THE scale of the second West Best Bloc Fest is staggering. Across one block, on one Sunday, in seven venues, on 12 stages - 100 acts will deliver the biggest celebration of Newcastle music you can imagine.
Unfortunately it's humanly impossible to catch every set at Bloc Fest, but here's 10 acts we recommend that you do not miss.
BUTTERKNIFE
Thanks to their 2019 single Misty finding its way onto the "Discover Weekly" playlist, Butterknife have developed a fan base beyond Newcastle.
The all-female four-piece have continued to develop their indie-pop sound and tour heavily, culminating in their atmospheric latest single Devilman.
BUM BAG
This mysterious two-piece might be keeping their true identity under wraps, but there's no hiding their catchy techno bangers.
Earlier this month they released their debut EP Pre Drinks, which features the hilarious Hey Grandma I'm Gay and Another White Boy With A Podcast. Think Confidence Man, but even cheekier.
Bum Bag have already amassed 191,000 followers of Instagram and had TikTok videos rack up 4.5 million views.
RUM JUNGLE
Newcastle's music scene is full of surf-drenched indie-rock bands, but not many have the melodic appeal of Rum Jungle. For several years they've been one of Newcastle's most popular bands, packing out the Cambridge at the farewell party in June.
The rest of Australia is wising up to Rum Jungle's jangly morsels too, with an appearance at Wollongong's Yours & Owls Festival scheduled next month.
TURPENTINE BABYCINO
Fresh from a tour of Thailand, pop-punks Turpentine Babycino are back home to deliver one of the most energetic sets you'll find at Bloc Fest. Members Georgie Winchester (vocals) and Cormac Grant (guitar) will be pulling double duty as solo artists and drummer Gabe Argiris is backing with hard-rockers Bloody Hell.
Turpentine Babycino might have only released three singles, but they possess a full set of party-starting rock.
BOUDICCA
It's not often you get served up a history lesson, wrapped up in incendiary punk-rock.
Boudicca don't up offer some stuffy list of dates, rather a chaotic and impassioned feminist tales of Ned Kelly's mother Ellen and Ancient Roman woman Fulvia.
Frontwoman and school history teacher, Madeleine Mitchell's searing vocal is only matched by Boudicca's brutal riffs.
FUNGAS
The wonderfully-weird Fungas caught everyone's attention with their lo-fi 2022 debut album Locate 0.
Last month the Newcastle psych-rockers delivered the sequel, What Was Will Be, which surely hits the sweet spot for fans of King Gizzard.
You might feel like you've dropped acid or stepped into another dimension, but you'll cherish the ride with Fungas.
MAICEY
There's massive Massive Attack and Mazzy Star vibes coming from Maitland's Maicey.
Her exquisite vocals are wrapped in atmospheric and synth-heavy landscapes and tied neatly together with soulful melodies.
Two weeks ago Maicey released her impressive debut EP, Where I Lay, and it's all class. Expect to hear a lot more from Maicey.
THE TRYOUTS
It's no secret that power-pop duo The Tryouts have become one of most entertaining local acts in the past 18 months through a combination of hook-laden tunes and energetic stage presence.
The husband and wife team of David Macmichael and Chelsea Reed have a natural chemistry and their song, Washer, is a pure pop gem.
WELL?
Politically forthright, musically ambitious and chaotic on stage. Well? feature an unique blend of alt-rock, prog, pop, jazz, electronic and psych rock, held together by India Seddon-Callaghan's acrobatic vocals.
In May Well? released their powerful debut EP Pray//Obey and their show will be worthwhile just for guitarist Taylan Bragg's crazy antics.
TELURIAN
The buzz coming out of Thrashville about post-metal four-piece Telurian was deafening and not just because of Brentan Nelson's growling vocals. Earlier this year Telurian dropped the ambitious EP Of Earth.
Expect Telurian to rattle King Street's Warehouse stage with an epic dose of heaviness.
OTHER MUST-SEE ACTS
- Nana Klumpp - Trip Fandino - Atlas Franklin Alexander - The Pitts - Drugs In Sport - Abbi Yeo - Sitting Down - Piper Butcher - Fettuccine - Baam Bam - Lamphead - Bloody Hell - Camino Gold - ChaiChester - Amy Vee - James Thomson - Bree Rusev
West Best Bloc Fest returns on Sunday, October 1 across King Street, Family Hotel, Happy Wombat, Rogue Scholar, Papa's Bagels, Bernie's Bar and Jam's Backyard.
Visit www.westbestblocfest.com for tickets.
