The outdoor festival will be jam-packed with incredible music and summertime fun for all. We’ve got the goods on what you can expect from the epic street party.
Thundamentals
One of Australia’s most beloved hip hop acts, Sydney-via-Blue Mountains trio Thundamentals are celebrating their tenth anniversary this year. From their debut self-titled EP in 2008 through to their fourth album Everyone We Know last year, relentless touring, and support slots for the likes of A Tribe Called Quest and Macklemore, the band has evolved to become one of our most exciting live acts. “There are lots of things to look forward to in 2018. The marriage of Prince Harry, the winter games in South Korea, the FIFA World Cup in Russia and Thundamentals playing at Pier St Festival are a few things that will go down in history this year,” the band says.
Art vs Science
Sydney-based three-piece Art vs Science have come a long way since 2009. If you haven’t spent at least a handful of nights pogoing along to ‘Parlez-vous Francais?’ then where have you been? In 2011 the band won an ARIA for Best Independent Album and cemented their reputation for dynamic live shows in the process. Now they’re taking us back to their roots, following up their 2015 album Off the Edge of the Earth and into Forever, Forever with a cracker of a single called ‘Wickoo’. Art vs Science’s predictions for Pier Street are simple, “There’s going to be beers, babes, and good music. It’s gonna crank.”
Gyroscope
While we’re talking about anniversaries, Perth band Gyroscope have just ticked over two decades as a band and 14 years since dropping their breakthrough debut Sound Shattering Sound – feel old yet? After releasing their fourth album Cohesion in 2010, a brief hiatus, and some scattered shows thereafter, 2017 finally saw some new tunes. The double A-side single ‘Crooked Thought’ / ‘DABS’ proved that seven years out of the studio is no time at all for Gyroscope. 2018 is set to be a cracker. “We’re going back into the studio to record some more tunes – pretty excited about what we might happen in there. We are hungrier than ever to play live shows.”
The Getaway Plan
Melbourne rockers The Getaway Plan have covered the musical spectrum in their 14-year career – from the post-hardcore Hold Conversation, to their breakthrough debut Other Voices, Other Rooms (which just celebrated its own tenth birthday), the ethereal textures of Requiem and 2015’s crowd-funded LP Dark Horses. It’s been a bumpy ride, but if their recent shows are anything to go by whatever comes next might just be their best yet. “2018 is looking to be the year of the unknown for us, we’ve decided to keep the calendar relatively clear to really focus on writing and creating without constraints. Anything is possible and we’re all really excited for what will come of it.”
Rackett
Sydney four-piece Rackett make loud and experimental punk-pop, there’s no other way to describe it. In just a year, the band moved from virtual anonymity to playing in major theatres and gracing the stages of festivals throughout Australia. Along the way they’ve earned themselves one heck of a live reputation, supporting the likes of The Darkness, Killing Heidi, Stonefield, and DZ Deathrays, just to name a few. 2018 is set to be a corker for the band. “We’re most looking forward to playing on bigger stages, sharing our new music with new and old fans, seeing our favourite childhood bands on the same festival bills as us and in general, playing more music than working our day jobs.”
Jesswar
Brisbane-based Fijian hip-hop artist Jesswar is driven, hungry and continuing to prove it. Making a name for herself on stages across the country, she’s already supported the likes of 360, Tkay Maidza, Bliss N Eso, Allday, and Lady Leshurr – and that was before she’d even released an official single. With the gritty ‘Savage’ now under her belt and an EP on the way, Jesswar is definitely an artist to keep an eye on in 2018. “I’m hungry to keep pushing for bigger and better things and I’m stoked at the progress so far. 2018 has definitely kicked off fast and I’m ready for what it has in store for me.”
More Than Just Music
While the musical offering is top notch, The Pier Street Party is more than just music. A bunch of streetside pop-up bars will be open throughout the day, with a wide selection of beverages to quench everyone’s thirst. A variety of food trucks will also be pulling up, so you can keep fuelled throughout the day. If you’re keen to get out of the city early and take part in something incredibly vital to keeping the Frankston Pier pristine, Sea Shepherd will be hosting a beach cleanup from 11am – meet at the Pier and start your day the right way.
Getting There
Catch a train to Frankston Station and make your way over. Walking will take you less than ten minutes, if you’ve got your bike then you’ll be there in three or just take the 772 bus to Pier Promenade. There’s also a Safe Taxi Rank on the corner of Davey St & Young St and the site has wheelchair accessible pathways to ensure everyone can head along.
