ARTISTS
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Grace Barbé is an ARIA nominated and multi award-winning singer, songwriter, and bass player hailing from the sunburnt Indian Ocean islands of the Seychelles- where a colourful history of slavery, pirates, coups d'etat and coconuts have produced a unique Kreol rhythm, language and culture. Drawing from the diverse cultural melange of the islands, Grace's music fuses the tropical rhythms and dances of the slaves with psychedelic rock, afrobeat, reggae and pop.
In performance Grace's trio conjures a bewilderingly huge sound - Barbé sings over her own complex polyrhythmic bass lines to Mauritian drummer Hardy Perrine's authentic island grooves while guitarist Jamie Searle adds a dense layer of Afro - guitar sorcery.
Grace has taken out the WAM (WA Music Industry) "Best Vocalist" for the second year in a row, Best Bassist, and Best World Act (11 years consecutively). In 2020,Grace's third album FANM:WOMAN, received an ARIA nomination for "Best World Music Album", an NLMA (National Live Music Australia) nomination for "Best Live Bassist".
Grace has been enticing audiences to get up and shake their coconuts since the release of her debut album Kreol Daughter in 2009, with appearances all over India, East Africa (Sauti Za Busara Festival, Zanzibar) and the Indian Ocean (Sakifo Festival, La Reunion) as well as at Australia's leading music festivals, including WOMADelaide, WOMAD New Zealand, Byron Bay Bluesfest, and Woodford Folk Festival. Currently, Grace is touring the world and playing bass for Melbourne’s long standing live band,The Cat Empire.
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Three lads escape the mundane on a pedantic search for spicy sounds, Grand Casual are an eclectic bunch. From the anxious organised front man, to the resourceful guitar mechanic, and the exuberant comedic drummer, this is something else. Known for an exceptional live presence and genre-bending sounds, it’s no surprise the catchphrase “There’s nothing casual about these guys” has left the lips of more than one delighted audience member.
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Bad Whip is the improvisational dance music duo of Alex Reid (drums) and Josiah Padmanabhan (synths) of prominent Boorloo/Perth outfit Grievous Bodily Calm. The partner setting allows the duo to explore pure improvisation and reactivity within a drum machine techno driven universe. Bad Whip acts as a means to create spontaneous composition and to test the boundaries of the duo’s musical connection formed over the last nine years of intense writing, recording and performing together. Bad Whip have played festivals such as Perth Festival, Wave Rock Weekender, RTRFM’s Radiothon, Perth International Jazz Festival and have supported the likes of Caribou & Tinariwen. The future will see Bad Whip recording their debut effort and further experimentation in the interface between produced and live music.
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Hailing from Bridgetown, WAM award nominated songwriter Charlie Youngson is a young, Fremantle based blues-folk artist whose set brings a unique blend of high energy technical guitar work and folky storytelling. From playing at Optus Stadium, to opening for artists including Ash Grunwald, Kim Churchill, Steph Strings, Vika and Linda Bull and more, Charlie has been making waves as he’s broken in to the Perth music scene. Charlie’s guitar playing has gained millions of views online and he will be joined by a powerhouse rhythm section, comprised of Owen Loaring on bass and Toby Keeffe on drums, elevating the electric blues-rock sound.
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Jaime Jackett is a defiantly joyful pop artist based on Djugun and Yawuru Country, in Rubibi - Broome, WA. She writes hook driven songs which she laughingly calls ‘genre fluid’ - pulling in threads of blues, rock, folk and soul - revolving around a voice that can quiet a room in the first verse, and a commanding, yet quirky and exuberant stage presence.
A self-professed singing junkie, with a love for ‘ordinary’ voices singing just for the joy of it, she is known in her community for her various choir projects, and involving them in her shows, and will encourage a sing-a-long at any opportunity.
Balmy Nights marks the final stop and only full-band performance on a tour of the Southwest, where she’s been road-testing material for her next album - in the dreaming and scheming phase for 2027 - and reconnecting with friends in the region.
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Born on the south coast of Western Australia, this Esperance-based four-piece brings together the talents of Rowan Donovan, Jemma Donovan, Ross Hodges and Hutchy to deliver a blend of indie rock and roll that's equal parts grit, melody and energy. Drawing inspiration from life on the edge of the continent, their sound pairs driving rhythms with rich harmonies and a laid-back coastal spirit, creating performances that feel both intimate and undeniably powerful.