Welcome to the Illawarra Mercury’s weekly local music round-up.
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Every week we will bring you a wrap of new music, gig announcements and news from bands in the region, to highlight great musicians and music that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Enrolments are starting at Wollongong Uni and details of the UOW’s biggest party of the year are already coming in. The annual Garden Party is slated for March 13, with six acts over two stages to play to a packed student crowd. Sticky Fingers and Elizabeth Rose are the first announcements for the bill, with tickets on sale Friday.
The Grand Hotel is searching for new DJs. It opened a Facebook competition for aspiring DJs to get a regular slot at the venue. Think up a stage name and send in a 20-minute mix-tape by February 1.
Local dudes Without Parachutes have been announced as the opening supports for the Getaway Plan’s show at Towradgi Beach Hotel on Friday. The guys are also gearing up to release new single When We Fall on February 11.
Former Wollongong band BugGiRL are returning to Australia after four years living and touring around the world. After hosting parties at South By South West festival, playing with Lemmy and Peaches through Europe, and featuring on festivals all over the US, the rock’n’rollers will play a quick Australian tour with a local date at Rad on February 7.
Unknown, the crew behind a string of big club parties bringing big-name DJ talent, including What So Not, Kato and Dangerous Dan, to Wollongong, have started a record label. Unknown Records will be launched with a Day of the Dead themed party at OneFiveOne on February 14, headlined by local producer Baytek. To seal the deal, there will be free face painting on the night.
In other label news, the Verb Syndicate art collective can now add ‘‘record company’’ to their resume, which includes a shop on Kembla Street, the Wonderwalls festival and many street-art installations through Wollongong. Under the label We Play Records, they will release a string of “short-run, limited-edition pressings.” The first cab off the rank is a 7” release for New York rapper O.C., out on March 22
Sydney indie act Ernest Ellis will release his third album, Cold Desire, in March.
Russell Webster from Austinmer outfit Shining Bird co-produced the album, as well as contributing keyboards and programming.
Gig guide
• The RAW showcase event is back at the Town Hall on Friday. More than 20 local creatives will show off their wares through the night, with music from Blueberry Circuit, Molly Contogeorge and Jessica Allen.
• The Nice Folk will celebrate 10years as a band with a free in-store show at Music Farmers on Saturday afternoon. They will be joined by Justin Frew, with the gig kicking off at 2pm.
• New York indie band Lemuria will play Rad on Sunday. The all-ages show, starting at 6pm, also features Melbourne band Kissing Booth and locals Harbourer.
• Yours & Owls and Music Farmers present their special Laneway Festival sideshow on Tuesday. American singer-songwriter Cass McCombs is at Wombarra Bowling Club, with Shining Bird, the Ocean Party and Emma Russack in support. Get there early for barefoot bowls on the lawn.
We want to hear from you! To have your music, gig, news or anything music-related featured in next week’s Radar Illawarra, send details to joshua.butler@illawarramercury. com.au.