Blood on their national run. Well and truly experiencing their breakout moment, these Perthonalities bring a metallic flavoured psych-blues extravaganza that refuses to conform to popular demand, whilst remaining infectious to those who give it a chance. On a now rapid and unstoppable ascension, their show is one to behold.

5) Mere Women

A true gem of the underground. Last year, Mere Women pushed all conventional boundaries with their dark, raw and furious LP Big Skies. Whilst not yet pushing their heads above the smaller DIY venues, the group remain refreshingly unique, adding eerie synths over fuzzy guitar tones, resulting in a soundscape that we guarantee you’ve never encountered before.

6) Polaris

Coming off the back of traversing the US alongside little known acts Parkway Drive, August Burns Red & The Devil Wears Prada, expect Polaris to be in the form of their (sensational) career when Yours & Owls rolls around. Proudly flying the flag for all things heavy down under, it’s fantastic to see such genre diversity on the lineup once again, and we can’t think of a better act to lead the heavy charge than these world-conquerors. Read our review of their latest, trailblazing tour here.

7) Hockey Dad

A triumphant homecoming, these Wollongong locals are part of the fabric of Yours & Owls. Starting out with shows that the promoter-owned and east coast staple venue Rad Bar, Hockey Dad have taken their sun-soaked surf-punk worldwide in the last 18 months, and their latest LP Blend Inn is sure to continue their success. With riffs and hooks abounding, their set is sure to have both bouncing mosh pits and euphoric sing-a-longs, no doubt a highlight of the festivities.

8) Alice Ivy

This Melbournian producer/songwriter truly emerged out of the blue this year, but so far has made the most of her success, supporting Jungle Giants, Flight Facilities & Vera Blue on national runs. Fusing the sampling likes of The Avalanches with a late-night, neo-soul backdrop, Alice Ivy proves that you need more than just a USB to make a statement in the electronic music world.

9) Jungle Giants

Constantly in the habit of re-writing the rule book, last year Jungle Giants blessed us with the 70’s disco kaleidoscope of Quiet Ferocity. From there, the band have gone on to fill venues, win over a swathe of fans that wrote them off as “hipster, top button, indie shit” and prove that dancing is still a cool thing to do at a rock show.

10) Hellions

Our funky, hooky, hardcore hero’s are set for an explosive return to the stage at Yours & Owls, bringing with them one of the most ferocious live sets in the country. With 2018 being a quiet year (by their standards), appearances at Unify Gathering and sporadic headline shows have surely kept the boys hungry to get out on the stage and remind punters why they are sought after on the international circuit.