New For Now

September 13 - Newcastle, AUS

Words by Savannah Gallimore

**Newcastle Brings the Noise: New for Now Recap**

Newcastle’s New for Now festival was a night full of energy and genre-bending performances. Bar on the Hill, located at the University of Newcastle, was the perfect venue for the night. The lineup was a well-curated mix of rising local talent and national acts. From folk to punk energy, indie pop to psych rock, each act brought something unique to the stage. Still, the heart of the night undeniably belonged to hometown heroes Rum Jungle, who closed out the evening with an electric set that reminded everyone why live music in Newcastle feels so special.

Opening the night was Chain Daisy, a local alternative indie-folk group, who established the tone with their euphoric performance. The singers had her microphone stands wrapped in beautiful shawls, with everyone in the band dressed to impress. It was impossible to take your eyes off the stage. The crowd was entranced by their ethereal vocals and layered instrumentation. Chain Daisy’s set was truly a dream-like experience and a captivating beginning to the evening.

Next to the stage was another local act, Horse. They electrified the room with their post-punk sound and intoxicating stage presence. This set had a darker, grittier tone than the previous one and was equally as enticing. Their powerful riffs and vibrant energy felt tailor-made for the city’s underground scene.

Horse

Photos by Nikola Jokanovic

Canberra’s Sonic Reducer followed with an unapologetically loud and chaotic punk set, keeping the energy high and the crowd jumping. From beginning to end, Sonic Reducer demanded attention from everyone in the room with their ferocious, reckless, no-frills performance. Easily becoming a crowd favorite, it was impossible not to dance around and feel the energy that raged through the air the second they stepped onstage.

Sonic Reducer

Photos by Nikola Jokanovic

Then came Bean Magazine, a three-piece indie rock group from Brisbane, whose refreshingly melodic and comforting set added a dose of charm to the mix. Showcasing their undeniably danceable discography, they gave a sunny and effortlessly cool performance delivered with heart and style.

Bean Magazine

Photos by Nikola Jokanovic

Fool Nelson, all the way from Western Australia, took the stage with a raw intensity that kept the festival’s momentum charging forward. One of my current favorite songs, “Bad Dreams,” was so fun live and had the crowd buzzing. Leaning into their indie-rock sound, this trio made the room fill with their intoxicating rhythms and liveliness.

Fool Nelson

Photos by Nikola Jokanovic

Brisbane singer Sycco brought a refreshing shift in energy with her genre-bending sound. Sycco invited a unique psychedelic, R&B, synth-pop set that had everyone grooving. From the very first track, it was clear that she wasn’t just performing; she was inviting the crowd into her own carefully crafted world. This performance was so exciting and vivacious, she truly knows how to command a room.

Sycco

Photos by Nikola Jokanovic

Closing out the night in front of a now packed and rowdy hometown crowd, Rum Jungle delivered one of the most high-energy, captivating sets I’d seen in a long time. From the moment they stepped on stage, there was a palpable shift in the atmosphere, like everyone had been saving something extra just for them. Looking out into the crowd, I saw people on shoulders, arms raised, and lyrics shouted back with the kind of passion you only get at a hometown gig. Their ability to balance chill, indie vibes with bursts of heavier rock energy gave their set a dynamic flow that kept the crowd engaged from start to finish. Everyone in the room was exuding a shared feeling of pure joy and excitement. By the time they closed the set, it didn’t feel like the end of the night, but the peak of it. Arms around shoulders and a sea of voices shouting every word, it was the kind of finale that cements a band’s place not just as performers, but as part of the community they came from.