When festival season collides with local knowledge, magic happens, and Grace Cummings has the insider intel on Croxton Block Party.
Thornbury’s iconic Croxton Bandroom, well loved by local Grace Cummings, of course, is transforming its carpark into festival central for The Croxton Block Party this November, unleashing a powerhouse lineup that reads like a who’s who of Australian rock royalty.
Tropical Fuck Storm and Spiderbait anchor the bill alongside Cash Savage and the Last Drinks, Ratcat, Floodlights, Party Dozen and Grace herself; a celebration that’s equal parts homecoming and cultural declaration.
The Croxton Block Party – Thornbury
- Saturday 1 November, The Croxton Bandroom, Thornbury
- Sunday 2 November, The Croxton Bandroom, Thornbury
- Tickets from thecroxton.com.au
- General public sale: Wednesday 6 August, 10am
Check out our gig guide, our festival guide, our live music venue guide and our nightclub guide. Follow us on Instagram here.
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This isn’t just another festival thrown together in a field. The Croxton Block Party marks 10 years since the venue’s resurrection as Melbourne’s most authentic live music destination, evolving from forgotten relic to the beating heart of the city’s underground scene.
Its weathered walls have absorbed the sweat and stories of international legends like Eagles of Death Metal, Suicidal Tendencies and L7, while nurturing the meteoric rise of homegrown heroes DZ Deathrays, G Flip and The Chats. The carpark festival represents the venue’s ultimate evolution, spilling its legendary energy into the streets of Thornbury itself.
When you’re a Thornbury local pulling double duty as both performer and neighbourhood ambassador at The Croxton Block Party, you develop strong opinions about how to properly navigate festival weekend.
Grace Cummings has walked these streets long enough to know where the real treasures hide, and her curated survival guide cuts through the tourist traps to deliver the authentic Thornbury experience that makes this corner of Melbourne so bloody special.
Visit Fully Booked
Used bookshops are few and far between lately but are some of the best places anywhere in the world. There’s a good one on High Street run by beautiful people who offer a safe little sanctuary for those who like to get amongst stories. It doesn’t make you want to wear anything noise cancelling in your ears and helps you find gold people don’t print anymore. The perfect pre-show ritual for book lovers seeking literary treasures.
Go for a walk on the Darebin Parklands Spiritual Healing Trail
This place takes the trouble from your mind and tricks you for a bit into thinking you’re far away from suburbia. The Wurundjeri, Woiwurrung people have cared for this land for many millennia and have invited anybody in need of some peace to go there and find some on the creek, amongst the most beautiful gum trees. Grace likes to wash her hands in the water before crossing the bridge to the other side – a moment of calm before the festival chaos begins.
See a show at The Croxton, of course
Lucky for festival-goers, there’s a big one happening in the carpark with a whole lot of legends on the bill. Grace has played a bunch of shows at The Croxton and seen some of her favourite bands there too. Vibes are always high and the venue doesn’t do stuff like take a profit from bands’ merch. Supporting The Croxton is supporting something one-of-a-kind in Melbourne’s music landscape.
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Get chicken and chips from Croxton Rooster
Honestly, chicken shops are actually the best. Sometimes Grace can’t really wait to eat the chicken and eats it on the way home, finishing it before getting in the door. There’s lots of fancy things that pop up in the neighbourhood but nothing is gonna give you the hug you need like a family making you a quarter chicken and breaking the shallow promise to yourself that you’re not gonna eat it like an absolute rat. Essential festival fuel.
Thornbury Espresso Bar
Yes, Grace is referencing getting coffee in Melbourne and acknowledges you can all sue her. This place is sick and it’s also next to the tobacconist she frequents, creating a magical two-stop-shop. The perfect spot to fuel up before diving into The Croxton Block Party’s incredible lineup. Enjoy the moment.
The Croxton Block Party promises to be a celebration of everything that makes Melbourne’s music scene special – from the intimate venue atmosphere to the tight-knit community that surrounds it. With Grace Cummings’ local knowledge in hand, punters can experience Thornbury like a true local while enjoying two days of exceptional live music.
For more information, head here.
