A Local Girl’s Guide to the Best Music in Adelaide

(Feature published in ET)

Adelaide’s music scene is thriving at the moment; we have so many artists emerging from all different directions, mostly out of high school, with such unique and captivating sounds. Gigs are so incredible to me because you’re there with a bunch of other like-minded people, connecting with yourself and others through music.

I feel like local music culture has never really changed since the 70s, 80s, and 90s; there’s always been a steady flow of artists experimenting with techniques and sounds within the rock genre, like Redgum and The Angels, for example. Sometimes I look at people in their thrifted denim jeans, long messy hair, and sneakers and think I am in the 80s, just like my parents were.

As a born and raised Adelaide gal who loves her city, I thoroughly urge you to go down to any Adelaide music venue/pub, grab a beer with your mates, catch any one of these bands, and support local artists - you won’t regret it.

So, without further ado, here are some of my favourite artists flourishing in little ol’ Adelaide:

West Thebarton

Formerly known as West Thebarton Brothel Party, West Thebarton are a 7-piece band with heavy rock sounds and harsh vocals. They rep Adelaide hard, hence the name West Thebarton, and for that we love them dearly. My personal favourite songs are ‘Dolewave’, ‘Moving Out’, and ‘Billions’.

Horror My Friend

Horror My Friend is one of my favourite bands ever, we are truly blessed to have them reside in the City of Adelaide. Two of the seven members of West Thebarton, Josh Battersby and Tom Gordon, along with their mate Sam Kolesnik make some bloody beautiful music together. Charming guitar sounds, screechy vocals, and heaving drumming make up the Horror My Friend signature sound. If you’re unfamiliar with their music, I recommend giving ‘A Million Hands’, ‘Pb Remains’, and ‘Admit None’ a listen.

Goon Wizarrd

A great band to see live, Goon Wizarrd have an intense garage punk-rock sound. “Taking the ‘R’ out of ‘Radelaide’ and chucking it in ‘Wizarrd’” is how the band describes themselves on their Facebook page, which must be a good thing. All of their songs are lovely, but I recommend ‘specpterodacular’, ‘mediocre mountain’, and ‘single player jenga’ to start with.

Druid Fluids

Druid Fluids are a 3-piece psychedelic rock band heavily influenced by the likes of Tame Impala and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Their sound is smooth, heavy, and juicy all at the same time; a must listen if you enjoy floating away from reality atop a fluffy cloud. Their songs are filled with a lot of reverb, a lot of vocals, and a lot of melty guitar; it’s incredible. My favourite songs of theirs include ‘Out of Phase’, ‘Dr. Miller’, and ‘My Heart Pumps Custard’.

Glass Skies

Think dad band, but *cool* dad band. Amazing, heavy psychedelic rock, Glass Skies are about as 70s as you can get without time travelling. The band recently picked up a new female vocalist named Hana which has added a unique feminine sound to their otherwise masculine-heavy formation. Their best tunes are ‘Bullets’, Cypress America’, and ‘Still Here’.

The Empty Threats

I was blown away the first time I saw these guys, their energy and stage presence is so incredible. When the lead singer, Stuart Patterson, whipped out his clarinet to play a song I knew they couldn’t get any cooler. The music itself is dynamic psychedelic rock with seductive vocals, airy drumming, and mellow guitar. I recommend listening to ‘Babies on Acid’, ‘Bloated Furniture’, and ‘Psychobabble Pt. 2’ from their debut EP Psychobabble.