Another October long weekend, another WBBF.
It’s become a bit of a tradition for the LWA team to hit Newcastle on the weekend of West Best Bloc Fest and slurp up some live music. The festival, which takes over the Midtown precinct of the humble Steel City, has grown from a showcase of local artists into a full-on festival experience.
It’s a unique one too – reminiscent of SXSW, with a free-flowing vibe where you can wander from venue to venue and be surprised by who (or what) you stumble across. We always walk away with a bunch of new artists to dive into, while also catching headliners that don’t often call into town.
You probably hear the word “stacked” thrown around a lot when talking about festival lineups, but this year’s WBBF roster is so stacked it’s dripping out the sides, with 100 artists across twelve stages and nine venues.
That’s a lot of live music to cram into one day and night, so we’ve pulled together a hit list of acts you need to catch to make the most of your WBBF experience. Check it out below and head here to snap up tickets now!
Maple’s Pet Dinosaur
14-year-old Maple Johns, aka Maple’s Pet Dinosaur, has burst onto the scene with her debut single ‘Lego’ going viral thanks to a crafty music vid using a neighbour’s ring cam. Definitely worth catching early on!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUjAQkWCr1w
Soulwun
It feels like Soulwun is Newy’s quiet achiever – racking up millions of streams without getting all the clout he deserves. He’s closing out Jam’s Backyard stage and we promise it’ll be an immersive whirr of ethereal breakbeat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQqE8mLPcEI
Flight To Dubai
Masters of a half-time breakdown and anthemic vocals, FTD are (at least partially) from Newcastle (more research needed), making this a bit of a homecoming. It’ll be much more fun if you do your homework too – they’ve been rocking our socks since their heartbreaking/mesmerising debut two-sider Graduation/Last Hue.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGXfRtppZ1c
Miller Roberts
We caught Miller Roberts at The Act at Earp Bros., where she played a stripped-back solo set that drew the whole room into a near-spiritual musical experience. Digging into her back catalogue shows the breadth of her work, weaving bigger instrumental tapestries. We can’t confirm if she’ll go acoustic this time, but either way, you don’t want to miss it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v9hDWJp4VQ
Good Glow
We caught Good Glow at the Family Hotel in Maitland a few months back and quickly came to the conclusion that this duo are criminally underrated. Dive in and you’ll feel the same:
Poltergeist 9000
Electro-punk rebels Poltergeist 9000 will be the funnest time you’ll have at WBBF this year – especially if you’re riding the right wave of whatever you’re absorbing on the day. Clashy, high-energy and occasionally very dark, they’re a must-experience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orK6roI1J7w
Grace Turner
For those who don’t know, Grace Turner is a bit of a Newy music legend – and she doesn’t play often. Definitely mark this one in your schedule. She’s just dropped her first new music in a few years, which we’re hoping is the sign of more to come.
Atlas Franklin Alexander
We saw AFA play Bloc Fest a few years back and it was easily one of our festival highlights. Step into the electronic-indie sonic world he builds, and you won’t want to leave.
