Yours & Owls Festival 2019

As the days get longer and the nights shorter, the countdown is on until your favourite springtime festival hits the shores of Wollongong across October 5 & 6 for another year of sun, tunes and booze!

Just when you thought the festival couldn't get any better, the brains behind Yours & Owls Festival today announce the return of everyone's favourite heaving rave cave, Das Schmelthaus, plus have added a bunch of local creative artist collectives for you to get your #culture fix.

DAS SCHMELTHAUS
ASTROPHYSICAL MASER • BERTIE • BRIA • CARAVAN • CHIARA KICKDRUM •
DONALD'S HOUSE • GRAN TROCADERO • FRANCIS XAVIER & HOROWITZ • KALI • MERPH • MIKE WHO • SVETA • THE GHAN • TUNNEL VISION

You will experience well above standard atmospheric temperature and pressure, brought by a fiery lineup of DJs hand-picked by our one and only thirsty union boss. The Y & O crew have curated the ultimate rave cave line-up, borrowing some of Australia's best DJs from clubs around the country to create the Das Schmelthaus. Prepare yourselves for a non-stop party like nothing you've ever experienced!

Found in the quark information of Wollongong, Astrophysical Maser form of techno is scattered with flora and fauna; from bird calls, to the sound of wind in trees, the harnessing and borrowing of natural sound will support your brain's mitosis. Its techno from the future. It strays far and wide incorporating a palate of sounds unknown to the genre. His DJ and live sets induce flow states by blending techno and high energy electronic music of a multitude of genres.

Bertie started from humble beginnings playing in London with her pub-party Dance Pants, and now frequents Sydney haunts such as her spiritual home Freda's. An avid music collector, her sounds range from stomping house in the later night to her signature ethereal nu-wave synth pop reminiscent of sexual elegance and romance. F-U-N is the name of the game.

BRIA is a south coast gal, a presenter on FBi Radio and an all-round music lover. She first got behind the decks at a friend's party and realised how much fun could be had so she started collecting tracks and was getting gigs soon after. Playing around Wollongong and Sydney, BRIA has decided sticking to one genre isn't for her, you'll find her playing anything from funk/soul/disco to heavier bass and house music.

Caravan is a record collector, DJ and music producer who was born in France and came to Australia over a decade ago. Blending influences such as world and dance music he has released music on Ken Oath Records, Planet Trip and various remixes. His latest release has been supported by the likes of CC: DISCO!, John Gomez, Raphael Top Secret, Lauren Hansom, Millos Kaiser, Esa and Bayete.

Classically trained in piano in Italy and later exposed to electronic music after moving to Melbourne, Chiara has since moved into a well-respected position in the Melbourne electronic music movement through her dedication to a refined DJing technique and production of electronic music. DJing under the moniker Chiara Kickdrum, she has performed at venues across Australia and overseas, supporting international acts such as Kiasmos, Marcel Dettmann, Nina Kraviz, as well as appearing at Pitch Music Festival, Melbourne Music Week, Meredith Music Festival and Dark Mofo.

Hailing from Melbourne, James and Peter Isaacs are the brotherly duo Donald's House. Taking influence from Paradise Garage styled disco, early 90s house, Italo and anything with a DMX drum kit, their take on dance music is as refreshing as it is familiar. Much like their productions, their sets are centred around music that's heart is firmly locked in the 80s.

Gran Trocadero's maternal grandparents met at the Newtown dance hall and institution called the" Trocadero" located at 69 King St Newtown NSW. He'll be playing tunes that his grandparents heard blasting from his dad's car in the 1980s, and songs that parents dislike right now.

Sydney based producer / DJ / engineer/ synth hoarder Francis Zavier has been mixing it up with what can only be described as a homage to late nights spent in the dark recesses of studio and clubs over the world over.

Consuming underground records since his inception, Horowitz the east coast Australian is undoubtedly one of the prolific producer DJs in the heaving techno corner. With an avid auditory vision in his work, the Byron Bay bred artist is holds well-versed sound design and production techniques, shaping truly unique studio output.

Kali is Sydney club life's saving grace. A seasoned DJ having spent decades in the booth, her unrelenting energy, and elevated taste has masterminded local institution Picnic. Playing quality techno, house and disco at Sydney Festival, Subsonic, Vivid Sydney, Astral's People's Summer Dance and Mad Racket, Kali's music endeavours aren't limited to after dark. Of course, you can always stream her two Boiler Room sets at any time of the day.

Merph's taste and selections span across many genres, fueled by her love for research and exploration. Spring-boarding from foundations in left-field house and jazz, she has recently hit her stride extending her reach to all thing's bass and percs related. Considered as a staple on the local circuit and a well-seasoned opener, recently Merph has been headlining interstate shows Carefree & Daydreams [Melbourne] & Dente [Canberra] as well as recording mixes for Skylab and Beats of No Nation.

Knee deep in the DJ game from his late teens, Mike Who has always looked beyond trends to carve out his lane as a DJ, digger and radio host. Mike's range let's him take dance floors in any direction he's feeling, be it slow burning reggae, digi and lovers' cuts, street soul, hip hop or unearthed tropical melters all the way through to obscure boogie, disco, broken beat & the soulful side of house music.

From Sydney's fiercest and dearest club nights through to the underground parties that line New York City's sub-cultures and beyond, DJ Sveta has been socking it to audiences fresh from behind the decks for almost two decades. While she is celebrated locally with accolades including Best Local DJ from 3D world magazine and Best DJ award in the Best of Sydney 2008 Awards, Sveta has equally made her mark abroad in cities including New York, Paris, Italy, Japan, Copenhagen and Toronto

The solo alias of Russell Fitzgibbon, one half of Sydney electronic artists Fishing, The Ghan is a new outlet for productions on the more intense end of euphoria. His first releases on Body Promise are hypnotic excursions through early morning rhythm, percussive and propulsive, with an always uplifting rave-focussed melodic energy.

Distilling his own brand of modern house, Tunnel Vision is a young enigmatic producer from Wollongong. Pulling inspiration from 90s breakbeat and acid house, Tunnel Vision blends dark melodies with dance friendly rhythms.

THE LOCAL
CITRUS SESSIONS • CORTEX JOURNAL • ENOUGH SAID SLAM POETRY • HIDDEN HARVEST • JACUZZI STU • LOVELY FILM LAB • LOVERS & FLEURS • OCEAN SPACE COLLECTIVE • OVUHM • PRIDE TIDE • PULP ZINE • STRAWBERRY VISONS • TEEL STUDIOS • THE GOOD TIMES GATHERING • PULP ZINE • QUEER SPACE

The Local is set to become a mecca for some of the gongs' most talented and creative artist collectives. From music and poetry slams, to photography, book nooks and workshops (and more), there won't be a shortage of things to hear, see and do at The Local. Those looking to take a break from the party scene will be able to head to The Local to kick back and fully immerse themselves into the Yours & Owls Festival experience.

Hosting live music gigs across Wollongong with only a gold coin entry, Citrus Sessions will be a party you will never forget!

Taking lessons from science, philosophy, and history, and using them to articulate a vision for humans' place within the world, Cortex Journal is the ongoing collaborative project of multimedia visual artist and writer Alex Pike and writer Nicolas Ozolins.

Enough Said Poetry Slam began with the six-month Cafe Poet residency at Yours & Owls Café in Wollongong and is now broadening to include poetry activities across Wollongong and the Illawarra. Enough Said seeks to be a home for both emerging and established poets, showcasing local, national and international artists.

Hidden Harvest is a home grown not-for-profit who upskills the Wollongong community by giving them the tools and forks needed to tackle food waste and shape a sustainable food future. They dish up the big conversations about our food system and hope to activate a #MoreTasteLessWaste attitude in your kitchen, today!

Wollongong based community jacuzzi stu. shares a passion for dance music and introducing new themes to the regional electronic scene. Operating regular DJ workshops with the purpose of creating an accessible & encouraging space for women, trans & non-binary music enthusiasts to try their hand behind the decks, these workshops are facilitated at various music festivals and locations around the city.

Lovely Film Lab is Wollongong's newest and only film lab hand processing and scanning film at a professional level, striving to keep the medium alive and to support the rich, local photographic community here in the Gong! This year Lovely Film Lab will be joining The Local at Yours & Owls, hosting cyanotype workshops and mini exhibitions for both days.

Lovers & Fleurs the Label was created by two best friends and their love of everything silky, lacey and vintage and their frustration at the lack of sustainable fashion choices. L & F is vintage done differently! Through hand picking pieces from ethical sources, their aim to break the cycle of fast fashion and stop beautiful textiles ending up in Australian landfill.

The Ocean Space Collective emerged through a desire to inspire and excite individuals through the blending of Art x Science. As a collective, they want to develop a collaborative community for creatives and academics passionate about the conservation of our beautiful blue planet. Ocean Space is a place where this unique community can focus their efforts on facilitating the development of local conservation projects.

Ovuhm is an all-encompassing art collective, exploring ideas through performance art, movement and other mediums. They are committed to fostering a collaborative working environment and working alongside other established artists who have inspired our practice. As a female-centric group, the development and presentation of new works that engage with contemporary concerns relating to the female identity and gender disparity in the arts is integral to our practice.

Pride Tide is an arts and social night for the LGBTQIA+ community in Wollongong and the Illawarra. The series of events was started in 2015 to address a gap in Wollongong's nightlife and music scene and has aimed to create a space for LGBTQIA+ and all musicians and punters to socialise in a comfortable and inclusive environment.

An independent zine founded in 2018, Pulp Zine want to bring you the best of Wollongong's music, arts, and culture - fleshing it out, finding the juicy stuff, keeping the pulp.
Strawberry Visions is an art, party and management agency, proudly based in Wollongong, with a strong focus on community. Their monthly concept night 'Strawberry Boogie', aims to celebrate local creative culture, wherever the region. With three years under their belts, they have thrown parties in warehouses, bowlos and backyards and have seen acts like Japandroids, Donny Benet, Tiny Little Houses, Genesis Owusu and Body Type drop by on the way up.

Full-service creative agency in Wollongong's CBD, Teel Studios' creative team endeavour to produce only the highest standard of content ready for you to show off to the world.

The Good Times Gathering is an interactive performance that focuses on encouraging the audience to express themselves without fear of judgement and remember that life is profound, but also remarkably amusing. The event is facilitated by the Good Times Crew who break the ice by sharing their own philosophy, music, poetry and comedy.

Queer Space is a creative collective dedicated to creating safer spaces in Wollongong and beyond, running monthly queer parties, trivia nights and drag events throughout the gong/the multiverse.

Working up a sweat and want to sink into some tasty treats to tantalise those taste buds, well look no further as Yours & Owls Festival will be serving it up all festival long! With cuisine from all corners of the globe featuring Greek, Spanish, Balinese and Mexican to burgers. Local foodie favs Samaras, Da Orlando, Bali Spice Magic, 2 Smoking Barrels will join outta town festy favs, Pilgrims, Inbocca, Fanny's Fab Fare, Dumpling Time and Avocado Hut. There is something for every shape, size and dietary requirement.

Tickets for Yours & Owls Festival are close to selling out, so you better get in quick! Gather your crew and hit the road for one unforgettable weekend!