10 Acts to See at Splendour in the Grass 2020
Splendour in the Grass is celebrating its twentieth year and has one of the better line-ups in recent memories. There are the festival mainstays like the DMAs and Dom Dolla, returning Australian stars like Flume and Violent Soho, and huge international headliners like Tyler, the Creator and The Strokes. They’ve even announced Midnight Oil. But with more than a hundred artists, it can be hard to know who some of the lesser known names are.
We here at Backyard Opera have got you covered with ten of the best that you may not have heard of.
Photography by Tim Baker
100
First up is this underground punk band from Sydney, who are coming off the back of a killer set at Laneway earlier this month after winning the triple J unearthed competition. Their music plays on classic post-punk emotions with modern sensibilities and solid song writing. Their latest single, “Weightless”, was featured as our Release of the Week last November because of its cathartic and emotional progression. The six-minute epic has everything that makes 100 so good, and it’s even better live. Make sure you kick the festival off right by seeing them early on the Friday.
Andy Golledge
Next up is someone who is an urban legend of Sydney’s inner west; a lone countrymen wandering the big smoke, stomping his feet and singing the blues. Originally from Tamworth, NSW, Andy Golledge has spent the past decade cementing himself as having one of the most wild, chaotically entertaining live shows the city has ever seen. His music blends Australian folk and American country to give audiences a heartfelt and genuine experience every time he takes the stage. Coming off the release of his brand new EP Namoi, Andy and his band are sure to give the Splendour audience one of the more unique sets of the entire festival, let alone the Sunday.
Photography by Magnolia Minton Sparke
The Lazy Eyes
Don’t let their debut single, “Cheesy Love Song”, fool you, this isn’t a cheesy pop band. The Lazy Eyes are an eclectic rock band that grounds their wild guitars, dynamic rhythms and gentle harmonies in a rich psychedelic sound. After stealing the show at Bigsound last year and Laneway this year, The Lazy Eyes will shock those who don’t know them with how deep their Sydney cult following goes. It will be worth making it early on the Saturday to witness the unreleased track “Where’s My Brain”, which has a crowd interaction element to it that we won’t spoil.
Photography by Shannan Stewart
Sly Withers
As the biggest festival in Australia, you can expect people from all over the country. Sly Withers come all the way from Perth with their duel front men, raucous pop-punk sound and emotional lyrics that are straight out of a blink-182 song. Releasing the stellar Gravis EP last year, they have exploded onto the nation’s view because of their sheer passion and undeniable talent. Songs like “Sad Guy” and “Checkout” are raw, with the band leaving everything out there every time they perform.
Photography by Baked Goods Media
Bad//Dreems
Next up is the veteran rock and from Adelaide, Bad//Dreems. Labelling themselves as “outsider rock”, their unique Adelaide sound was developed through isolation to the modern trends of popular music. The result is a real rock band, who sound like a mashup of the classic 70s/80s Australian bands. Part garage and part punk rock, their now eight years of music has made them one of the easiest to love bands in Australia. They are a real indie rock band, not in the sense that they use lots of reverb and electronic synths, but in the sense that they are independent from industry expectations and influences. Following a big 2019, which involved the release of their third studio album, Doomsday Ballet, their Sunday set should be mandatory.
The Chats
Beers, boys and banter are the three essential ingredients that went into creating the schooner pumping, dart chaining, pub rocking band known as the Chats. Their over the top Australian style is as comical as it is fun. They are absolutely not the best band on this list, but they are the most fun. Tracks like “Smoko”, “Pub Feed” and “The Clap” are guaranteed to get the mosh in a frenzy. They are hot after landing #21 in the hottest 100, so be sure to check them out on the Saturday, if only to witness one of the nation’s best mullets live and in action.
Photography by Jack Shepherd
Lime Cordiale
Speaking of fun live sets, Lime Cordiale are gifting music fans with yet another festival appearance. Northern Beaches brothers Louis and Oli Leimbach take the bright, sun-soaked vibe of their hometown and distil it into upbeat, energetic music. Incorporating elements of indie pop, surf rock and even big band jazz, they have an infectiously happy sound that translates perfectly to their live shows. If you want to know if their cover of the Divinyls’ I Touch Myself is as good live as it was on triple J, kick off your dusty Sunday by visiting their set.
Confidence Man
For those looking for a good old fashion boogie, Confidence Man will bring the beats. The electropop quartet from Brisbane combine the danceable pace of techno, the bright instruments of disco and the catchy melodies of pop to get feet moving. As the enigmatic Clarence McGuffie and Reggie Goodchild provide the music from the back, Janet Planet and Sugar Bones lead the audience as they dance along, ending the set just as sweaty and exhausted as the crowd. You can catch their amazing choreography on the Friday.
Photography Cole Bennetts
Triple One
While huge international rappers like Tyler the Creator and Denzel Curry are finally coming down under, their absence has been filled by new boom in Australian hip/hop talent. Leading this charge is one of the freshest and most accessible Australian hip/hop groups since the Hilltop Hoods. From Inner West Sydney, Triple One’s combination of producer Billy Gunns, rappers Obi Ill Terrors and Marty Large Bugatti, and singer Lil Dijon has resulted in some truly diverse sounding hip/hop. Their Saturday set will be the biggest of their short careers and a must see for all in attendance.
Chillinit
Everything that could be said about Triple One and Australian hip/hop goes double for Chillinit. The western Sydney rapper has taken the UK grime sound and made it distinctly Australian, most recently releasing his second album The Octagon. The vulgar, disrespectful and at times outright illegal rapper is living his best life, carving out an empire with a middle finger in the air. The festival organisers’ worst nightmare is notorious for his rowdiness, which includes stage diving off the awnings at Sydney’s Ivy Hotel, so, in case he’s never invited back, make sure you see his Splendour debut on the Saturday.
