It’s a staple of the Australian live music calendar, it attracts hundreds of thousands of people every year, and it continuously delivers amazing lineups year after year. Yes, the St. Kilda Festival is one of the best music festivals you’ll be able to attend, and the largest free festival in the country. With its picturesque location and a phenomenal lineup featuring Drapht, Emma Louise, and The Aston Shuffle, you know it’s going to be an awesome day.
While we know that bands such as The Smith Street Band and Ecca Vandal will be putting on amazing sets this year, and of course artists like Daryl Braithwaite and Archie Roach are already Aussie music legends who need no introduction, we’ve decided to have a look at some of the overlooked acts at this year’s festival that you just can’t go past.
Spectres Of Love
There are few bands playing the festival this year that harness the same charisma as Spectres Of Love. Fronted by the prolific Mikelangelo, and backed by members of Zombie Ghost Train and El Dinero, the recently-formed Spectres are effectively a supergroup of underground Melbourne icons.
Having performed and recorded with the likes of Amanda Palmer and fronting a string of great bands in his time, Mikelangelo and Co. are set to deliver one of the most memorable and intriguing sets of the festival. Check out their new single ‘Love Comes Knockin” for a taste of what to expect from a must-see set.
Polish Club
One of the most raucous and frenetic bands in the country right now, Polish Club are proving that bluesy, garage rock isn’t dead, and instead, they’re bringing it back with a vengeance. With their newest track ‘Beat Up’, the group have been performing blistering sets of intense energy that just have to be seen to be believed. While none of their songs are yet to crack the 3-minute mark, you might want to make sure you show up on time for this set, lest it be over before you arrive.
Saatsuma
Saatsuma is a Melbourne-based five piece collective that delivers some of the best downtempo electronica being performed in the country right now. Merging together elements of neo-soul and hip-hop along with their brilliantly crafted electronic sounds, Saatsuma have been making a well-desrved name for themselves all around the country. Having supported bands such as Olympia and Thelma Plum, the group are set to release a highly-anticipated debut LP next year. If good tunes and good vibes are your thing, Saatsuma are certainly one act you’ll want to catch this year.
Mau Power
Once referred to as “the godfather of Torres Strait hip-hop“, Mau Power is a rapper from Thursday Island, and is the first rapper to come out of the Torres Strait and make their mark on the Aussie music scene. With a refreshing sound and a series of incredible accomplishments under his belt, including an impressive show in London, Mau Power is undoubtedly one of the rising stars in Indigenous hip-hop. Having worked with musicians such as Albert David and Archie Roach, Mau Power is set to become one of the biggest names in hip-hop in no time.
Smoke Rings
Remember back when DMA’s hit the scene and everyone thought they were the second coming of Oasis? Well in a few years, you’ll no doubt be reminiscing back to when you first heard Smoke Rings and realised that 90’s Britpop is being brought back in a big way. Catchy, infectious, and with an extremely chilled vibe throughout their music, Smoke Rings are undoubtedly going to blow away the crowds at this year’s festival with their perfectly accomplished indie-rock stylings.
