BIGSOUND is all wrapped up for another year. It was a week full of amazing showcases from some of the best upcoming artists both across Australia and internationally.
It has been labelled as Australia's version of SXSW, with 20-30 minute sets across three nights.
In addition to the live music, the festival holds conferences, networking events, workshops and other seminars on a multitude of topics for both industry professionals and artists. There is also a BIGTECH prize for technological inventions in the music industry.
This year, Paperchain took out the main prize. Paperchain prices the daily analytics data of the world’s leading digital music platforms, allowing music companies to access daily streaming revenue reporting and advance revenue on-demand.
On the artist showcase front, some big names were drawn in for the festivities. One of the headliners for the festival and Australia's answer to Billie Eilish - Tones and I - filled out her showcase venue in minutes with attendees lining up far out into the street - a feat we've haven't seen since The Gang of Youths performance years ago. The artist has been making surprising appearances on charts worldwide even in Russia with banger tracks like 'Dance Monkey' and 'Johnny Run Away'. She also pulled a massive crowd at Splendour in the Grass this year, despite an early daytime set. In celebration of her new EP she also staged a mock protest
"'The Kids Are Coming' is about how old-minded people think the youth of today are constantly on their phones and consumed by social media," Tones has explained. "Really, the kids of today stand for community, celebrate gay pride, they are trying to stamp out racism, stop Adani, repair the Great Barrier Reef and many more. It's more than a song, it's a movement."
Beyond the bigger names, BIGSOUND prides itself as the springboard for local aspiring artists.
Party Dozen brought out a frenetic, seizure inducing set of experimental sonic energy. It was a world where the saxophone was a futuristic war-horn that heralded the arrival of some wild dystopian beast. Mesmerised and astonished one punter exclaimed "I need adult supervision."
Spacey Jane packed out every venue they played during the week, playing to masses of eager listeners and fans alike. Definitely keep them on your radar as we wouldn't be surprised if they made some big moves in the coming months.
Outside of the garage rock genre, LÂLKA, one of the first acts we had the pleasure of seeing at the festival is also one to keep an eye out for. She is a one woman powerhouse, emitting some serious Grimes vibes. It's easy to understand why the artist lists acts like Charli XCX and SOPHIE as influences.
Also note-worthy are Melbourne indie-rockers MID CITY who took their live act to a whole new level. The band's lead singer took a break from the typical stage performance to take his act directly into the crowd. One moment also included the singer trekking into the crowd, taking a sip from a punter's beer, and then dancing around before heading back up on stage to finish the track.
BIGSOUND 2019 continues to grow and showcase the best music out there. The support it provides to local and smaller international artists is unparalleled in the festival scene. We can't wait to see what BIGSOUND 2020 brings to our Brisbane hometown.
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and top performances