Australia, prepare to enter the new era of alternative rock and punk with NEW BLOOM FEST, a brand-new touring festival set to launch in 2024.
Turning the spotlight firmly on the freshest up-and-coming artists in the scene, NEW BLOOM FEST’s inaugural events next March will kick off with an unforgettable bang, with American rockers CITIZEN, post-hardcore heroes MOVEMENTS, L.A. emotive hard-hitters TOUCHE AMORE and pop punk powerhouse NO PRESSURE all lined up to rattle the collective roofs in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, alongside alternative rockers FLESHWATER and grunge shoegaze duo SOFTCULT both performing as part of their debut Australian appearances. Also joining the sweltering international line-up will be an army of stellar local acts in each city to showcase the incredible might of the modern alternative scene at home and beyond.
Wielding quiet ballads, distorted rock anthems and everything in between, American rockers CITIZEN are a band impossible to resist and even more difficult to forget. Straddling the realms of post hardcore, shoegaze and pop alongside guitar-driven rock’n’roll, CITIZEN most recently furthered their enduring appeal via their fifth album Calling The Dogs; the band’s first album as a full five piece, and a resounding rebirth overall. From playing as teenagers in local dive bars to selling out theatres and appearing at festivals around the world, CITIZEN are a must-hear and must-see act, back and bigger than ever before.
Orange County rockers MOVEMENTS weave an intimate beauty into their post hardcore-meets-alternative-rock creations, with their latest album RUCKUS! dexterously showcasing their signature tension-and-release style in a whole new way. Off the back of a whirlwind few years at MOVEMENTS HQ, with their 2020 album No Good Left to Give debuting at #3 on the Alternative charts and their streams doubling to over 200 million streams in the U.S alone, MOVEMENTS continue to evolve and excite – and their return down under will offer fans a chance to witness them in a whole new light.
Hailing from Los Angeles, TOUCHE AMORE have spent over a decade burrowing into themes of angst, alienation, cancer and death. From the release of their 2009 debut album …To the Beat of a Dead Horse through to their 2020 opus Lament, TOUCHE AMORE have actively matured alongside their releases, emerging on the latter with a nuanced collection of songs that fuse hard-won optimism into ferocious yet delicate terrain. From performances at Coachella Festival to touring alongside Balance and Composure and Every Time I Die, TOUCHE AMORE are always ready to stun in a live setting.
Bringing together members from The Story So Far, Light Years and Drain, pop punks NO PRESSURE embrace 90s flavours with energised modern injections, crafting familiar yet infectious earworms that will always leave you wanting more. Releasing their debut EP No Pressure in 2020, NO PRESSURE followed up with their debut self-titled full length in 2022, with breakout singles Too Far and Lock it Up bustling with hooks, polished production and buoyant melodics. A band who can effortlessly tease a smile out of any crowd, the times will be fast and fun next March when NO PRESSURE take the stage.
Conceived in 2017, America’s FLESH WATER has constantly cultivated a global cult-like following, ignited by the release of their 2020 debut EP, the aptly titled demo2020. Via their early single Linda Claire, which has gone on to generate over 3 million individual streams on Spotify alone, the scene was set for the 90s and early 2000s rock-inspired group to step beyond the underground. Since then, FLESH WATER have toured alongside No Pressure and Koyo, released their debut album, 2022’s We’re Not Here To Be Loved, and will head to Australia for the first time ever in 2024 as part of NEW BLOOM FEST.
Stepping beyond their comfort zones as the world crumbled in 2020, twin sisters Phoenix and Mercedes Arn-Horn, aka SOFTCULT, pivoted their decade of making music together into new creative waters. Spurred by the upheavals of 2020, including the Black Lives Matter movement and the ongoing pandemic, the sisters channelled their frustrations into their new sonic direction, seamlessly mixing grunge, shoegaze, dream pop and punk with a meaningful message. Don’t miss the SOFTCULT live experience next year when the pair head to our shores for their debut Australian performances.
Also joining the stalwart international line-up in Brisbane will be none other than Gold Coast screamo band BLINDGIRLS, Newcastle alternative bright lights EAT YOUR HEART OUT, Brisbane emotive punks BAD NEIGHBOUR, and Brisbane dynamic rock quartet SUNBLEACHED.
Sydney will feature Perth hardcore heroes NO BRAINER, Western Sydney alt-country punks AMENDS, and indie rock supergroup PEACE RITUAL.
And joining the festivities in Melbourne will be Melbourne’s own hardcore heavies BORN FREE, alternative/emo rockers BETTER HALF, and post-hardcore-meets-shoegaze metallers POST HEAVEN.
A festival overflowing with exceptional fresh talent from the alternative and punk scene at home and abroad, come and join the first ever NEW BLOOM FEST in 2024 – this is an event not to be missed.
FESTIVAL DATES
Friday, 15th March: Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane 18+
Saturday, 16th March: UNSW Roundhouse, Sydney 18+
Sunday, 17th March: Melbourne Pavilion, Melbourne 18+
