The first of Oxford Art Factory’s ‘FREEDOM’ events for 2018 is firing up this long weekend, and an interesting night of music awaits…
The reason I say interesting is because the list of musicians on the bill is so incredibly diverse. There really is something for everyone: Good Boy for the arm swinging, mosh-pitting blokes, Ara Koufax for the blissed out trippers, Retiree for the slow-dancing love birds, and much more for everyone else… if I missed any stereotypical live music goers.
If you’re heading to Freedom this weekend, be sure to check out our picks for the top three up-and-comers:
Good Boy
Indie rockers Good Boy headline the bill, and they are a must-see. The Brissie based three-piece have been making noise since their debut single ‘Transparency’ in 2015. Triple J unearthed music director Dave Ruby Howe has given them a raving review on the unearthed website, mentioning that they “smashed” a live set he saw recently. Along with the rave reviews and radio time, their cheeky, Australian vernacular sets them apart from a lot of other acts in their genre. One example of this is their fast paced single ‘Poverty Line’, which creatively dissects living below the poverty threshold in just over three minutes.
Ara Koufax
Ara Koufax, the side to side electronic music gurus from Melbourne are also on the bill. They’ll be fresh off a Thursday night set supporting highly regarded Aussie act Cut Copy, and if that’s an indicator of where they’re at musically you’ll be in for a treat come Saturday night. Their slow burning track ‘Brenda’ has over 500,000 streams on Spotify, and for good reason. Listen below:
Retiree
Retiree are a well established Sydney/Melbourne trio with straight-shooting lyricism and clever melodies. Their discography ranges from slow and thought-provoking songs to downright toe tappers. Claiming to bring all instruments – from wood-blocks to drum machines – to compliment their live set, seeing these gentlemen perform would be a pleasure.
A diverse showcase of live music is on offer at Oxford Art Factory, and all you need to do is RSVP here. See you there!