Ecstatic Ephemera: All The Good Things
And the long-awaited return of festival shenanigans, just in time for summer.
I cannot remember the last time I went to an all-day festival. It’s likely not been quite a decade or less. However, what I do know for certain is that my body is not, nor will it likely ever be, completely ready to engage in these sorts of shenanigans again. And yet, we must persevere and march on once more into that bright, sweaty, sunscreen-slathered breach.
With an eclectic line-up of festival staples, local heavy hitters, and exciting newcomers, I’ve rounded up a list of the acts I’m excited to see at this year’s Good Things festival as a primer for those of us willing to put our bodies on the line for the love of the music. (Yes, look, I know this is all a bit melodramatic, okay? Just go with it. Trust me. It’s fine.) Enjoy!
Kisschasy – “Do-Do's And Whoa-Oh’s”
Bring Me The Horizon – “Shadow Moses”
I remember when Sempiternal dropped in 2013, and the alternative music scene lost its collective mind. Bring Me The Horizon’s fourth LP and major-label debut was a bold statement of intent, fusing their rowdy metalcore past with EDM, ambient, and orchestral elements, approaching something close to the mainstream accessibility of Linkin Park’s alt-metal crossover. Unsurprisingly, it worked—extremely well.
The Terry Date-produced record signalled the beginning of the band’s mainstream dominance and put them on the path of future collaborations with the likes of a Royal Albert Hall orchestra and Ed Sheeran. And who could forget the ubiquitousness of the “sandpit turtle” misheard lyric video? Ah, yes, 2013. It twas but a simpler time.
Cosmic Psychos – “Nice Day To Go To The Pub”
Deftones – “Swerve City”
I feel like Koi No Yokan is an underrated part of the greater Deftones canon. I’m yet to see it spoken about with the same kind of reverence as 2008’s Diamond Eyes or 2000’s iconic White Pony. But with the album reaching its first-decade milestone this year, perhaps we’re overdue for a critical reevaluation.
Listening to “Swerve City,” it’s hard to deny that all the elemental pieces are they: frontman Chino Moreno’s signature soaring wail, an impeccably locked-in rhythmic backbone, and neck-snapping riffs galore. It’s a stadium-ready gem practically begging for crowd participation.
Millencolin – “Battery Check”
The Amity Affliction – “Chasing Ghosts”
It’s wild to me that The Amity Affliction will cross their twentieth anniversary next year. Even wilder is that, as a human being in my mid-30s, I’ve now been listening to this Gympie-come-global outfit for half my entire time on this godforsaken Earth. From spinning the band’s self-titled EP in my Sony Discman during school holidays on my parent’s farm to jamming their most recent single, I’ve been there for (almost) all of it.
2012’s Chasing Ghosts marked a change from the band’s earlier, more playful material into the streamlined metalcore juggernaut they are today, and it had the privilege of turning ten this year. Time, flat circles, etc.
Blood Command – “The End is Her”
Gojira – “L’enfant Sauvage”
In those painfully naive days of the early 2010s, I had no idea who Gojira were. I mention this fact only as a necessary preface to the following admission: 2012’s L’Enfant Sauvage was my first introduction to the French metal quartet. To dedicated fans, this will likely seem blasphemous, especially considering that 2005’s From Mars to Sirius is almost universally recognised to be a prog-metal masterpiece and utterly essential listening. (It’s fine; don’t @ me.)
That said, hearing the record’s title track for the first time was an electric, ear-opening experience. Thunderous polyrhythms, chugged-out riffage, strained vocal lines—all of it felt new and exciting to my little virgin ears. I’ve been a devout follower ever since, and I can’t wait to check them out live.
NOFX – “Franco Un-American”
The Story So Far – “Upside Down”
It’s clear that on 2018’s Proper Dose, Cali outfit The Story So Far were looking to take a step back from their kinetic origins in stage-dive-worthy pop punk and let things chill out a bit. On their fourth LP, gentle indie and swirling shoegaze influences fight for dominance against the restless, urgent pull of frontman Parker Cannon’s brash lyricism.
Nowhere is this more apparent than on the about-face heel turn of “Upside Down”: a wistful, tear-jerking slow burn resting on a smooth, mid-tempo groove and a chorus bolstered by gorgeous overlayed harmonies. A dead-set stunner, fan favourite, and an instant crowd-pleaser.
Sleeping With Sirens – “If I’m James Dean, You’re Audrey Hepburn”
Polaris – “Lucid”
I saw Polaris live for the first time in early 2016. They played third on a four-band bill as the main support for the now-defunct Stories. In my gig review, I expressed bemusement at how the group were yet to be snatched up by serious label interest:
“Do they have the live chops to back up their quick rise? Can ARIA success actually translate to kids showing up and giving a shit in this pay-whatever-the-fuck-you-feel-its-worth digital age? The answer to both questions is a resounding ‘ken oath.’”
The band would soon sign with Aussie powerhouse Resist Records later that year before unfurling their absolute monster debut full-length, The Mortal Coil, in 2017, quickly putting to bed any doubt about their future ascendancy within the annals of global metalcore. It only takes one listen to lead single and album opener, “Lucid,” to know that this young Sydney quintet were always destined for greatness.
For a more comprehensive deep dive, check out our upcoming Ecstatic Ephemera episode on The Pitch of Discontent podcast, where my lovely co-host and I go through all of these bands, tracks, and records. Listen below:
You can also find these tracks and more on the TPD // All The Good Things playlist.