Cry Club
The Wollongong duo gained a stack of attention with their appearance at last year's BIGSOUND and have not stopped since. Learn the words to DFTM before their set because everyone else there will know them.
Johnny Hunter
Sydney's Johnny Hunter are going into BIGSOUND with a heap of buzz about them. Last year they signed with Break Even Recordings (home to BIGSOUND 2018 faves Nice Biscuit) and we're sure they'll pick up a heap of fans in 2019.
The Buoys
Buoy oh buoy, we are damn excited to sea this Sydney four-piece. In all seriousness though, they kill it and we're here for anyone who calls their debut EP Soft Boy.
Bakers Eddy
Bakers Eddy might be the next in a very long list of New Zealand acts Australia claims as our own. The now Melbourne-based group recently signed a deal with Ivy League Records and are coming in very, very hot to BIGSOUND 2019.
PINCH POINTS
PINCH POINTS' album Moving Parts stopped us in our tracks and we expect their BIGSOUND showcase will have a lot of people doing the same. They made it into Bandcamp Daily's top 100 releases of 2018 for a very good reason.
Mambali
We were blown away by Mambali's track Yuwani and are predicting their showcase, filled with their songs about country and culture, will be one of the most important to happen at this year's event.
Electric Fields
Look, all we're saying is that once you see Electric Fields, you'll be changed forever. It's a big call but we stand by it. You don't get that close to representing Australia at Eurovision for no reason (case in point: when they made Amy Shark cry with this beautiful cover at the APRA Awards).
Teen Jesus & The Jean Teasers
The name is a 10/10 and Canberra's Teen Jesus & The Jean Teasers are an 11 - check out their set and just try to disagree. They've already featured on some major festival line-ups and we reckon they'll be all over bills around the country come the festival season.
Approachable Members Of Your Local Community
If their name and charmingly dorky fashion sense don't sell you, perhaps the industry buzz will, with the band inking an international record deal US label AntiFragile around the release of their latest single, On + On, in July.
LOSER
We caught LOSER a couple of months back and were very impressed. We're also very impressed with their dog-heavy video for Vacation. All in all, it's a yes from us.
RedHook
Pop-punk can be hard to nail in Australia but RedHook have managed to carve their own unique path, injecting a somewhat tired sound with a heavy dose of alt-rock and gritty vocals - a decision that saw them take on Download Festival Sydney earlier this year after winning triple j Unearthed’s competition.
Party Dozen
This Sydney duo, made up of saxophonist Kirsty Tickle and percussionist Jonathan Boulet, are definitely one of the most hyped acts going into this year's festival. They're only showcasing once during the week so make sure you get there early.
TOWNS
With powerhouse vocals and a live show that rivals that of seasoned professionals, Adelaide duo TOWNS offer up a wall of noise that few other two-piece acts could match. To put it simply, TOWNS might be one of the funnest bands at BIGSOUND 2019.
FLOSSY
After establishing themselves as one of Perth's most promising acts, FLOSSY, fronted by sister duo Lauren and Sinead O'Hara, unveiled uplifting and charming new single Being Alone in August, marking an exciting change of pace just in time for BIGSOUND.
Obscura Hail
Feeling like you're seeing Obscura Hail's name everywhere? It's because you are and it is for a very good reason. Their dropping their new EP, Zero, real soon but you should get in early and see them at their only BIGSOUND showcase.
Kat Edwards
Within a month of its release, Kat Edwards’ Good Girl had more than 100,000 hits on Spotify, which isn’t surprising given its hauntingly beautiful vocal melodies. The Hobart singer-songwriter’s BIGSOUND appearance follows on from a national support slot with Didirri, so no doubt her live show will be in fine form.
Huntly
This Melbourne group might just create the biggest dance party of the week. Check out their debut album Low Grade Buzz and ready your dancing shoes in preparation.
Serina Pech
Northern Territory artist Serina Pech draws influence from artists like The Carpenters, The Beach Boys, Fleetwood Mac and Frank Sinatra and then throws it all together with her own unique touch and incredible vocals. We'll be in the crowd shedding quiet tears if you need us.
Spacey Jane
If you caught you Spacey Jane at Splendour In The Grass, you know their live show will likely be one of the most talked-about when BIGSOUND rolls around. They’re already selling out east coast headline dates, which means you might want to get to their showcases a little early.
Being Jane Lane
It was a good thing Brody Dalle shipped off to the States because Brisbane’s own Being Jane Lane would give The Distillers a run for their money. We can’t wait to thrash about and spill beer all over ourselves when this punk outfit hit the stage.
Greta Stanley
With a fresh EP, Greta Stanley is proving she is here to stay. It's music that makes us think of warm, sunny days and it's no surprise Stanley is earning fans left, right and centre for that earnest, heart-on-the-sleeve storytelling.
Royal & The Southern Echo
Described as "a piña colada in the afternoon sun made with a dash of heartbreak and a touch of nostalgia", we are all about Royal & The Southern Echo and their jangly, dancey sounds. *Cue us dancing at the gig with a piña colada in hand*
Dianas
Melbourne has been buzzing about this trio for a while and we think that hype will be spreading around the country in no time after their BIGSOUND appearances.
Holiday Party
Holidays and parties - two of our favourite things. Put them together and wham, bam, thank you ma'am, this is a jam. They're one of the most unique acts out of Brisbane at the moment, and one thing’s for sure, we’re definitely not cool enough to be at the Holiday Party.
Raj Mahal
Look, anyone who lists Gilmore Girls as one of their main influences is more than alright with us. We're excited to see just how Raj Mahal incorporates this into his live show and if he really sounds like an "extraterrestrial swarm of bees punching on with a drumline composed entirely of self-indulgent robot celebrities who haven't learned how to walk yet".
Jaguar Jonze
We’re telling you now, don’t sleep on Jaguar Jonze. With only two singles to her name, Jonze has confidently and astutely thrown down the gauntlet. We’re slipping into some cowboy boots and pushing through those old saloon doors to join her.
Mermaidens
Some of last year's most impressive acts had crossed the Tasman to join us from New Zealand for BIGSOUND 2018, including the likes of The Beths and Wax Chattels. Give it a couple of years and we reckon that Mermaidens will be an NZ act that we're trying to claim as our own.
Tasman Keith
You know who's coming into BIGSOUND with a lot of hype? Tasman Keith, that's who. Listen to his track Move Up and you'll understand why.
Saint Lane
Saint Lane just wants you to compliment his shirt. And you know what? It is a nice shirt. What’s even nicer though are these excellent tunes. If we were ten years younger we might even call it a vibe.
Wolfjay
Remember that feeling of going back to school after the holidays and amid the squeals and fake "I missed you"s in the locker area, you locked eyes with your best mate and knew everything was going to be alright? Listening to Wolfjay feels like that.
Stevan
Go listen to Stevan right now. No, really. Ok, thank you for joining us again. We'll see you at his shows this week.
Freedom Of Fear
If you’re not across Freedom Of Fear and you’re headed to BIGSOUND - or worse, you’re already here - then you are making a very big mistake. Get your head in the game.
Love Deluxe
The heat on Love Deluxe has been growing steadily since his debut single Cool Breeze Over The Mountains, which has cracked a million streams just on Spotify. His funky grooves are going to go down smoother than a cold Campari and coke.
DREGG
DREGG are like a Lars von Trier film - weird and heavy. Break out the face paint, nu-metal is back.
Hannah Blackburn
Hannah Blackburn has a talent for succinct heartbreak that will leave you in pieces, which is why she’s been playing with the new wave of Australian lyricists lately, from Emerson Snow to Angie McMahon.
Butter
The alt hip hop outfit’s jazzy, neo-soul vibe makes for straight-up sexy jams. There might be bands with more buzz, but we predict Butter’s horn section having more pull than the Pied Piper.
Jack Davies & The Bush Chooks
It’s a rare storyteller that can make you nostalgic for 7-Eleven bread. He’s young, but Davies’ Australiana folk poetry has already snagged him and his Chooks three WAM Awards nominations and Nannup Music Festival’s Emerging Artist Award.
DRMNGNOW
DRMNGNOW’s resounding call to elevate Australia’s Indigenous peoples and decolonise is already being heard across the country. We suspect the independent MC, instrumentalist and poet’s BIGSOUND appearance is going to amplify it exponentially.
Nancie Schipper
Warrnambool local Nancie Schipper might have just finished high school but she's already picked up support slots for acts including Ball Park Music and Jack River. Whatever dreamy indie-folk Schipper is selling, we are buying and we think you will too.
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