Friendly Enemies is an acoustic covers duo/trio, the brainchild of musicians,Peter Hayes & Ben Brennan. An organic concoction of guitars, bass and two-part vocal harmonies, that Incorporates drum loops & beatbox percussion, delivering an eclectic repertoire of music from an array of era’s in an acoustic blues/roots/rock format. Guaranteed energy and entertainment to suit any collective in any environment. Providing a soundtrack to relax with a meal & a drink, whilst also being able to amp it up, keeping patrons moving, singing & most importantly, drinking!

Wild Marmalade are the world’s original high-energy didgeridoo dance band heralding from the small town Byron Bay, Australia. Fusing the ancient sounds of the didgeridoo with contemporary dance beats, their sound is a meeting of Si’s synth stylee didgeridoo drones with the explosive beats of Matt Goodwin on drum kit.

Drawing on rhythms from all over the world and inspired by indigenous sounds and the grooves of the present, Wild Marmalade’s high energy shows uplift audiences with their display of powerful, joyous and infectiously danceable music.

Wild Marmalade are a formidable force in world dance music. They have worked with Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas and Montreal, toured Japan and Europe twelve times, the USA and of course in their home country Australia.

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Uncompromisingly groovy and ever so funky, Catchpole, exploded onto the Australian music scene with their energetic performance, catchy hooks and funky grooves.

The Rock group consists of four young men and a stylish chick who have been making music together since 2016. Jonathon Aiello contrasts tender, breathy vocals with powerful gravel over the atmospheric guitar, melodic riffs and searing solos of Liam Brett. This textured sonic experience is topped off with a funky groove on the bass provided by Archer Platt, alongside colourful yet powerful undertones provided by Oscar Vobr on keys. And at the centre of it all, Jenna Goy pounding out innovative beats and rocky fills, giving the band a sound like no other. Drawing influence from Blues, Reggae, Pop, Funk, Folk, Ska and a boiling pot of other genres, Catchpole’s rock sound keeps their listeners on their toes at every beat.

Black Rabbit George is a new incarnation for Tijuana Cartel’s guitarist/singer/songwriter Paul George. It’s an opportunity for Paul to further explore the acoustic guitar that is at the heart of Tijuana Cartel and to pursue his long-time interest in folk and roots music.

From the wellspring of childish fantasy and a lifetime of musical evolution emerges the Black Rabbit.

This is the story-telling talent of Paul A George, the musician whose guitar drives the unique sounds of Tijuana Cartel, one of the tightest and most sought-after bands on the Australian festival circuit.

If Tijuana Cartel ever lacked anything for its guitarist and vocalist, then it was the open door to a subconscious demand to tell stories – any stories – with the strings of a guitar and the words of a born storyteller.

Black Rabbit George is the culmination of a need that could not be resisted forever.

“Tijuana Cartel remains a core driving force in my life and I’d never want to leave it behind,” says the Black Rabbit. “But at the same time I want to follow a path that embraces the great loves in my life: my guitar and the wealth of stories that life simply places in your way.”

Indeed, the Black Rabbit’s first solo track, Muse, is a melodic and emotional ode to his first great love: his guitar.

And the guitar has remained a passion with him ever since, through a lifetime of highs and lows, triumphs and failures that drive the stories of all our lives.

The Black Rabbit mines these experiences with a guitar that threads itself into every line of every lyric, paying homage as it goes to the great folk storytellers and the great folk musicians.

“Folk music has been with us since the first human learned to sing and play and tell their story – and I’m doing no more than continuing the tradition.”

So why the “Black Rabbit”?

Well, in Richard Adam’s book, Watership Down, the Black Rabbit is the grim reaper of the rabbit world, the bridge between life and death – and for a young and budding musician, it marked a first awakening to the idea that life, for all its joys and tribulations, is always a journey that takes us from birth to death.

“I think that my songs are about that journey,” says the musician Black Rabbit. “It’s not something I try to do, it’s simply something that simply emerges when I write.”

The Black Rabbit remains faithful to the folk tradition but he stamps it with a distinct personality and musical style that is all his own.

The Swamps are a nasty blues and Rock’n’Roll time machine created in Byron Bay by ex-Wellington musician Matthew Armitage on Guitar/Vocal and local Matt Swan (Swanny) on the drums.

In early 2014 they combined forces to bring their raw energy and love of heavy swampy blues to the Byron Bay music scene. Swanny started using a floor tom as his bass drum and Armitage began pumping his guitar through a bass amp, tweaking the EQ just so to give the sonic illusion of a third player. They started off performing the songs of Buddy Guy and Muddy Waters, but grew to include Armitage’s original songs, surf tunes, 60’s garage rock’n’roll and 50’s jumping juke joint blues.

The Swamps quickly became in high demand around Byron Bay and Southern Gold Coast, Australia. They gathered a cult following based around a residency at The Northern, played the Blues Festival in 2014 and performed as support and backing band for legend Pete Murray at his Restaurant ‘Frankie Brown’. In winter 2015 and 2016 they even made the trek down to NSW’s Snowy Mountains for a residency at The Man From Snowy River Hotel in Perisher Valley and made appearances in Sydney at Frankie’s Pizza and The Australian Hotel Beer Festival in The Rocks.

The Swamps released a single, “Treating Me Good” on Triple J Unearthed and regularly rock their home turf Byron Bay and beyond its hills.

Cheap Fakes. Brisbanes 6 headed, genre defying beast are Australia’s best blend of massive soul-soaked, brass-fuelled pop, funk, and ska. Cheap Fakes continue to bring their unique and energetic music to masses of listeners and live audiences worldwide.
Born in 2009 from a dream to bring a new and unique sound to the Brisbane masses, Cheap Fakes have since sculpted an ever-growing fan base from their extensive touring and ever-evolving discography. Never keen to languish in the still waters of comfort, Cheap Fakes have pushed out and taken chances on all three of their major releases: 2010’s Stone’s & Sticks, 2013’s Hand Me Downs and 2015’s Modern Vintage. 2018 will see the release of the Fakes’ fourth studio album, with its first two singles, “Touch n Go” and “Sisters”, already making waves.
Despite the excellent reception of the recorded material, Cheap Fakes treat playing live as a completely different beast & have been a long-shining light on the live scene.

Whether supporting such titans as Sublime, Cody Chesnutt, Melbourne Ska Orchestra, or The Black Seeds, establishing themselves as a festival favourite from sweltering sets at Woodford Folk Festival, Big Pineapple Festival, Valley Fiesta, or Caloundra Music Festival (to name a few) or their own electrifying headline tours of Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and beyond, Cheap Fakes have confidently entrenched themselves as a welcome fixture of Australia’s live music landscape.

Sun Salute bring their love of reggae, funk, neo soul and hip-hop to people that want to dance and groove. Bursting onto the Australian live music scene with a sound so fresh you could make a morning juice with it.

Sun Salute ranges from a 5-piece to an 8-piece festival band. Their rhythms, melodies, soulful vocal harmonies and horns craft an energy that is infectious. They use themes and concepts from life’s simplicity to create songs rich in morality and positivity. Front man Hayden Weke, hailing from New Zealand’s North East, weaves a strong Maori influence into the diverse international line up.

Born in the snowfields of Victoria and raised on the beautiful surf coast, the bands journey has taken them to the tropical paradise of the Whitsunday islands gathering new members along the way. With a self-titled EP at the ready, they thrive on a grass roots approach to production and touring. They are conquering the festival circuit, and have played alongside bands such as Katchafire, The Beautiful Girls, Nicky Bomba’s Bustamento and many more.