More than 200 artists will descend on venues from Westgarth to Preston as part of The Eighty-Six’s just-announced marquee event, Super Saturday. Organisers of the new Melbourne festival have revealed more details about the inaugural event, which will take place in numerous venues on High Street from Monday, 23rd October to Tuesday, 31st October.
Super Saturday will be the centrepiece of The Eighty-Six, with dozens of labels, collectives, music agencies, artists, and more curating events across venues of all sizes – from familiar clubs and pubs to bocce courts and record shops. Super Saturday will run for nearly 24 hours on Saturday, 28th October. Also, it’s all free – you just need to register.
Los Bitchos: ‘Good To Go!’
The new Melbourne festival was announced in May this year, with acts like London-based instrumental quartet Los Bitchos, Kyoto punks Otoboke Beaver, UK indie favourite Connie Constance, and the pride of Boise Built to Spill all locked in to play. In early July, Theo Parrish, Unknown T, and Dennis Bovell were added to the lineup. More artists are set to be announced soon.
Outside of spilling the beans on Super Saturday, organisers have revealed plans for two more events: a food and music throwdown (and dog parade and costume contest) curated by 1800 Lasagne dubbed the 1800 Street Party, and a huge record label expo called the Independent Music Exchange.
The Independent Music Exchange will take place across Saturday, 28th and Sunday, 29th October, and see dozens of local labels – including presenters Efficient Space and Butter Sessions, plus Chapter Music, Our Golden Friend, Music In Exile, Poison City, Anti Fade and UNFD – converge to sling their wares. Expect artist signings, test pressings, cassettes, zines, exclusive merch and more.
“Melbourne is one of the world’s great music cities,” The Eighty-Six co-founder and artistic director, Woody McDonald said in a statement. “A hub of discovery and subculture, where art and entrepreneurial spirit are valued. It also produces a wild amount of music and is internationally considered a hotbed of musical greatness.
“I’ve always felt Melbourne needed a festival that stays within and elevates our grassroots environment. The Eighty-Six’s goal is to do this, and there’s currently no better area than High Street to be our festival precinct.”
Super Saturday – Saturday, 28th October
Venues
- Capers
- Hard Out
- Merri Creek Tavern
- Shotkickers
- Northcote Theatre
- Bar 303
- Thornbury Bowls Club
- The Thorn
- 24 Moons
- Thornbury Theatre
- Croxton Bandroom
- Cactus Room
- Swill
- Cafe Gummo
- Thornbury Local
- Franklin’s
- Moon Dog
- Wesley Anne
- Desert Highways
- Barton Fink
- Gertrude Contemporary
- Nasty’s
- Reading Room
- The Keys
- JOLT Arts
- Francesca’s Bar
- Northcote Uniting Church
- Thornbury Espresso
- Low Key
- Pallino
- Thornbury Picture House
- Open Studio
- Northcote Social Club
- Eastmint
- The Salvation Army Hall
- Tallboy & Moose
- Ladadika Taverna
- + more TBA
Party Hosts
- 3RRR
- Milo Eastwood
- Songlines
- Northside
- Moody
- Enjoy Your Stay
- Blow Blood
- Jet Black Cat Presents
- Love Police
- Mike Gurrieri
- Soju Gang
- Forward Ever
- Collective Artists
- Rowdy’s
- CONTENT.NET.AU
- Anti-Fade
- Finding Figaro
- Wally Cheersquad
- Omniversal Hum
- SF ARRESTER x WALLSTAR
- Mistletone
- Tangle Agency
- STUDIO Hope St Radio x All Are Welcome
- JOLT Arts
- Habibi Hafla x Mähallä
- The Round Table x Finders Keepers
- No Lights No Lycra
- Sound Merch
- When Pigs Fly
- Made In The Shade
- 1800 Lasagne
- Press Play Presents
- Decibels Youth Music and Arts
- Skylab
Independent Music Exchange – Saturday, 28th & Sunday, 29th October
Labels
- Albert’s Basement
- Altered States Tapes
- Animals Dancing
- Anti Fade
- Bedroom Suck
- Butter Sessions
- Chapter Music
- Cheersquad
- College Of Knowledge
- Companion
- Cooking Vinyl Australia
- Cool Death
- Domestic La La
- Domino
- Dot Dash
- Efficient Space
- Elations
- Fresh Hold
- Good Company
- Holiday Maker
- Hopestreet
- It
- KGLW
- La Sape
- Love Above
- Love Police
- Lulu’s Sonic Disc Club
- Mushroom Group
- Music in Exile
- Northside
- ONO
- Our Golden Friend
- Pointer
- Poison City
- Ramble
- Remote Control
- Research
- The Roundtable
- Snail Editions
- Sorcerer
- Southern Exposure
- Spoilsport
- Tiny Town
- UNFD
- Vessel
- Wax’o Paradiso
- + more TBA
The Eighty-Six 2023 Lineup
- Otoboke Beaver
- Connie Constance
- Los Bitchos
- Makaya McCraven
- Built To Spill
- How Long Gone (Live)
- Theo Parrish
- Unknown T
- Ros Bandt & Ariel Kalma
- The Preston Records Revue
- 1800 Street Party
- …more to be announced
Dates & Venues
- Monday, 23rd October to Tuesday, 31st October – Various venues, Westgarth to Preston, Melbourne
For more information and to register for tickets, head to The Eighty-Six website.
Further Reading
Theo Parrish, Unknown T & More Added To Melbourne Fest The Eighty-Six
First Acts Announced for Melbourne’s Newest Festival The Eighty-Six
Sydney’s Newtown Festival Calls It a Day After More Than 40 Years
